Results 181-200 of 1,376 for carers speaker:Regina Doherty

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Deputy who is absolutely right. All of the carer organisations attended the pre-budget forum, which we hold in Dublin Castle every summer, and did not ask for this change in isolation. They asked for five actions, four of which were delivered by the Government in the budget. I am not trying to discount or disregard the enormous contributions of carers, both those in receipt of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Insurance (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am not saying "No", but I will have to have a look at it. Carers are not mostly working. I do not know the answer and will come back to the Deputies.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...feed this information into the work of Catherine Day and the Citizens' Assembly as it would be very valuable for them to have it. We all have an enormous appetite to change the way we care for our carers, but it will come at a cost and the costs will have to be taken into consideration.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am not sure why the Deputy called it an anomaly given that it was part of the carers' benefit system, which is enshrined in legislation. It was a decision made when we sat down with a finite amount and we had to decide who we needed to best look after. We had to see how thinly we could spread the money to reach the most people in the current economy. When I considered increasing the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I ask the Acting Chairman to indulge me briefly. I believe that we need to have a proper conversation about care in this country. No one can ignore it for much longer given we will have far more carers in future than ever. Collectively, we recognise that the State needs to change the way it works, supports and cares for our carers. That is why Ms Catherine Day is a very welcome...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have asked to ensure that the Carers' Association is front and centre to any new Citizens' Assembly and, collectively, we should all buy into whatever recommendations emerge and the changes required to care for carers.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...to say that should be applicable to people who are caring and that is why we need to have a proper conversation in the context of cross-party support and recognition of the valuable work done by carers. However, the premise that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is helping people who have an income deficit. The means test plays a critical role in determining...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...is probably one of the most generous in our social welfare system and one of the most generous in the European Union. What if I do a review and tell the House it will cost €1.6 billion to ensure carers have no means test? There is not a person in this room who has a magic wand to enable them to do that, even over successive Governments or budgets. We need to have a collective...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: In budget 2020, I announced that recipients of carer's payments would be allowed to increase the number of hours they can work, study or attend a training course, outside the home, from 15 to 18.5 hours per week. Over 1,200 additional family carers are expected to qualify for payment as a result of this change at an estimated cost of €11.6 million. Also, any carer currently...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...in other jurisdictions, this can also affect processing times. All of the Department's schemes processing times are within target except for some of the long-term illness related schemes.  Currently, Carers Allowance and Disability Allowance claim processing times are outside the scheme targets.  My Department recognises that the current processing times  for these...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker Transition Payment.  This will increase to €165 per week in January and includes profit from self-employment.  In addition, I increased the hours that carers can study or work – including self-employment - outside the home from 15 hours to 18 and a half hours per week. The Social Welfare Bill 2019 introduces...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Data (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the attached tabular statements. Table 1:Total number of Carer's Allowance claims disallowed in each of the years 2015 to 2018 and to end September 2019. 2015 2016  2017  2018  September 2019  Claims disallowed 7,920 11,144  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...1 Maternity Benefit N/Avail N/Avail N/Avail 5 6 6 Paternity Benefit 5 6 6 Carer's Allowance 24 15 14 14 17 15 Carer's Benefit N/Avail N/Avail N/Avail 9 12 10...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 16 July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection to full-time carers. The person concerned was paid the 2018 grant in early 2019. A short questionnaire was sent to her for completion in order to assess her eligibility for the 2019 grant. However, the person concerned indicated in her reply that she had reduced the hours...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. As a result of an Appeals Officer’s decision, carer's allowance was awarded to the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. The person concerned is in receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 21 August...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 10...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (22 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 24 June 2019.   CA was awarded to the person...