Results 10,721-10,740 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

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

Regina Doherty: My Department is very appreciative of all the work done by both An Post and the Postmasters in delivering essential welfare cash payments to the public in these difficult times.  Their efforts have maintained the delivery of social welfare payments while assisting with social distancing measures designed to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. Fortnightly payments were introduced to...

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

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned was notified on 14 May 2020 of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for...

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

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned was notified on 20 March 2020 of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has also advised me that an Appeals Officer...

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

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned was notified on 25 March 2020 of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has also advised me that an Appeals Officer...

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

Regina Doherty: The emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been introduced as a time-limited emergency measure so that payments can be made as quickly as possible to the large number of people who have become fully unemployed due to the pandemic. During the month of March, my Department received and processed jobseeker claims equivalent in number to a three year claim-load. These...

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

Regina Doherty: The Government has been seeking to implement and operate supports that are targeted where most needed, to ensure continued economic activity and reduce the risk of poverty.  In March, as part of these measures, I was delighted to be able to announce the extension of the Fuel Allowance scheme by four weeks until Friday, 8th May 2020.  At a cost of €36.61 million, the...

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

Regina Doherty: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy services to citizens on a wide range of public and social services.  CIB funds 21 independent companies which deliver services to the public, including the network of Citizens Information Services and the...

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

Regina Doherty: Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), and subsequent regulations, the Government, having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of Covid-19, made exceptional provision in the public interest and to mitigate the effect of the spread of the disease to amend and...

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

Regina Doherty: The Department, in line with the overall Government response to this public health emergency, moved swiftly to put in place enhanced and new supports for existing customers and new customers who, as a result of COVID-19, are working reduced hours or who have lost their employment entirely – even if on a temporary basis.  A priority from the outset has been to ensure that income...

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) Scheme was put in place to ensure that those people who lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic would receive an income support as quickly as possible. It is individuals who claim PUP, not employers, and it is open to those employed as an employee or on a self-employed basis. The introduction of the PUP scheme was quickly followed by...

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

Regina Doherty: Universal basic income is a long-standing concept and argues for an unconditional transfer paid to everyone by the state in place of large parts of the existing social protection system.  In terms of taxation, the general concept assumes that the basic income payment would be tax-free and all other income would be taxed.  This would require significant amendment to both the welfare...

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

Regina Doherty: For the purpose of this response, we have interpreted “social media platforms” as solely these and no other form of digital advertising. My Department administers over 80 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. The Department is committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 629, 667 and 668 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Marriages (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 630, 633 and 634 together. Due to current restrictions to support public health initiatives, access to the Civil Registration Service offices is greatly restricted and civil marriage ceremonies cannot proceed, other than in exceptional circumstances such as those involving the risk of death to one of the parties to a marriage. The Health Service...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 631, 645, 647, 672, 674, 675, 677 and 687 together. The COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic for an initial 12 week period. The Government has, as of last Friday, approved the extension of this payment until 10th August. Changes were also announced to the structure of this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I am somewhat unclear as to the particulars of the case referred to by the Deputy, however, it is important to note a number of key points. Firstly, let me set out the current legislation as it pertains to annual leave. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 sets out the key parameters for the taking of annual leave and payment for same. The times at which annual leave is granted is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 635, 669 and 671 together. The enhanced illness benefit payment is available where a registered medical practitioner or a HSE medical officer of health diagnoses a person with COVID 19 or identifies him or her as a probable source of infection. The payment is for a limited period and at a rate of €350 to ensure that the person can comply with medical...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced by my Department in response to the Covid-19 pandemic emergency. As stipulated in the scheme guidelines both employees and self-employed people can apply for the payment if they satisfy a number of qualifying conditions as set out below. In order to qualify for the payment, the applicant must: - be aged between 18 and 66 years...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 637 and 638 together. In January 2018, I announced an interim total contributions approach (TCA) to the calculation of pension entitlement for those State pension (contributory) customers born on or after 1 September 1946 and in receipt of pension on post-2012 rates. This TCA provides for up to 20 years of HomeCaring Periods in the pension entitlement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (9 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Total Contributions Approach (TCA), when it is introduced, is intended to be a fairer and more transparent system where the person’s lifetime contribution will be more closely reflected in the benefit received. Consultation is a very important part of the development and design of such a new approach. With this in mind, a public consultation on the design of the TCA was...