Results 8,741-8,760 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The organisation referred to by the Deputy has contacted my Department regarding Community Employment (CE) scheme places. Local divisional staff from my Department will be in contact with them regarding their CE request with a view to meeting them in the near future where the options, including the process of making an application for a new CE scheme, will be discussed. In addition, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned has been in receipt of jobseeker’s benefit since 1/9/17. Jobseeker’s benefit is a short term payment. Only customers in receipt of long term payments qualify for the Christmas bonus. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was assessed with an overpayment of €1,890.00 on her one parent family payment claim for the period 5 January 2017 to 12 July 2017 by a Deciding Officer of the Department. The overpayment resulted due to an undeclared increase in means from employment. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has been registered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Data (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The refusal rates for Domiciliary Care Allowance claims for the last 3 complete years, 2014 to end August 2017 are outlined as follows: Year Applications Received Approved Not approved Percentage refused 2014 5743 3104 2062 36% 2015 6422 4186 2102 33% 2016 7434 4996 1683 23% 2017*  *To end of August 5772 3801 970 17%

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned was requested to provide the Department with relevant documentation regarding her Rent Supplement claim on 6/9/17. This documentation has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same, the rent claim for the person concerned will be re-assessed. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, my Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as flooding. The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: All workers pay PRSI on their earnings from employment or self-employment. In the case of individuals who have more than one income source, PRSI is generally paid on all forms of income. Prior to 2013, exemptions from PRSI applied to the self-employed income of specific groups. These exemptions have since been abolished. Since 2013, modified rate employees contributors (i.e....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: Community Employment (CE) projects operate on annual rolling contracts. The CE project year is divided into 13 four-week pay cycles. As part of the contract, the CE project is given an advance payment at the project commencement (called the Initial Grant) equivalent to 8 weeks estimated wages to cover the initial wages for the Supervisor and participants (who are paid on a current week...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: Ireland’s fifteenth report on the implementation of the European Social Charter was submitted to the European Committee of Social Rights on 31 October 2017. National reports under the European Social Charter, including those from Ireland, are published on the Council of Europe’s website and are available to view and download at the following link: It is planned to make...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Payments (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of credited contributions (credits) is to protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record, where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as for period of unemployment, illness or in receipt of certain payments, including carer’s allowance. In isolation, credits do not give entitlement to social insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (12 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The National Pensions Framework proposed that a total contribution approach should replace the yearly average approach to the calculation of the State Pension (contributory). Under this approach, the rate of pension paid would more closely reflect the total number of Social Insurance contributions made by a person throughout her or his working life and the incongruities of the Yearly...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I am very pleased to be in this House today to introduce this Bill. As Senators will know, the Social Welfare Bill 2017 provides the legislative framework for the implementation of the social protection measures contained in budget 2018. The Bill therefore includes the provisions required to enable a €5 increase in the maximum rate of all weekly social welfare payments with effect...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Senator has given me enough work for about three months by herself. I will start with Senator Higgins and work backwards, if that is all right. I thank the Senators for the valuable contributions that have been made today. In response to Senator Higgins, I thank her for her support, not just for this Bill, but also in general. I know she knows where I am trying to get to and I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Data (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The numbers of families in receipt of Family Income Supplement (FIS) in accordance with their respective family size for the requested dates are as follows; Family Income Supplement Family Size Dec. 2016 Oct. 2017 1 Child 18733 18151 2 Children 19038 18851 3 Children 11888 12006 4 Children 5475 5610 5 Children 1704 1708 6 Children 475 491 7 Children 148 145 8 Children 69 64

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Expenditure (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The estimated additional cost per year of increasing the Family Income Supplement (to be renamed the Working Family Payment) income limits by 5%, 10% and 15% respectively based on current numbers is as follows:- Increase Estimated Additional Cost Per Year 5% €57m 10% €114m 15% €171m Budget 2018 increased the income thresholds by €10 for families with up to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: My department contracts with a range of third parties for the purposes of transacting its business. These include, for example, my department’s branch offices, the Local Employment Service (LES) companies as well as the JobPath service providers such as Seetec. In the case of enquiries from public representatives, information on an individual client may be disclosed once it is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Services Programme (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: I can confirm that the current treasurer of Inishowen Development Partnership Limited was a member of Inishowen Tourism Society Limited at the time CSP funding was withdrawn for the Inishowen tourism service on 30th June 2017. I am satisfied that the individual’s role as treasurer of Inishowen Development Partnership Limited did not create any conflict in terms of the discussions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: My Department immediately activated the humanitarian assistance scheme, administered by the local Community Welfare Service (CWS), to assist householders in County Laois and Offaly affected by flooding following the recent severe weather conditions. The purpose of the humanitarian assistance scheme is to prevent hardship by providing income-tested financial support to people whose homes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of credited contributions (credits) is to protect social insurance entitlements by bridging gaps in an employee’s social insurance record, where they are not in a position to pay PRSI, such as for period of unemployment, illness or in receipt of certain payments, including carer’s allowance. In isolation, credits do not give entitlement to social insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Review (7 Dec 2017)

Regina Doherty: An application for carer's allowance was received from the person concerned on 12 June 2017. Carer's allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. It is a condition for receipt of carer’s allowance...