Results 6,321-6,340 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (27 Sep 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: Creative Ireland Programme (27 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: A pilot initiative to assist self-employed visual artists and writers who apply to my Department for jobseeker’s allowance was launched in June 2017. The initiative, which is a commitment under the Creative Ireland Programme, involved collaboration between my Department and what is now the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with the support and advice of the Arts...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (27 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an Invalidity Pension appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 7 March 2018. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection These papers were received in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (27 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is currently not in receipt of a Jobseekers Allowance payment. Regretfully he has failed without good cause to attend an Activation Review Meeting on the 25th July 2018 or to make contact with his Case Officer to rearrange this meeting. The sanctions imposed have led to both a penalty rate and a benefit suspension on his payment. Decisions in relation to the imposition...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (27 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is in receipt of a Jobseekers Allowance payment of €393.00 per week from the 11th September 2018. The weekly payment is made up of a personal allowance of €198.00, an adult dependent allowance of €131.40 and a child dependent allowance of €31.80 per each child. There are 2 child dependents. This is the correct level of Jobseekers Allowance...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I reassure the House that the 67,000 pensioners who received a smaller pension due the change in the rate bands will have the issue rectified in the coming months. We had a lengthy discussion about it on Question Time this morning. It will happen between now and March of next year. There are a considerable number of people, just under 90,000, who are in receipt of a non-contributory...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Deputies seem to have forgotten that the high-level forum consists not only of people from a variety of Departments with responsibility to the voluntary and community sectors, but also representatives of Pobal, Fórsa and SIPTU, which are the people's representatives in those sectors. In terms of suggestions as to how we could magically find the €0.5 billion that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: If there was an easy solution to this, the high-level forum, including representatives of both unions, would already have found it. The meetings of the high-level forum will continue. The unions have met the Minister over the summer months and will actively continue to pursue ideas in an effort to resolve this issue. It is not going to be fixed until we all find a solution and we will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: All decisions taken by the Department’s deciding officers and designated persons are appealable to the chief appeals officer. Approximately 85% of all claims are awarded and only 1% of all claims are appealed annually. It is a very small number. Nevertheless my Department is genuinely concerned that these cases be dealt with as quickly as possible. Significant efforts and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I will take that on board and will come back to the Deputy on it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Sign Language (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Sign Language Interpreting Service, SLIS, is the national service for the development, promotion and delivery of sign language interpreting services to the deaf community in Ireland. As the Deputy is aware, it is funded by the Citizens Information Board, which comes under my remit. The Government and my Department in particular is committed to supporting the service which, it is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Irish Sign Language (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: It was remiss of me, and I apologise, but I should have given credit to Senator Mark Daly. It is because of his tremendous work that we were able to support the initiatives he put forward. I was very happy to be able to extend the extra €300,000 to services. I also commend him on the work he has done in having our national anthem signed for the first time at both national and local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I do not know how many we have taken on.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I genuinely do not know. I think it is enough.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I was being facetious.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Chairman.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The conceit of the far left never ceases to amaze me. It considers it has a monopoly on compassion.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 64, 72 and 75 together. CE scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector that receive public funding. They are not employees of my Department or public servants. There are currently 1,346 supervisors or assistant supervisors employed with CE sponsor organisations. My Department funds wages and training...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: The community sector high-level forum includes representatives of not only various Departments and statutory agencies but also union representatives. To be fair, the forum is chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform but it includes the various Departments that have responsibilities towards the community and voluntary sector and not just the valuable organisations that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Sep 2018)

Regina Doherty: I will be brief. I am very pleased to reiterate that there is no delay on this issue, nor any change of mind or tactic. We are in the position envisaged at the time of my announcement in this Chamber several months ago. The Cabinet decided to address the anomaly and legislation in that regard is well advanced. The only thing that must be decided is whether it will be addressed in the...