Results 4,161-4,180 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Indecon Reports on Job Clubs and Local Employment Services: Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection (4 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: That will be no problem.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has no role in setting the level of pensions increases received by members of occupational pension schemes, irrespective of whether those schemes operate in the public or private sector.  In this regard, pension increases for occupational pensions are entirely a matter for the scheme trustees and the sponsoring employer to whom enquiries should be addressed. I hope this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (3 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The application for a Companion Free Travel pass from the person concerned was medically assessed by the Chief Medical Assessor on 29 March 2019.  The medical opinion has been conveyed to Household Benefits Section in Sligo and the applicant will be contacted shortly regarding the decision on their application.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Employers are required to maintain accurate records of employees and contractors who they engage and to pay the appropriate class of PRSI.  There are already legislative provisions within the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 prohibiting the practice of misclassifying employment in order to avoid paying the correct social insurance contributions.  Workers who have concerns...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The JobPath providers are obliged to provide a baseline level of support to each participant but are free to adapt that support in individual cases, provided that it is not unduly onerous. The JobPath contracts provide that a person should not have to travel more than 60 minutes in normal circumstances to attend an appointment. Where a person has transport difficulties, the JobPath Company...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Activation and Family Support Programme (3 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: TESG (Technical Support Grant) is a grant available to customers on internal activation with the Department's Intreo offices and does not apply to customers with JobPath. Participants on JobPath receive intensive individual support to help overcome barriers to employment and to find jobs. Each person is assigned a personal adviser who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Direct Provision Payments (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 505 and 506 together. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection administers the daily expenses allowance which is paid to applicants for international protection who live in the direct provision system where they are provided with full board, accommodation and other services by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The costings sought by the Deputy are detailed in the following tables. Scheme €5 increase €10 increase Carer’s Allowance €16.32m €32.64m Carer’s Benefit €0.72m €1.44m Disability Allowance €39.57m €79.13m Illness Benefit €13.72m €27.48m Blind Pension €0.33m €0.67m Invalidity Pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Data (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The estimated cost of increasing the fuel allowance for the periods sought by the Deputy are detailed in the table below: 1 week increase 2 week increase 3 week increase 4 week increase Fuel Allowance €8.41m €16.82m €25.23m €33.64m The costs shown above are on a full-year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2019.  It should be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Household Benefits Package is made up of a choice of either Electricity or Gas Allowance, and Free Television Licence.  These allowances provide a contribution towards electricity or gas, as well as the cost of the annual Television Licence.  Only one household package is paid per household, subject to household composition.  Household Benefits Package may be funded from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 510 and 550 together. Rent supplement continues its important role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 22,600 recipients for which the Government has provided €132.4 million for 2019. Based on the current customer volumes and the intercounty mix of recipients, the forecast full-year cost of increasing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Qualified Child Increase Payments (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The costings sought by the Deputy are detailed in the following tables. Qualified Child Increase €2 increase €3 increase €4 increase €5 increase Cost of Increase €32.71m €49.07m €65.43m €81.79m The costs shown above are on a full-year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2019.  It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The School Meals Programme operated by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection provides funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school children. The cost of increasing the programme by the amounts sought by the Deputy are presented in the following table: Increase   Cost (€m) 5%  2.8 10%  5.7 15%  8.6 20% ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Low Pay Commission Expenditure (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Low Pay Commission was established on 26 February 2015 through the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015.  Its principal function is, once each year, to examine the national minimum hourly rate of pay and to make a recommendation to the Minister respecting the rate, and ensuring that all decisions are evidence-based, fair and sustainable, and do not create significant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for maternity leave which is provided for in the 1994 and 2004 Maternity Acts. Any decision to extend the duration of maternity leave, including that for families with multiple births, would be the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department has responsibility for the payment of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: Child benefit is paid to 630,000 qualifying adults in respect of over 1.2 million children with an annual cost in 2018 of €2.1 billion. The estimated full-year cost of issuing a double child benefit payment to parents on the birth of a child is approximately €8.72 million. This estimate is based on the number of child benefit claims (61,856) received in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The estimated full-year cost of equalising jobseeker payments for those under 26 years of age to the standard rate of €203 per week is €57.75 million. The cost is on a full-year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2019.  It should be noted that this cost is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: National Advocacy Service (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides an independent, confidential and free issues-based representative advocacy service that works exclusively for the person using the service and adheres to the highest professional standards. NAS has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services, have communication...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Bereavement Leave (2 Apr 2019)

Regina Doherty: The question as to whether an employee is entitled to take time off in such circumstances depends on whether any provision exists in the employee’s contract of employment providing for such leave.  For the vast majority of workers, conditions of employment, including bereavement leave provisions, are matters for negotiation between employers and employees.  In the absence of...