Results 2,701-2,720 of 4,556 for speaker:Claire Kerrane

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 301. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of exceptional needs payments that were provided due to domestic or gender-based violence per month to date 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25477/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 302. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of rent supplements for survivors of domestic violence by month to date in 2022, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25478/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Policy Issues for Carers: Family Carers Ireland (18 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the witnesses for coming in this morning. It is a great shame that in 2022 in Ireland, one of the richest countries in the world, they have to come in and bare their souls and tell us stories that are so personal about their children, who they obviously love so much. It is a great shame that they have to come in here and do that this morning. However, I am very glad they are before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Policy Issues for Carers: Family Carers Ireland (18 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I seek one quick clarification from Family Carers Ireland. In his opening statement, Mr. Dunne mentioned that he believed that a review to be undertaken would possibly see the abolition of the means test or the establishment of a participation income for carers as recommended in the NESC report in 2020. Will Family Carers Ireland now formally call for the Minister to abolish the means test...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I have said many times that it is totally unacceptable that statistics are not collected on the number of people who are refused exceptional needs payments. If we do not know how many apply for it and are refused, then we have a problem. We need the data. The Department collects data on many things and this should be one of them. I welcome what the Minister has said on collating...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: Statutory redundancy will be made available, as it is to most workers, albeit it will be limited. I am speaking about redundancy beyond the statutory redundancy because some of these workers have given 20, and in some cases, 25 years of dedication. During that time they have educated themselves and retrained and they are highly skilled workers who deserve better. The tender has gone ahead...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I mention the roughly 388 people who work in local employment services and job clubs. When a new provider like Turas Nua or Seetec Ireland comes in, some of those workers who have given 20 to 25 years of work to not-for-profit and community-based employment services will not want to take up a role in an organisation that is run for-profit, that provides payment by results and that is not...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 76. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if she will outline plans regarding redundancy provision for local employment service, LES, and job club staff who lose employment as a result of the ongoing tender process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24492/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: What are the Minister's plans to provide for the staff in local employment services and job clubs who will, in some instances, lose their jobs in the weeks and months ahead? Will redundancy payments be provided?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: The figures speak for themselves. In 2020, the consistent poverty rate for those aged over 65 was 1%. It is now 2.5%. Deprivation and at risk of poverty have increased. For those unable to work - I presume many of them are people with disabilities - deprivation is up to 39.6% and consistent poverty is at 19.2%. All those rates are up. There are no improvements or reductions. That is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 73. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the way she plans to ensure social protection payments meet a minimum essential standard of living, in review of the recently published results of the survey on income and living conditions 2021 and findings of persistent levels of poverty and deprivation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24491/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I have asked the Minister about the minimal essential standard of living, MESL, and about linking social welfare payments to it. I want to ask the Minister about that again, given the latest data from the survey on income and living conditions, SILC, which was recently published by the CSO.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: The Minister pointed to a number of improvements outlined by the SILC data. The SILC data have once again shown consistent poverty among lone-parent families, which are four times more likely to be in poverty than households that are headed by two adults. In some cases, there were across-the-board increases. For people aged over 65, there were increases in those at risk of poverty,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 71. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she will publish her response to the report of the Commission on Pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24490/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: The question is to ask the Minister when she will publish her response to the report by the Commission on Pensions, which published its report last November and her response was due by the end of March. She might please advise when the response will be published.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I love the term "in the coming weeks" because it really narrows it down. In fairness, I appreciate the work that was done. I understand that it is a massive report and the area of pensions is hugely complex with many different aspects to it. As the Minister outlined, the report is more than 250 pages long. However, it has been published for almost eight months and we need a response from...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I recognise the work of the Department on the refugees and the level of support they have needed, both in regard to PPS numbers and emergency income supports. I am sure the staff have worked long hours in that regard, which must be acknowledged. I wish to mention one cohort in particular in regard to pensions, namely, family carers. For a long time they have been promised a solution in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Family Support Services (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: This report has been long-awaited by many Members of the House, who had asked for many years for child maintenance to be examined. The establishment of this review group was very welcome, and I am glad it has reported and that the report is with the Minister. With regard to bringing the report to Cabinet when the Minister has gone through it, and I appreciate that she will have to engage...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Family Support Services (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: I welcome that this report has been published and I acknowledge the hard work of everyone who took part in that work. It will be extremely important for the future. We have put forward proposals on many occasions for a statutory child maintenance service. That is what we would like to have, and to see it taken off the shoulders of lone parents who end up having to go to court in some cases...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Family Support Services (17 May 2022)

Claire Kerrane: 69. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection when she will publish her response to the recommendations of the child maintenance review group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24489/22]