Results 6,981-7,000 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: As we are all aware, all Irish defined benefit pension schemes have a rule that allows the employer to cease contributions, usually after a notice period. There is no legislative obligation on an employer to make contributions or any further liability on that employer where contributions cease, nor is there an obligation on an employer to give notice to members or to consult in advance of...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am loath to discuss a specific company or scheme, but the Deputy is aware that the scheme in question is not being wound down. Rather, it is being closed to future entrants. The surplus within the scheme is sufficient should the trustees decide to make changes. As such, there is no immediate threat or risk to the scheme's current members. While an obligation preventing employers from...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Given the week I have had, I appreciate the Deputy putting this question. Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. It is designed as a universal payment in recognition of the costs involved in raising children and plays an important role in tackling poverty. As a universal payment, it does not rely...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for People with Disabilities (2015-2024) was developed in consultation with Government Departments, State Agencies, the National Disability Authority, the Disability Stakeholder Group and the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group, and adopted by Government in October 2015. The ten year strategy is a cross-Government approach...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department has not recently had specific discussions with representatives of organisations representing persons with sight difficulties on the differences in conditionality attached to blind person’s pension (BPP) and disability allowance (DA). My Department consults regularly on disability related matters with people with disabilities through a number of fora including the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: 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 2020 onwards. This is currently the subject of a public consultation which stays open until the 3rdof September. Separately, I announced on 23rdJanuary an interim TCA for those affected by the 2012 rate-band...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 30,000 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018. The primary responsibility for provision of accommodation for homeless persons rests with local authorities. DEASP’s role with regard to people who are homeless is mainly income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Work schemes such as Tús and Community Employment (CE) are positive initiatives that enable the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment. The rural social scheme (RSS) provides farmers and fishermen with income support while they also make a contribution to their community. As the Deputy is aware...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Department operates a range of means-tested social assistance payments. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse/partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme. Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as property owned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The Government has provided €49.5 million for the scheme in 2018. The payment rates are €125 for eligible children aged 4 to 11 years and €250 for children aged...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am happy to inform the Deputy that I recently announced that jobseekers who are engaged with the JobPath service can, from 1st June, apply for CE and Tús placements while continuing to engage with JobPath. This will ensure that jobseekers can benefit from the job-seeking support of the JobPath service while also availing of a part-time work placement provided by CE or Tús. This...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Under the current social welfare legislation in order to qualify for payment of One-Parent Family Payment (OFP), an applicant must be a qualified parent of at least one relevant child who is ordinarily resident in the State, is not detained in a children detention school, and has not attained the relevant age (currently 7 years of age). A qualified parent is defined as: (a) a widow, (b) a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Brexit Issues (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Co-ordination of the whole-of-Government response to Brexit is being taken forward through the cross-Departmental coordination structures chaired by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Contingency planning for a no-deal or worst-case outcome, bringing together the detailed work being undertaken by individual Ministers and their Departments on issues within their policy remit, is now...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Programme (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Second Stage of the Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration Bill 2017 concluded on 4th October 2017. Government approval to draft provisions for a number of additional items to be included in the Bill at Committee Stage was obtained subsequently. These provisions are currently being finalised by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel. They include amongst others, provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy will be aware JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. Upon referral the JobPath provider receives data that allows them to commence engagement with the customer. This data includes the customer’s name, address, date of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 74 together. Almost all Irish defined benefit schemes have a rule that allows the employer to cease contributions, usually after a notice period. Currently there is no legislative obligation on the employer to make contributions and no further liability on the employer where contributions cease. Neither is there an obligation on the employer to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Reform (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. It is designed as a universal payment, in recognition of the costs involved in raising children, and plays an important role in tackling child poverty. As a universal payment it does not rely on a means test or social insurance contributions. The payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Under social welfare legislation where a person is medically certified as being unable to manage their own financial affairs, I as Minister may appoint an agent who is responsible for collecting the person’s social welfare payment and acting on their behalf. An application form must be completed on behalf of the person concerned and documentary evidence provided of incapacity. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Rebates (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of the redundancy payments scheme is to compensate employees for the loss of their jobs, where the employer is unable to pay statutory redundancy due to financial difficulties or insolvency. The scheme is funded from the social insurance fund.Up to 2011, the scheme provided a rebate of 60 per cent to employers who provided statutory redundancy payments to their employees. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Partial Capacity Benefit Scheme (19 Jun 2018)

Regina Doherty: Partial capacity benefit (PCB) was introduced in February 2012 and is designed for people who are in receipt of long term social insurance invalidity / illness / disability income support payments who have some capacity for work. Applicants must be in receipt of either invalidity pension (IP) or illness benefit (IB) Illness benefit recipients must be in payment for at least six months at the...