Results 10,681-10,700 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1088 and 1091 together. CE is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring bodies that receive state funding from the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for participants within their communities.  The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market.  Participation on CE is intended...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory).  The actuarial value of the State Pension is estimated at over €300,000 which requires people who claim a contributory pension to have made at least 10 years of paid contributions over 50 years of a working age life. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1093, 1100 and 1101 together. The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March 2020 as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.  This payment is payable to people of working age between 18 and up to 66 which is consistent with other Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1094 and 1145 together. Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 20,400 recipients.   The scheme provides short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market.  The support is available to someone looking to take the first steps into self-employment when setting up a new business.  It allows someone to retain a reducing proportion of their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced by my Department in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  To be eligible for the Covid-19 PUP a person must have been in employment or self-employment on or after 06/03/2020 and must have lost their employment or self-employment due to a downturn in economic activity related to Covid-19.  According to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March 2020 as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.  It is proposed that workers in respect of the COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment should be granted paid contributions for the duration of the emergency measures.  This will...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28 April 2020.  It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought.  When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Since the launch of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 16th March, 2020, the Department has issued at least one payment to 681,000 people up to week ending May 23rd 2020. I am advised that approximately 13% of these recipients had received a Social Welfare payment in the first three months of this year.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The most recent PRSI/earnings data available refers to the year 2018. In order to accurately calculate income inclusive of social protection payments, information on social protection payments also refers to the year 2018. The following table is restricted to PUP recipients where PRSI/earnings data is available. Separately, the average weekly social protection payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobs Protection (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative, in line with subsequent requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in allowing staff time off to look after their children who are not attending school or crèche, or other family members who have an underlying medical condition.  Employers have a general duty of care towards...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced by my Department in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  To be eligible for the Covid-19 PUP, a person must have been in employment or self-employment on or after 6/3/2020 and must have lost their employment or self-employment due to a downturn in economic activity related to Covid-19.  According to the records of my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: In order to qualify for disability allowance, a person must be aged between 16 and 66, satisfy a medical and means test and be habitually resident in the State. The EU Regulations on Social Security Coordination provide for common rules to protect a person’s social security rights when moving within Europe.  These Regulations contain a number of key principles, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB) provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted and need help and advice with debt problems. As part of its free services, MABS also provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears. South Connacht MABS...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Data Protection legislation (section 41(b) of the Data Protection Act 2018) permits the disclosure of information to members of An Garda Síochána when they are preventing, detecting or investigating offences or prosecuting criminal offences.  In addition, Section 8 of the Immigration Act 2003 permits the exchange of information with An Garda Síochána in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Wage Subsidy Scheme (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Government has introduced a number of initiatives to help employers and their employees during this difficult time, including the Covid-19 Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme.  This scheme is operated by Revenue and provides the payment of support to employers in respect of eligible employees where the employer’s business has experienced significant disruption due to the Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that, due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, in person oral appeal hearings have been suspended...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Meals-on-Wheels Services (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Community Employment (CE) sponsor groups provide a valuable and dedicated service in running CE schemes.  The many services provided by CE schemes both in rural and urban areas are extremely valuable to every town and village in the country.  Funding for CE supervision on a CE scheme is based on the number of CE participants.  CE schemes with 11 to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (3 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory).  The actuarial value of the State Pension is estimated at over €300,000 which requires people who claim a contributory pension to have made at least 10 years of paid contributions over 50 years of a working age life. ...