Results 3,661-3,680 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: There were always winners and losers when pension provisions were changed in the past. When this change in pension formation was being made, I was adamant that there were going to be no losers. The people whose reviews have been completed but who have not received an uplift have certainly not received a decrease. They are continuing to receive the payments they were receiving. A number of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: People who have not received an uplift have the option of applying for a review in the first instance. If that review does not stand, they have the option of applying for a non-contributory pension because the contributory pension is not means tested and is based on contributions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code Reform (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The legislation sponsored by the Deputy seeks to, among other things, establish a commission to monitor and make recommendations on social welfare rates at least once a year. While I welcome the Deputy's engagement on the issue, I remind him that careful consideration needs to be given to the establishment of a commission and to its composition, parameters and terms of reference....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions Reform (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Deputy. Since September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners who were born on or after 1 September 1946 and have an entitlement to receive a reduced rate contributory State pension, based on post-budget 2012 rate band changes.  The payments are being reviewed under the new model, the total contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands.  These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pension calculation which includes provision...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 33 together. My Department received the Data Protection Commissioner's draft investigation report in respect of the Public Services Card in August 2018. The draft report contained a number of provisional findings and requested further information and clarifications on certain matters.  The Department was specifically asked by the office of the Data...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Poverty (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am committed to reducing child poverty levels in Ireland. My Department is currently working on a new Roadmap for Social Inclusion which includes concrete commitments, policies and strategies in to reduce child poverty.  The Roadmap will include targets designed to address poverty and social exclusion including specific targets in relation to child poverty.  I expect to bring the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Administration (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Farm assist is a means-tested income support scheme for farmers.  The annual Farm Assist review form is designed to ensure that the correct level of payment is made to the customer, taking into account any changes in circumstances that may have occurred in the past year. The means test for Farm Assist takes account of all income sources with certain disregards applicable to specific...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 31 and 40 together. 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, by 2022.  It will see employees without personal retirement savings automatically enrolled into a quality assured retirement savings system,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department is currently finalising a new Roadmap for Social Inclusion for the period 2019-2025.  It will have a ‘whole of government’ approach which recognises the shared responsibility across Government to achieve improved outcomes for the most vulnerable and marginalised in our society. I am bringing the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to Government very soon...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.  All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Review (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means tested payment, made to people who are providing full-time care and attention to elderly people or to people with disabilities and whose income falls below certain limits.  The principal conditions for receipt of the allowance are that full time care and attention is required and being provided and that the means test which applies is satisfied. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department’s Medical Appliance scheme, which provides grants to assist in the purchase of hearing aids, is available to those who have the required number of PRSI contributions and their dependant spouse / partners.  The numbers claiming under the scheme over recent years and the payments made by my Department bear testimony to the important contribution the scheme is making...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department operates a range of means-tested social assistance payments.  Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse / partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme.  The assessment of capital reflects an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of capital and property are in a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold.  The policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs have created an environment in which business can succeed and has led to the creation of more than 400,000 jobs since the economic low point. Secondly, through the Pathways to Work strategy, my Department ensures that as many new jobs as possible are filled by people taken from the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, provides the legal basis for Sectoral Employment Orders (SEOs).  SEOs can cover a broad range of issues such as pay, pensions or sick pay schemes for workers in an economic sector.   Separately, I have met with relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: Basic weekly supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) may be paid to customers awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment.  In certain circumstances, if a person is not eligible for other social welfare payments and their weekly income is below the SWA rate for their family size, a payment may be made to bring their income up to the appropriate SWA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Local Employment Service (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Local Employment Services and Job Clubs contracts are reviewed on an annual basis to ensure they are fit-for-purpose in the context of the Irish labour market, as well as providing value for money for taxpayers.  Indecon, in its reviews of LES and Job Clubs published last January, recommended that the Department should consider multiannual contracts and a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: As announced in January 2018 pensioners born on or after the 1st September 1946, affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands, will have their state pension (contributory) entitlement calculated under an interim 'Total Contributions Approach' (TCA).  These changes also provide for up to 20 years of home caring periods in the pension entitlement calculation, for those who took time out of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 May 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 42 together. Since late September 2018, my Department has been examining the social insurance records of approximately 90,000 pensioners, born on or after 1 September 1946, who have a reduced rate State pension contributory entitlement based on post Budget 2012 rate-bands.  These payments are being reviewed under a new Total Contributions...