Results 2,061-2,080 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Applications for Personal Public Service Numbers (PPS Numbers) are processed in a network of offices of my Department across the State. Customers can make appointments through an online appointments system through the mywelfare.ie facility and many offices also offer a walk-in service. Demand varies across various geographical locations for reasons such as population, demographics and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The interim Total Contributions Approach (known as the Aggregated Contributions Method) for calculating State Pension (contributory) that I introduced in early 2018 makes it easier for many post-2012 pensioners affected by the 2012 rate band changes and assessed under the yearly average model, to qualify for a higher rate of the State pension (contributory). This model requires 40 years...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has responsibility for the legislation underpinning the social welfare code, occupational and private pensions, civil registration and gender recognition, redundancy and employer’s insolvency, employment rights and the Citizens Information Board. Fourteen Acts relating to these matters have been enacted since November 2013, as set out in the following table ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 30 October 2019. According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 2,079 full-rate paid and credited contributions for the period from 1974 to 2019. This equates to a yearly average of 46 contributions which is sufficient to qualify for 98% of the maximum rate of State pension (contributory), awarded from the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: JobPath is a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs are borne by the companies. The companies are paid on the basis of performance with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment. Total fees payable per client comprise of an initial Registration fee payable on completion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Programmes (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 602 and 603 together. When a customer completes and signs a Personal Progression Plan (PPP), it is countersigned by their Employment Adviser and an electronic copy issued to the customer. My Department has not had any notifications from customers who signed a PPP that it was not their signature on the PPP. On occasion a customer may decline to sign a PPP...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am not aware of any specific powers within the social welfare code under which my Department would require a person to surrender their passport. If the Deputy is aware of a particular case, perhaps he would let me have the details and I will arrange to have the matter investigated.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am not sure whether the Deputy was in the Chamber earlier but, as I stated, we started negotiations with the labour unions and representatives of CE supervisors at the beginning of the summer with a view to finding a resolution to the Labour Court recommendations made in 2008. A number of suggestions are on the table for consideration by both my Department and the Department of Public...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, I met a number of union representatives and CE supervisors probably before, or maybe arising from, the all-party motion. We engaged in a process over the past couple of months to try to put some proposals to my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to resolve the issue, but not exclusively in respect of pensions. I was very clear...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The new Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 will include data from the 2018 EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC), to be released by the CSO on 28 November, with any necessary adjustments made to the targets.  It is not expected that the inclusion of this data will have any impact on the timeframe for publication of the new Roadmap.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Social welfare legislation provides that all income and assets belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse, partner or cohabitant are assessable for social welfare means testing purposes. Where a person is informally separated, and living apart from their spouse or civil partner, social welfare inspectors have a key role in investigating and advising the Department’s deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: In early 2019, the Government agreed to establish an Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to explore the most appropriate organisation arrangements - which included the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). A series of meetings of the IDG have taken place and a number of bilateral meetings were undertaken with the relevant Departments which included discussions on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has participated in the National Ploughing Championships over the past number of years and it provides an important opportunity for face-to-face engagement with our customers and the public. In 2019, for the first time, my Department attended as part of the Government of Ireland village.  The central Government of Ireland’s presence at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Data (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The details requested in relation to the number of people who applied for hearing aids under the treatment benefit scheme are set out in the following table. Year Number of Grants paid  Cost euro 2017 11,375 9.43m  2018 14,689 12.74m  2019 to end October 13,185 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Applications (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I can assure the Deputy that the quality of assessment carried out on the cohort of clients with Fibromyalgia is maintained to a high professional level and that there has been no diminishing of eligibility criteria for this illness. The Department’s protocols were developed with the primary intention of assisting Medical Assessors in carrying out their work. As protocols are in place...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The assessment of eligibility for medical related schemes such as Fibromyalgia includes detail medical history, the review of supporting medical evidence and in certain schemes an in-person assessment, where appropriate physical and relevant functional assessment is carried out by Medical Assessors of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, depending on the benefit scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned received an Exceptional Needs Payment of €250 on 18/11/2019 in order to meet a need to provide home heating. The Community Welfare Officer met with the person concerned in relation to her situation and the person concerned outlined that she has made efforts to formalise a maintenance payment and protection order.  According to the records of my Department no...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income.  An urgent needs payment (UNP) may be made to a person who may not normally qualify for SWA but who has an urgent need that cannot...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was awarded fuel allowance with effect from 11 October 2019. As the Increase for living alone was in payment, they were automatically entitled to the telephone support allowance from 11 October 2019. These decisions issued in writing to the person concerned on 25 November 2019, together with details of arrears due.  Their fuel allowance is currently being paid on a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: An application for the Household Benefits Package was received from the person concerned on 19 November 2019.  Under current eligibility conditions, the person concerned does not satisfy the household composition test. Implementation of an incoming Budget 2020 measure, where another adult (except the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of applicant) living...