Results 6,241-6,260 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: On 23 January last, I proposed and Government agreed to my proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated on a Total Contributions basis, including a new provision for up to 20 years of home-caring periods to be recognised in the calculation of payment rates. A number of elements have to be put in place to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: Carer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An application for CARB was received from the person concerned on 22 June 2018. Additional information was requested from the person concerned on 1 October 2018. Once the information is received the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: On 23 January last, I proposed and Government agreed to my proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated on a Total Contributions basis, including provision for up to 20 years of home caring in the calculation of that entitlement. A number of elements have to be put in place to facilitate the implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Christmas Bonus was abolished in the 2009 Supplementary Budget and was partially reinstated as a 25% payment in 2014. This increased to 75% in 2015 and the Bonus was paid at 85% in 2016 and 2017. The decision to pay a Christmas Bonus, and the rate of payment, is usually made as part of the Budget process. The cost of paying an 85% bonus, as in 2016 and 2017, is estimated at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is not available currently in the format requested by the Deputy. My officials will write to the Deputy on the matter as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Appeals (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal by the person concerned took place on 2 August 2018 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. it is expected that a decision will issue to the person concerned within the next week. The Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: On 23 January last, I proposed and Government agreed to my proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated on a Total Contributions basis, including provision for up to 20 years of home caring in the calculation of that entitlement. Legislation has to be enacted to enable implementation of these arrangements and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. In addition, the scheme operates a ring-fenced CE...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: On 23 January last, I proposed and Government agreed to my proposal that will allow pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated on a Total Contributions basis, including provision for up to 20 years of home-caring in the calculation of that entitlement. A number of elements have to be put in place to facilitate the implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Customer Communications and Advertising Activity budget for 2018 is €1,350,000. This budget covers all planned external communications and public information campaigns. It is also used for the development of customer information guides, customer event, reports, videos, documents, posters and other visual material for use by the Department in its engagements with customers and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: State Pension (Non-Contributory) (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department recently issued a guideline to staff clarifying the existing legislation for continuing to pay specific social welfare payments to either a customer or to a qualified dependant for a period of six weeks after death. The Department has not made any amendments to legislation or policy in this regard. The guideline was issued because it had come to attention that the existing...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (2 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, including that a minimum of 520 qualifying contributions have been paid into the Social Insurance Fund. People who have not made such contributions are generally paid alternative...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Carer's Allowance Applications (2 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 14 May 2018. As the person concerned failed to supply any...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Carer's Allowance Applications (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 29 January 2018. 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. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Illness Benefit Eligibility (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 and 591 together. The Deputy has raised the concerns of individuals who are self-employed in relation to access to illness benefit payments from my Department. It should be noted that where an individual, whether employed or self-employed, does not qualify for a benefit payment based on their social insurance contribution status or history, my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Working Family Payment Applications (2 Oct 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 7th August 2018. The applicant has been awarded WFP for 52 weeks with effect from 9th August 2018 to 7th August 2019. The first weekly payment and all arrears owing will issue to the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: Staff in my Department are paid sick pay in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 05/2018 (Arrangements for Paid Sick Leave). In accordance with the provisions of the sick pay scheme staff who exceed 183 sick days in the previous 4 years may have access to Temporary Rehabilitation Remuneration for a period of 547 days. The officer concerned exceeded sick...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Project Ireland 2040 Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection did not hold any seminars relating to Project Ireland 2040 up to and including September 2018. As such, there is no cost to report. I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. In 2017, some 1.7 million applications for benefits, assistance and access to schemes were received and processed, and over 82 million individual payments were made to people across all age groups and to employers. The Department is committed to ensuring that members...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Insurance Data (2 Oct 2018)

Regina Doherty: Currently, Class A employers pay PRSI at the rate of 8.6% where weekly earnings are between €38 and €376. Once weekly earnings exceed €376, the rate of employer PRSI is 10.85%. It is estimated that a 0.6% decrease in the 8.6% rate of employer’s PRSI for persons earning less than €376 weekly would cost the Social Insurance Fund €25.2 million in a...