Results 6,201-6,220 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Reform (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: In August 2018, my Department introduced a new claim form and medical certificate to replace the previous forms used for certification of the Department’s Illness and Injury Benefit schemes. The introduction of new forms is designed to improve the administration of the certification process and to make claim and payment procedures more efficient for everyone involved –...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 27th September 2018, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The customer made an application for Supplementary Welfare Allowance on 21 August 2018. The claim was disallowed as the customer was not habitually resident. A decision issued to the customer on 20 August 2018. The applicant has requested an appeal which has been referred to an Appeals Office who will make a decision based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Carer's Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by my Department. This customer's application was received by my Department on 3rd October 2018. While some initial processing of the claim has already taken place, further details have been requested by the Deciding Officer. On receipt of the requested details, the Deciding Officer will review the claim and if no further...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (9 Oct 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. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such a disability that as a result they...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 27 weeks (a total of €607.50 each year) from October to April, to over 368,000 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs. It is a secondary payment, which increases the weekly rate of a primary payment. The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must - - be in receipt of a qualifying payment, and - satisfy a means test,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. In addition it helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. CE projects are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Communications (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: Email usage in my Department is governed by an Electronic Communications and Internet Use Policy and Agreement which all staff must sign and acknowledge upon login to the Department’s computers. Departmental users are prohibited from accessing their personal email i.e. gmail, hotmail and eircom web-based mail systems from within the Department. There is no specific policy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Official Engagements (9 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: I did not attend the 2018 Ryder Cup nor did any of my Department's staff in their official capacity.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: There are a number of payments and pensions paid by my department to people over State pension age. One of these is the State pension (contributory), qualification for which is based on a number of criteria. As a general policy the Government intends to introduce a Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to establishing level of entitlement for all new state pension contributory claims from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: In general employees pay PRSI at the Class A rate of 4% of their weekly earnings. For weekly earnings of €352 or less no PRSI is charged. Once weekly earnings exceed €352, Class A PRSI at the rate of 4% is charged on all earnings. Prior to the introduction of the PRSI credit in January 2016, the weekly PRSI charge for employees whose earnings for the first time exceed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 253 together. Social welfare legislation provides that for social assistance schemes, such as jobseeker’s allowance, disability allowance and one-parent family payment, all income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse/partner, where applicable, are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: In relation to the criminal sanction, the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2017 introduces an offence for an employer who fails to provide the statement of five core terms of employment required within one month of commencement of employment. It will also be an offence for an employer who deliberately or recklessly provides false or misleading information to an employee as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 27 weeks (a total of €607.50 each year) from October to April, to over 368,000 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Applications (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: As part of its ongoing modernisation programme, the Department upgraded the Illness Benefit (IB) computer system. Part of that upgrade included redesigning the application form and medical certificate so they could be scanned into the computer system, thereby speeding up payments for customers and GPs alike. My Department always endeavours to consult with stakeholders before making changes....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (4 Oct 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. I confirm that my department received applications for CA from the person concerned on 12 June 2018 in respect of two...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (4 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, which is run by the Department of Education and Skills, is operated through the Educational and Training Boards (ETBs). VTOS is aimed in particular at unemployed people who are early school leavers and to prepare them to gain employment or engage in further educational opportunities. In general, VTOS participants who move from a jobseekers...