Results 7,181-7,200 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: While it is not appropriate for me to comment on an individual pension scheme, I am aware of recent announcements regarding the pension scheme in question and plans to close the scheme to future accrual. Neither I nor the Pensions Authority has the power under legislation to intervene to compel an employer to continue to make contributions to a scheme. Even where a scheme is closed to new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together. It is the responsibility of the employer to pay pension contributions on behalf of his/her employees to Pension Trustees. In the event that a company becomes insolvent and a liquidator or receiver is appointed over the company, claims for certain arrears of pension contributions can be submitted by the liquidator or receiver for payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The annual budget provided to Community Employment (CE) schemes includes an amount to cover consumable services and materials, including insurance, necessary for the effective operation of the project. The responsibility for insuring CE schemes rests with the CE sponsoring organisation (the legal employer). My Department is aware that there has been an increase in insurance premiums for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The following table shows the number of permanent staff working in my Department’s offices in County Wicklow as at the end of April 2018. Location Staff Full-time equivalent Arklow 32 30.55 Bray 46 43.44 Wicklow Town 7 6.80 Total 85 80.79 Due to the multi-faceted nature of the work undertaken by the staff in the Department, it is not possible to give a breakdown of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 April 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 Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers have been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned has been advised to contact the Designated Officer on next Thursday 24 May 2018 between 10.30am and 12 noon, at Kenmare Intreo Centre, Bridge Street, Kenmare, Co. Kerry. The Designated Officer will review the person’s circumstances and means and determine if they are entitled to any supports. If they have taken up employment by then this contact with our Community...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 April 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 Employment Affairs and Social Protection. These papers have been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The report on “The use of intermediary-type structures and self-employment arrangements: Implications for Social Insurance and Tax Revenues” was published on 31 January 2018. This followed a public consultation which received 24 submissions from interested parties, including employers, trade unions, professional bodies and individuals. The report found that the available...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The rural social scheme (RSS) provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen/women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. To remain eligible to participate on the scheme the participant must be actively farming or fishing and have an underlying entitlement to Farm/Fish Assistance/Jobseekers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed to support certain recipients of social welfare payments to pursue courses of education with the objective of improving their chances of accessing work. To qualify, a customer must satisfy a number of conditions such as, inter alia, being a certain age, in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (23 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: There is no statutory retirement age in the State, and the age at which employees retire is a matter for the contract of employment between them and their employers. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the standardising of State pension age for all at 66 years and the cessation...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy has a real problem with democracy.

Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: That legislation is tabled for Thursday week.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: While it is not appropriate for me to comment on an individual pension scheme, I am aware of recent announcements regarding the pension scheme in question and plans to close the scheme to future accrual. Neither I nor the Pensions Authority has the power under legislation to intervene to compel an employer to continue to make contributions to a scheme. Even where a scheme is closed to new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Applications (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is in receipt of a maximum rate state pension (contributory) with effect from their 66th birthday, based on an assessed yearly average of 48 contributions, covering the period from their date of entry into insurable employment in June 1967 to end-December 2016. The person was notified of this decision in writing on 16 June 2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: Self-employed persons have access to the range of social assistance payments and supports subject to meeting the conditionality and means-testing criteria of the relevant scheme. In addition, the following social insurance payments are available to the self-employed, subject to meeting the conditionality and contribution criteria: - Adoptive Benefit - Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: There are two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed, namely, the short term enterprise allowance (STEA) and the back to work enterprise allowance (BTWEA). The STEA provides immediate access to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the same duration...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Wage Subsidy Scheme (22 May 2018)

Regina Doherty: The wage subsidy scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market. The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to hire people with a disability for between 21 and 39...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (22 May 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 6 April 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 Protection and...