Results 5,401-5,420 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Funding (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB)  provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted and need help and advice with debt problems.  As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Abhaile service, is a national mortgage arrears resolution service, provided free of charge to the borrower and its aim is to help mortgage holders in arrears to find the best solutions and keep them, wherever possible, in their own homes.  The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) acts as the gateway for the service and can be contacted by telephoning (0761)07 2000 or by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) was introduced on Monday 1st October 2018 and has been open to application since that date.  A total of 65 participants have commenced the scheme to date. YESS is targeted at young jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. The scheme aims to provide jobseekers with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Christmas Bonus was paid last week to 1.2 million long-term social welfare beneficiaries, such as pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and long-term unemployed jobseekers, among others.  For the first time in 10 years, the Bonus was paid at 100%.  The Bonus is paid in recognition of the long-term financial dependence of these recipients on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: An age-related reduced rate of €100 per week for Jobseeker's Allowance recipients was introduced in the Supplementary Budget in 2009 in respect of 18 and 19 year olds. Budget 2010 extended the €100 per week rate to 20 and 21 year olds and introduced a new €150 per week rate for 23 and 24 year olds.  Budget 2011 reduced the €150 per week rate to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (11 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education, subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. The objective is to raise educational and skills levels to enable them to better access to emerging  labour market needs in line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is 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 €227 million in 2018. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department makes every effort to ensure consistency in the application of the habitual residence guidelines. The guidelines, although drafted for Departmental decision-makers, are published online. They offer comprehensive guidance on the most appropriate course of action when applying the criteria with respect to habitual residence. They include specific guidance relating to returning...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The social insurance record of the person concerned is currently under review and my Department’s Central Records Section will contact the person directly with the outcome of that review when complete. State pension entitlements, contributory and no-contributory, are assessed on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an applicant reaches pension age. For...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (6 Dec 2018)

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 application for CA was received from the person concerned on 14 September 2018. The application was referred to a local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Applications (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 08 October 2018. The applicant has been awarded WFP with effect from 11 October 2018 to 09 October 2019. The first weekly payment and all arrears owing will issue to their nominated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned has no current Jobseekers Allowance claim. Their previous claim ceased on the 17 April 2018. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: Ireland has a comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation. We have a well-resourced labour inspectorate, which forms part of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). In addition, where an individual believes they are being deprived of employment rights applicable to employees, they may refer a complaint to the WRC where the matter can be dealt with by way of mediation or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment intended to help householders on long-term social welfare payments with their heating costs during the winter season. The applicant must satisfy the main eligibility conditions which include being in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfying a means test and living alone or with other qualifying person(s). As the spouse of the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 267 together. My Department has responsibility for the legislation underpinning the social welfare code, occupational and private pensions, civil registration and gender recognition, redundancy and employer’s insolvency, employment rights and the Citizens Information Board. Sixteen Acts relating to these matters have been enacted since March...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: As part of its remit to provide information, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection administers a grant funding scheme known as the Grants Scheme for the Development and Promotion of Information and Welfare Rights. In 2018, funding provided for the scheme amounts to €690,000. The primary criterion specifies that any grant paid under the scheme is to be used to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Workplace Discrimination (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The question is appropriate to the Minister for Justice and Equality who has policy responsibility for employment equality legislation and inequality in the workplace. The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 outlaw discrimination in a wide range of employment and employment-related areas. These include recruitment and promotion; equal pay; working conditions; training or experience; dismissal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Eligibility (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The Government provided €49.5 million for the scheme in 2018 which operates from June to September. The payment rates for the 2018 scheme were €125 for eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned made an application for the Back to Education Allowance(B.T.E) which was refused based on the information provided. A request for a review by the person concerned was received, and the application was referred to an independent Case Officer. The outcome of the review found there were no grounds to change the recommendation. Intreo Centre staff have sought to advise the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Commencement of Legislation (6 Dec 2018)

Regina Doherty: Certain sections in Part 9 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 provide for the registration and re-registration of the birth of a donor-conceived child. The current position is that these sections need to be amended, to correct technical errors, and have yet to be commenced. I am aware of the impact that this is having on affected families, and of the pressing need to proceed...