Results 9,341-9,360 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

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

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, the Community Services Programme (CSP) provides financial support to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a socially inclusive nature. The CSP works on a social-enterprise model which means that it does not fully fund contract holders but requires that they generate revenue by charging fees or raising funds. All CSP recipients are obliged...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that the management of appeal processing times is a key priority which is kept under constant scrutiny. Tables showing the average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2014 to date in 2017 broken down by all social welfare scheme types are attached below. The Deputy will be aware from previous replies that significant effort and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: The national pensions framework proposed that a total contribution approach should replace the yearly average approach. Under this approach, the rate of pension paid would more closely reflect the total number of contributions, and anomalies of the nature raised by the Deputy would no longer arise. The position of those who have gaps in their records is being carefully considered in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information requested (where available) by the Deputy is detailed at the following link:

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: The link that follows provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy in respect of 2016 and to date in 2017. The schemes with the highest number of appeals to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2016 and to date in 2017 were - disability allowance (4 ,912 in 2016/4,337 in 2017), carer’s allowance (3,887 in 2016/2,893 in 2017 ), jobseeker’s allowance - means (2,050...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services Provision (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: County Kildare is administered by 3 separate departmental divisions, for the purposes of the provision of community welfare services to its customers. Each division has its own arrangements in place for the provision of such services depending upon specific regional needs, resources and customer requirements. Recent developments in the community welfare service allow staff to concentrate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: The official measure of unemployment is sourced from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). Measures of unemployment from the QNHS are based on International Labour Office (ILO) definitions. To be ‘ILO unemployed’ a person must in the week before the survey be without work but available for work and have recently taken specific job-search steps. The Live Register,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1288 and 1289 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting some 36,200 recipients at a cost of €253 million in 2017. A county breakdown of rent supplements recipients is provided in the tabular statement. A breakdown by local authority is not available. In recognition of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (7 Nov 2017)

Regina Doherty: The term 'cohabitant' is defined in the social welfare code in accordance with Section 172 (1) of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act, 2010. This Act defines a cohabitant as “one of 2 adults (whether of the same or the opposite sex) who live together as a couple in an intimate and committed relationship and who are not related to each other...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Data (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is delivered through 35 Implementing Bodies (IBs) or Local Development Companies and Údarás Na Gaeltachta in the Gaeltacht areas. RSS was established as a supplementary income support scheme which provides part-time employment opportunities in community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fishermen who are in receipt of certain social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Fuel allowance is a means tested payment to assist those in receipt of long-term social welfare payments towards meeting their heating costs during the winter months. The payment is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household. Eligibility for fuel allowance is subject to a household means test and other qualifying conditions. A person in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254 to 256, inclusive, together. The average pension payments made by my Department to men and women over 66 years of age are within 1% of each other approximately, and this results in very similar outcomes for older men and women in avoiding poverty. The most recent CSO figures for Consistent Poverty indicated that 2.6% of women over 65, and 2.9% of men...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Benefit Data (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection does not collect data on the number of mothers with premature babies born before 1 October 2017 who are currently on maternity leave as this information was not necessary to make a decision on an application for maternity benefit prior to 1 October 2017. In this context the cost associated with allowing mothers of premature babies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy will be aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy may be aware Section 1.6.5 Employment Support Schemes, of the Fuel Allowance Scheme Guidelines for the 2017/2018 Fuel Season Onwards, provides that“Participants on the following Department of Social Protection Employment Support Schemes and Revenue Job Assist can be paid Fuel Allowance where they had applied for or were awarded fuel allowance prior to commencing on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is a means tested payment, targeted at those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own. Participants on the rural social scheme (RSS) can be paid Fuel Allowance where they had applied for - or were awarded the payment - prior to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 10 October 2017. The application was processed without delay and the person concerned was notified directly of the outcome on 25 October 2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance Data (26 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Self-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This provides them with access to the following benefits: State pension (contributory) and widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory), guardian’s payment...

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Report on Lone Parents in Ireland: Statements (25 Oct 2017)

Regina Doherty: I wish to thank all the members of the Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection for their work in producing the Report on the Position of Lone Parents in Ireland. I know the process involved discussions with a wide range of stakeholder groups and with officials from my Department. I appreciate the time and effort that has gone into the report. I wish to thank the Seanad for...