Results 41-60 of 1,035,926 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Mark Ward) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister spoke about the policy as it is now. In the social welfare appeals office decision 2022476, which is dated 20 January 2023, the appeals officer states that while test cases may have been used in the past, they were used in very specific and limited circumstances. That is not terribly long ago - it is about a year and a half ago. While the Department may not currently be using...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not have a copy of what the Deputy is quoting from, but if the Deputy wishes to send it on, I will be happy to look at it. I am informed by the chief appeals officer the social welfare appeals office does not rely on test cases to determine the employment status of all workers in a sector. Any individual making an appeal always has the opportunity to have the evidence in his or her...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I acknowledge the Minister's work. As she has pointed out, she was one of the first Ministers to make changes in this area for many years. As she knows, however, this is a matter that is close to my heart. I have been working with Family Carers Ireland. It has refuted the statistics she has given, in particular relating to the cost. It has estimated that the total cost of abolishing the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I absolutely recognise and value the work of our carers. My Department will spend in excess of €1.7 billion this year on support payments to carers. Carers have been a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. I acknowledge the support I have had from Family Carers Ireland to make changes such as the new pension contributions for long-term carers from the start of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: I appreciate that and, again, I acknowledge the work the Minister has done. It is not about this term, however; it is about the fact that the carers are coming from a very low bar. Some 69% who took part in the Family Carers Ireland survey find it difficult to make ends meet. There is an issue with loneliness as well. The long-standing issues and the challenges that carers face, are down...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The calculations the Minister has provided are quite considerable. What is the basis on which she is calculating the additional inflow? How much of an additional inflow would we be talking about for both the €800 million scenario and the €2 billion scenario? What is the kind of inflow that we would be looking at, according to her calculations?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: If the means test is abolished completely, many more people will apply for the payment. The officials have estimated that and have given me those figures. I take them in good faith. I can get further details on them. It is important to note that, only since June of this year, I increased the limits again such that a couple can earn up to €900 per week and have €50,000 in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed) (24 Sep 2024)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: 1. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection regarding correspondence she has received in the matter of a social welfare appeals office decision (details supplied), which decision was based on information that was subsequently found to be incorrect, whether she intends to set aside the decision on this case or seek a judicial review; and if she will make a statement on...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The Minister will be familiar with this case. Mr. Matt McGranaghan is a musician. He successfully took a case to the scope section in respect of his status as being self-employed or not being self-employed. An appeal was lodged and it was successful. That found against Mr. McGranaghan, but subsequently, according to the Workplace Relations Commission, there were several examples of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Social Welfare Appeals (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The social welfare appeals office is an office of the Department that is responsible for determining appeals against decisions relating to social welfare entitlements. The office is administered by the Chief Appeals Officer. The Chief Appeals Officer and her team of appeals officials are independent in their decision-making functions. As Minister, I need to be conscious of the independence...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the Minister. I do not have a whole lot to add at this time. During the process associated with the Green Paper, I never questioned the bona fides of the Department or its officials. It included a lot of well-motivated proposals. However, some of the concerns people had were well grounded, including those reflecting challenges that have arisen in other jurisdictions. It was the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I engaged extensively with the disability organisations, which involved many meetings. I will continue to do that. As part of budget 2024, I introduced significant supports for people with disabilities, including a €400 once-off payment for disability allowance, blind pension, invalidity pension and carer's support grant recipients in November 2023 to address the high cost of living,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Sep 2024)

Questions Nos. 20 to 24, inclusive, taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (24 Sep 2024)

Employment Support Services

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (24 Sep 2024)

Denis Naughten: 25. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the steps she is taking to increase employment participation levels among those in receipt of disability payments from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37487/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (24 Sep 2024)

Denis Naughten: I commend the Minister's announcement during the summer, in the Hodson Bay Hotel, down the road from me, regarding the work and access programme. It is a very positive development that we are trying to actively engage with employers to put the supports in place to increase participation by people with a disability within the workforce.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (24 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am very aware of the importance of employment for disabled people. My Department has a number of supports available to assist them. Through our nationwide network of Intreo centres, we provide a case-managed employment service for jobseekers with disabilities. The person works with an employment personal adviser with a view to agreeing a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (24 Sep 2024)

Denis Naughten: I commend the initiative. Someone on a disability allowance payment can receive up to €165 per week in employment. That is the incentive provided under the initiative. My concern is that once people go over that threshold, they will be taxed at 50%. The wealthiest people in this country are not taxed at 50% but we are taxing people on disability allowance who go out to work. They...