Results 4,021-4,040 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (9 Apr 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: State Pensions Payments (9 Apr 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)  pension calculation which includes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children at a total cost of €57.6 million in 2019 representing an increase of €3.6 million over the previous year. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Review (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: An application for carer's allowance (CA) was received from the person concerned on 9 October 2018.  It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such a disability that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (9 Apr 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 increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. CA is currently in payment to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was awarded state pension (contributory), together with an increase for qualified adult in respect of their spouse, with effect from 2 May 2008, the person's 66th birthday.  Increase for  qualified adult is a means-tested payment based on the means of the qualified adult.  At the time of application, the person declared that their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department's Intreo service offers a range of education, training and employment support measures during the activation process to help jobseekers secure and sustain full-time paid employment. Furthermore, activation services currently provided by, or on behalf of my Department through contracted services, have the capacity to provide appropriate activation services for all...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Jobseekers Claim for the person concerned is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector.  There were discrepancies noted between what was declared for the claim and what had been returned to Revenue.  The Social Welfare Inspector will be in contact with the person concerned in this regard. With regard to an application for SWA the person concerned must satisfy a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 593, 594 and 601 together. Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks at a rate of €245 per week. The 2019 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of approximately €256 million on Maternity Benefit. The estimated additional cost of extending the duration of maternity benefit is approximately €9.7 million for each extra week. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Benefit (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The information requested in respect of the number of people that have availed of paternity benefit from it's introduction on 1st September 2016 to 31st March 2019, by county, is set out in the following table: PATERNITYBENEFIT Claimants by County Breakdown County Awarded 1st September 2016 - 31st December 2016 Awarded 2017 Awarded 2018 Awarded 1st January 2019 –...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Eligibility to the treatment benefit scheme was extended to the self-employed from March 2017. Class S contributors and their dependent spouses can now avail of the full range of dental, optical and medical appliance benefits available under the scheme.  In 2018 the total number of claims received from self-employed contributors was 212k at a cost of some 17.2m euro....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Data (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The costings sought by the Deputy are detailed in the following table. Social Insurance Scheme Total (€m) State Pension (Contributory) € 22.72 Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension (under 66 yrs) € 1.55 Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension (over 66 yrs) € 4.98 Deserted Wife's Benefit (under 66 yrs)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The assessment of eligibility for medical related schemes such as Fibromyalgia includes medical history, the review of supporting medical evidence and in certain schemes an in-person assessment by Medical Assessors of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, depending on the benefit scheme applied for. After the assessment, the Medical Assessor will express his/her opinion...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (9 Apr 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. If a person is in receipt of another social welfare payment in their own right (other than unemployment payments or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 February 2019.  It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought.  When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.  An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 27 February 2019. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Payments (9 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is the official measure of inflation in Ireland. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) measures the overall change in the prices of goods and services that people typically buy over time. The goods and services that are included in the basket are determined from the Household Budget Survey. Another measure, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices, is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pensions Reform (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy's submission is very welcome. The views he expressed in the submission were not unique and there are others who share his views, which will not surprise him. We both agree that 35% coverage is too low. Some 65% of people are not saving a single euro for when they get to 66 and we need to help them to make sure they have a better quality of life when they get to 66. My...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pensions Reform (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: That is my plan. Once the scheme is finalised, arising from the changes we will potentially make following the consultation process, I have no choice but to bring the memo to Cabinet as I do not have the authority to do these things off my own bat. We will bring the memo to Cabinet and I will get approval. If I get approval on the scheme as it is presented, that is when I will bring it to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pensions Reform (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I think I understand the question. The Strawman was designed to elicit conversation and discussion and it certainly has done that. There are a number of suggestions from the 100 written submissions that this should be entirely Government-run and that a Government agency be established. However, as I said, we will establish a preferred method based on all of the views that have been put to...