Results 5,781-5,800 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Applications (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The illness benefit claim for the person concerned has now been processed and paid to 10th November. It is certified to 11th November 2018. If the person concerned remains ill and unfit for work, a further medical certificate should be submitted to the Department as soon as possible so that further payments can issue. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Applications (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP ) is an income-tested weekly tax-free payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. Income that is assessable for WFP includes an applicant's and their spouse's or partner's average net weekly assessable earnings from employment plus any other income such as other social welfare payments, farm income, income from self...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Eligibility (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: To qualify for payment of Illness Benefit a person must satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions, including the requirement to have at least 104 weeks of PRSI contributions paid since first starting work. Up until the end of the 2017 contribution year the person concerned has 103 weeks of PRSI contributions paid. If the person concerned has PRSI contributions paid in the current (2018)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Payments (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The illness benefit claim for the person concerned has been processed and she is in receipt of her full entitlement under the illness benefit scheme. The personal rate of benefit for the person concerned is €88.90 per week. This rate is calculated based on the person's average weekly earnings in 2016 income tax year. As the personal rate of benefit is less than the maximum personal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme Payments (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The qualified child allowance on the Partial Capacity Benefit claim for the person concerned has now been processed and arrears due have issued. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: There has been no decision on the number of years required to qualify for a maximum rate pension under the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) that will apply from 2020. This issue was one of the matters the recent public consultation exercise on TCA sought opinions on, and those opinions will inform the final design of that scheme. I launched the public consultation on the design of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Payments (14 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The illness benefit claim for the person concerned is currently certified up to the 4th December 2018. The claim is paid up to 17th November 2018 and all arrears due have also been paid. Any further medical certificates should be submitted to the Department as soon as possible so that further payments can issue. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: Dare I say that the Deputy is questioning his own decision from 2009, for which the rationale remains exactly the same today. We do not want our young people aged between 18 and 24 to be sitting at home watching "Judge Judy". Rather, we want them in education, training or employment opportunities, which is exactly what this measure has achieved. Anybody who is at home on a reduced rate,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: People who left the country to go to work in another country can avail of the credits. If there is a reciprocal arrangement between the country the person went to work in and Ireland, he or she can arrange for his or her credits to be included on his or her record. The gaps can only be filled in this system by caring credits. People who went to work, say, in London will not be able to come...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Deputy for raising this, particularly on the day when we may have a deal. It is important to note that the social security arrangements between the UK and the EU 27 have not changed. The future operation of arrangements will be determined as part of the complex process of negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU. My key area of concern is the impact of Brexit on the current...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I have a dedicated team in the Department. They have been working for almost a year on each individual scheme that has reciprocal rights between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to ascertain what exactly we need to do to maintain those reciprocal arrangements. I read the report with interest and was curious as to why it came out this morning but that is the nature...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Brexit Issues (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: Once the outcome of the analysis is complete and the negotiations are complete, I will be happy to share the analysis with the House but the outcome will probably be evident at that stage because the ambition of both Esther McVey and I is continuity of the existing arrangements. The only reason the Deputy would be surprised is if something goes askew on that and we do not have it but then we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 108 together. I do not think we have ever reached this number of questions. In line with EU and OECD jurisdictions, reduced rates for young jobseekers were introduced from 2009 on a phased basis to tackle high youth unemployment. These measures guard against the development of long-term welfare dependency by providing young jobseekers with a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Maintenance Payments (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy sent me the proposal some months ago. I thank him for sending it and I did read it. However, the matter does not fall within my remit. Much as I stick my nose into stuff that is none of my business, this definitely is not my business. My Department exists to support people. However, I agree with one thing. The former partner of the lady who paid €9,000 should be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Maintenance Payments (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I take some solace in knowing the Deputy thinks that I have more influence in the Department of Justice and Equality than he does.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Child Maintenance Payments (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I know what he would like to see; I am somewhere in between. We will have that meeting with the Department of Justice and Equality later this month. I will come back to the Deputy and we will have a conversation on how best to progress it. I am aware of the UN recommendation. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has generous disregards with regard to maintenance....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 89 and 120 together. Pensioners born on or after 1 September 1946 and affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands can have their State pension (contributory) entitlement calculated under an interim total-contributions approach. The announced changes also provide for up to 20 years of home-caring credits in the pension-entitlement calculation, for those...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information letters will issue to approximately 79,000 contributory pensioners. We have identified them because they are receiving less than 100% of a pension since the changes were made in 2012. The first 11,000 information letters issued last week and the remainder will issue this week or next week at the latest. People do not need to do anything for us because in the main we can...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: Regarding Deputy Curran's question, 2012 does have the conditionality of a 40-year life span but it is because we have the 20 years of caring credits as opposed to what we would have historically had, which was a 30-year working average life span but only ten years of credits. That does not presuppose that this is what 2020 will look like. The public consultation has not been finished. I...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Process (13 Nov 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am pleased to confirm that the Bill is scheduled for Second Stage in the Seanad on 20 November and for Committee Stage on 28 November. I am currently considering a small number of amendments, some of which are drafting amendments or just technicalities to be brought forward on Committee Stage. I will clarify the position during the Second Stage debate. The Bill delivers on the...