Results 7,801-7,820 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 and 282 together. The policy of my Department is to ensure application forms are presented in a simple, clear, and easy to read format. Application forms are also made available on request in alternative formats, including audio and braille. The design and layout of each application form must also have regard to the particular requirements of the...

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

Regina Doherty: The number of persons under 25 years of age participating on a community employment scheme by county is currently being compiled and will be furnished to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Programmes (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department provides a range of activation supports and programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These include activation supports such as Community Employment (CE), Tús and Local Employment Services (LES). The Deputy will appreciate that the welcome reduction in the unemployment rate is a factor in recruitment to all...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The aim 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. A number of new conditions were introduced on CE in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Expenditure (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Deputies on all sides of the House are fully aware of the positive benefits derived from work schemes like the Rural Social Scheme (RSS). In recognition of the crucial work undertaken in rural communities under the scheme, and as part of the social welfare budget package for 2018, I announced an additional 250 places to be rolled out this year together with an increase in the weekly rate of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits Data (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table: Recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s Benefit or signing for Jobseeker’s Credits aged under 26 for 12 months or more at the end of February 2018 by county County Jobseeker’s Credits Only Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Benefit Carlow 1 156 0 Cavan 201 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through the Pathways to Work Strategy 2016-2020, to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Anti-Poverty Strategy (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: DEASP has started the process of developing a new Action Plan for social inclusion to tackle inequality and poverty over the period 2018-2021. Inspired by the aims and aspirations of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the plan will aim to build an inclusive Ireland where no-one is left behind and support is provided to those most in need. The primary focus of the plan will be the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Universal Retirement Savings Group (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: In 2015, the last Government established a Universal Retirement Savings Group (URSG) to consider the constituent factors involved in constructing an efficient and effective universal supplementary retirement savings system. The work of the URSG concentrated on whether the optimal model would be one which would be mandatory for all workers currently without supplementary retirement savings or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The new Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) was announced as part of Budget 2018, and it will be open for applications from June. YESS is targeted at young people aged 18 to 24 who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. It aims to provide them with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive environment while on a work placement. Prior to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Low Pay Commission Report (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The laws governing the national minimum wage are set down in the National Minimum Wage Act 2000and the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Act 2015.The Acts provide for the setting of a national minimum wage (NMW), which is the minimum hourly rate that may be paid to an employee. They also provide that, in specified circumstances, such as younger workers and trainees, a reduced,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Anti-Social Behaviour (22 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: In the case of private rented accommodation, tenancy arrangements involve a contract between the landlord and the tenant. This Department is not party to this contractual arrangement. Tenants’ obligations and landlords’ duties in relation to anti-social behaviour are provided for in the legislative framework under the Residential Tenancies Acts. Under this legislation,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Data (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The first publication of the Labour Force Survey which replaces the Quarterly National Household Survey (QHNS) was released on 16, January 2018 and is the official measure of unemployment. The most recent data shows that youth unemployment has fallen from a peak of 31% in 2012 to 12.2% in Q4 2017. Overall youth unemployment has fallen from well above the EU average in 2012 to well below the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer has completed a review of his original decision which allowed the appeal of the person concerned regarding a decision of the Department of 16 September 2016 in relation to their Jobseeker’s Allowance. The effect of that original decision was that the revised means would not be assessed retrospectively for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Tús Programme (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: Tús is a community work placement initiative aimed at providing short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than 12 months. The scheme is delivered through Implementing Bodies (IBs), comprising 47 Local Development Companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tús commenced operation in 2011 as a response to the high level of unemployment and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: During the Second Stage debate on the Bill, many Deputies expressed the view in relation to the banded hours provision, that the 18 month look back reference period is too long. I indicated that I would consider these matters in the context of possible Committee Stage amendments. There are a few issues that need to be considered. There will be an administrative burden on employers in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: During the Second Stage debate on the Bill, some Deputies expressed the view that the bands are too wide in the Banded Hours provision. I indicated that I would consider this matter in the context of possible Committee Stage amendments once the bands allow a reasonable degree of flexibility. In relation to the width of the bands, it was clear from the public consultation and from the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Organisation of Working Time Act was enacted in 1997. Section 18 refers to ‘work of a casual nature’ but does not define it. This has not led to a regulatory problem of employers incorrectly categorising employees as ‘casual’ in the 20 years since enactment. I do not believe that all casual or flexible working arrangements are wrong and should be stopped...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned made an application for jobseekers allowance with effect from 21/2/18. The person concerned subsequently submitted a doctor’s note covering the period 22/2/18 to 22/3/18. During this period the person concerned will not qualify for a jobseekers allowance payment as he does not satisfy the qualifying criteria. The person concerned should contact the local Intreo...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (21 Mar 2018)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a personal rate jobseeker's allowance, an adult dependent allowance and a child dependent allowance. Entitlement to the adult dependent allowance is currently under review by an officer of the Department following notification of a change in circumstances. If there is a revised decision the person concerned will be notified in writing. I...