Results 2,561-2,580 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

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

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 79 together. The current legislation provides that where a social welfare payment has been awarded, a Deciding Officer may revise that decision at any stage, where there is either a change of circumstances, or where there was an error in the original decision, or where fresh facts or evidence indicate that the original...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Public Services Card (PSC) was provided for in legislation in 1998 when it was introduced alongside the PPS Number to replace the previous Revenue and Social Insurance number (RSI) and the Social Service Card (SSC).  The Attorney General’s Office advises that the legislation underpinning the PSC is clear and provides a strong legal basis for the existing and continued use of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64 and 73 together. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department is currently engaging with representatives of CE supervisors to discuss issues arising following the 2008 Labour Court Recommendation (LCR 19293).  The focus of this process is to try to resolve the issues relating to pension entitlements of CE supervisors in a cost effective...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: In October 2017 the DPC commenced an investigation into the SAFE / PSC process and delivered its final report to the Department on 15 August 2019.  On 17 September, the Department published the report of the DPC together with a summary of its own response to the findings of the report, and related correspondence between it and the DPC. As stated in September, the...

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

Regina Doherty: On Budget Day I announced measures to support young jobseekers including the abolition of the age-related rate of payment for 25 year olds from January 2020.  This measure increases the personal weekly rate for a young jobseeker from €157.80 up to €203 and will benefit almost 1,800 young people. I also announced that that the increased rate...

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

Regina Doherty: Section 19 of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Act 2018 provides that I, as Minister, will arrange to "consult with stakeholders on examining ways in which social welfare rates are increased with the aim of ensuring adequacy for all recipients and shall do so in quarter 1 of 2019". As the Deputy is aware, my Department met with numerous interested stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: In Budget 2020, I announced the targeted allocation of €2.5m to design and implement measures that will improve the work and training readiness across targeted groups.  This includes those who need additional support to maximise the opportunities being provided in a labour force that has grown consistently over the past twenty consecutive quarters.  These groups include...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have recently received the draft of the new social inclusion strategy "Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2019-2025", and intend to bring it to cabinet committee and government for review and approval as soon as possible.  I expect that the new strategy will be published shortly.

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

Regina Doherty: In Budget 2020, I again increased the income disregard for the 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Rent supplement plays a vital role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting approximately 18,300 recipients for which the Government has provided €132.4 million for 2019. The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose; that of a short-term income support has been primarily facilitated by...

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

Regina Doherty: The Fuel Allowance is currently a payment of €22.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €630 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €240 million in 2019.  The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.  It is not intended to meet those costs in full.  Only one...

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

Regina Doherty: In Budget 2020, I announced funding to support a research project by the Irish Hospice Foundation which intends to examine funeral poverty in Ireland and the wider economic impact of bereavement.  The amount which I have allocated as a once off contribution to the cost of this research is €60,000 for 2020, and will support the...

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

Regina Doherty: This Government has committed to making the needs of families a priority, especially lone parents, children and those on lower incomes. Over the previous three Budgets, personal weekly rates have been increased by €15 per week with proportionate increases for those with a qualified adult dependant.  Payments to qualified children have also increased, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have noted with interest the contributions made by all parties during recent the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Scheme of the Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection. The Bill carries forward the long-established distinction between ‘tips and gratuities’ on the one hand and ‘service...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: The customer's review application for Invalidity Pension has been medically assessed on 18th October, 2019  by one of the Department's Medical Assessors and the medical opinion has been conveyed to a Deciding Officer in the Invalidity scheme area who will be in contact with the customer in due course. I am advised that additional staff are being allocated to deal with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together. Over the past 20 years Ireland's supplementary pension coverage rate has remained stubbornly low.  The most recent CSO data relates to 2018 and this reports that only 47% of the working population have supplementary pensions.  It is estimated that this rate reduces to just 35% when the private sector...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under the Government’s Roadmap for Pensions Reform 2018-2023, a number of specific actions have been allocated to the Interdepartmental Pensions Reform and Taxation Group (IDPRTG).  The IDPRTG is chaired by the Department of Finance and includes representatives from that Department as well as from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together. The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) Act 2014 introduced a positive duty on public bodies to have due regard to human rights and equality issues. My Department’s mission is to promote active participation and inclusion in society through the framework of employment rights and the provision of income supports,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: As stated in the 'The Roadmap for Pensions Reform', the Government proposes to begin implementation of a supplementary retirement savings system, known as Automatic Enrolment (AE), by 2022.  AE will see a transition from the current and purely voluntary system to one which will, subject to certain parameters, automatically enrol employees into a quality assured retirement savings...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (23 Oct 2019)

Regina Doherty: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to a State pension (contributory) claimants whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit. As part of my Department’s commitment to ensuring that claimants...