Results 8,521-8,540 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Anti-Poverty Strategy (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The national social target for poverty reduction agreed by Government in 2012 is to reduce consistent poverty from 6.3% in 2010 to 4% by 2016 and to 2% or less by 2020. This was an ambitious target, particularly during a time of economic recession, but one to which the Government has remained committed.Data from the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) indicate that consistent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 46 together. The current rate bands applying to the State pension contributory were introduced from September 2012, replacing previous rates introduced in 2000. The rate bands prior to 2000 were less generous, and the improved rate bands introduced in 2000 were a feature of the economic and political environment at that time. The economic crash...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2015 to 2017 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the tables. My Department, like all Government departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff.The staffing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Question Nos44 and 226 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting 34,400 recipients for which the Government has provided €180 million for in 2018.Continued entitlement to rent supplement is not linked to entitlement to other social welfare schemes, however the rent supplement claim may be reviewed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department’s main social welfare schemes for unemployed persons are the jobseeker’s allowance and the jobseekers benefit schemes. Both schemes provide significant support to individuals so that they can work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced jobseeker’s payment. The 2018 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) schemes are typically sponsored by voluntary and community organisations wishing to benefit their community. My Department’s priority in supporting CE is to ensure access to good quality work experience and training qualifications on schemes for jobseekers and other vulnerable groups in order to support their progression into...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Maintenance Payments (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The establishment of a child maintenance service such as one that currently exists in Northern Ireland would be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality.In cases where the family unit has broken down obligations regarding child maintenance continue to apply and relevant maintenance payments can be arranged either directly between the couple themselves or through...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2015 to 2017 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the tables. Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. As a result, appeal processing times improved between 2011 and 2016 from 52.5 weeks for an oral hearing in 2011 to 24.1 weeks in 2016 and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department received an application for Carer's Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 21 May 2017. One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of CA is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit. Following an investigation it was determined that the means of the person concerned were not less than the statutory limit and that she was therefore not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisors are employees of private companies in the community and voluntary sector. The State is not responsible for funding pension arrangements for such employees even where the companies in question are reliant on State funding. It is open to individuals to make provision for a pension by way of PRSA which all employers are obliged to facilitate. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: My Department is aware that there had been an increase in insurance premiums for Community Employment (CE) schemes over recent years. The main reason cited for this is an increase in claims frequency by such schemes. In the first instance, my Department recommends that schemes seek alternative quotes to ensure they get value for money. Also, if CE schemes are not filling their contracted...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: There is no record of an application for a DEASP payment having been received by the Department from the person concerned. Once a completed application is received by the Department a Deciding Officer (DO) will then be in a positron to decide the claim including any entitlement to Fuel Allowance. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (17 Jan 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: Unemployment Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: According to the EUROSTAT Labour Force Survey, in 2016 there were 170.76 million households in the EU (excluding households composed solely of students or solely of inactive people aged 65 and over). Of these, some 29.49 million households (17.3% of the total) were jobless - that is, no adult in the household was working. For Ireland, the total number of relevant households was 1,440,600,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed where available in the attached tabular statements. Overall, 60.1% (11,405) of appeals finalised in 2017 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer. There are a number of reasons why a decision which was refused at first instance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years; 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2. The average number of participants on the BTWEA scheme in 2017 was 10,380. The BTWEA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Priorities (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Capital Review Plan 2016 – 2021 was published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in September, 2017. The Plan outlines the Department’s intentions to continue to make significant investment in the continued upgrading and modernisation of DEASP’s IT infrastructure and in carrying out works associated to meet the requirements of the Intreo service and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Grievance Procedures (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Dignity at Work policy is the anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service. This policy came into effect on 20thFebruary 2015 and replaced the previous policy, ‘A Positive Working Environment’. State bodies and agencies under the aegis of this Department have similar policies in place. The Dignity at Work policy sets out the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Alone Allowance (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The living alone allowance (LAA) is an increase of €9.00 per week made to people who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and are in receipt of long-term illness and disability payments. The payment of the living alone allowance is considered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Jan 2018)

Regina Doherty: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment – including long-term unemployment and youth unemployment – is twofold. The Action Plan for Jobs supports continuing strong economic recovery and employment growth. Policies and actions to ensure that unemployed people benefit from the increase in employment are set out in the strategy paper Pathways to Work...