Results 2,421-2,440 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disabilities Data (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: As part of Budget 2019, I announced my intention to commission research into the cost of disability. This is the first step in reaching an in-depth understanding of this complex issue. Indecon International Consultants have been commissioned to carry out the research and are expected to submit an interim report shortly. Their work programme to date has included the following elements:- -...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for a Partnership Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. My Department provides a range of supports to those who are caring for family members, friends or neighbours. These income supports...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: National Minimum Wage (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am aware of the Motion the Deputy has referred to. The Deputy will also be aware that the principal function of the Low Pay Commission is, once each year, to examine the national minimum hourly rate of pay and to make a recommendation regarding the rate, ensuring that all decisions are evidence-based, fair and sustainable, and do not create significant adverse consequences for employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department utilises a wide variety of computer operating systems and associated services across its extensive ICT desktop and server environments. The number of Windows 7 operating system devices across the entire network is 11,010 and consists of desktop PCs, small factor PCs used for video conferencing and laptops. I am advised that the project to upgrade and replace the Windows 7...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department makes every effort to maximise the product lifetime and value it extracts from its ICT assets.A project to upgrade and replace all Windows 7 devices is underway in my Department and it will complete during 2020. The focus of this project up to this point, has been on compiling, building and extensively testing the variety of customised Windows 10 images that are required...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has comprehensive cyber security arrangements and patch management protocols in place to secure all devices on the Department's ICT network irrespective of the operating system being used. My Department has plans in place to ensure continuing support for devices running the Windows 7 operating system until all are fully retired in 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (5 Nov 2019)

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 on 21 March 2019. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Data (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Protection of Employment Act 1977 makes it mandatory on employers proposing a collective redundancy: (a) to engage in an information and consultation process with employees’ representatives and (b) to notify the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection of the proposed collective redundancy (SI 140/1977 sets out the information an employer is obliged to provide to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1063, 1066 and 1069 together. My Department does not have a policy to issue a Public Services Card (PSC) when a person reaches the age of 18 years. In cases where a person applied for and was issued a PSC before the age of 18, a new card issues when they turn 18. If a person under the age of 18 presents for SAFE registration, they must be accompanied by a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: A recipient of the state pension (contributory) can claim an increase to their pension in respect of a qualified adult. A qualified adult is the spouse / partner of the pensioner who is being wholly or mainly maintained by the pensioner. An increase may be payable at the maximum rate of payment where the means of the spouse / partner is €100 a week or less, while reduced rates are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. In January 2018, I announced the Government Decision to introduce a new interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to the calculation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was in receipt of a jobseeker's benefit payment until his entitlement to this short term payment completed on 9/5/2019. The person concerned is currently in receipt of unemployment credits with effect from 10/5/2019. An unemployment credited contributions claim does not confer any payment entitlement rather it ensures that a person's social insurance record remains...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: In figures to end September, there were the equivalent of 6,308 staff on full-time contracts (6,651 people) and 5 staff on part-time contracts. The figure for full time equivalents takes account of staff that avail of work-share options. All staff are paid above the minimum wage level.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am pleased that the Government recently approved significant elements of my design for an automatic enrolment retirement savings system. These include key decisions in relation to the target membership, the contribution rates, the policies in relation to opting-out and re-enrolment, the administrative arrangements and organisational approach and the investment options. As stated in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 June 2018. 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. The evidence submitted in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Appeals (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 4 September 2019. At the hearing it was agreed that further investigation of the case was required and, accordingly, the matter was referred to a social welfare inspector. The report of the social welfare inspector has now been received and the case will be reviewed, in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: When a customer on Jobseekers Transitional (JST) wishes to commence a course of education, they are required to advise their Intreo Centre where an appointment will be made with a case officer to discuss the customer’s options. Customers in receipt of Jobseekers Transitional (JST) payments have two options if they wish to complete a course of education. First, where the course can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (5 Nov 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 7 June 2019. Additional information in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied on the 25th February 2019 for an illness benefit payment whilst undergoing medical treatment. Once an illness benefit claim is opened, Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) is no longer payable as a condition of JST is that a claimant must be fit for work. The JST claim continued to be paid until the 6thMarch 2019 when the claim was closed. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (5 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: A minimum of 520 full-rate paid contributions is required for the standard state pension (contributory), with a minimum of 260 full-rate paid contributions required for entitlement to a mixed insurance pro- rata pension. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned does not have any full rate social insurance contributions. The person concerned was employed with the...