Results 10,141-10,160 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: Following the publication of my Department’s Report - An Analysis of the Community Employment Programme- earlier in the year, the Government approved a number of changes to the terms and conditions around participation on Community Employment (CE). The main purpose of these changes is to broaden the availability of CE to a greater number of people on the live register and to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The table sets out the external consultancy reports in relation to which expenditure was incurred by my Department in the period from May 2016 and June 2017. External Consultancy Report Amount spent (€) Health & Safety Risk Audit - Longford Headquarters and Intreo Office €1,224 Assessment of Indoor Air Quality - Longford Headquarters €1,913 Joint Research...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, the Citizens Information Board (CIB) has statutory responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) and the Citizens Information Services (CIS). In November 2014 the Board of the Citizens Information Board decided to restructure the local CIS/MABS networks. In October 2016 the Board decided that the new structure should be regionally based. In...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The tables provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy from 2012 to date in 2017. The figures provided in the tables for appeals which had a favourable outcome for the appellant relate to appeals which were either allowed in full or in part by an Appeals Officer, or which were resolved by way of a revised decision in favour of the appellant by a Deciding Officer/Designated...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tables. Social Welfare claims by average waiting times 31 May 2017 Scheme Average Waiting time (weeks) Jobseeker's Benefit 1 Jobseeker's Allowance 2 One-Parent Family Payment 5 State Pension Contributory 5 Widow’s, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension 1 State Pension Non-Contributory 12...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 740 and 741 together. The 2017 Revised Estimates Volume provides for a total of €19.854 billion for expenditure on the schemes, services and administration of the Department of Social Protection. This entire sum is allocated by sub-head and there is no unallocated amount. The 2017 allocations by sub-head are the amounts which were estimated late...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 742, 743, 746 and 747 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 41,200 recipients for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017. The Department carried out a review of the rent limits in line with the commitments contained in the Programme for a Partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table. Scheme Pending Start of May 2017 Average Time To Award (weeks) (Jan – May 2017) Jobseeker's Benefit 3,094 1 Jobseeker's Allowance 6,129 2 One-Parent Family Payment 1,171 6 State Pension Contributory (Dom) 3,533 6 Widow(er)'s Contributory Pension 300 1 State Pension Non-Contributory 2,321 11 Household Benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 749, 750, 766 and 767 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.5 million for exceptional...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Living Wage Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: My Department has undertaken no costing of the initiative outlined by the Deputy as the introduction of any such scheme would necessarily have to take place on a cross Governmental basis and costs determined centrally as part of the estimates budgetary process. On a purely indicative basis it is not anticipated that the introduction of such a scheme in my own Department would incur...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The full year cost of increasing the fuel allowance, currently payable at €22.50 per week, by €4 per week and €5 per week for the duration of the fuel season is estimated to be €40.7 million and €50.9 million respectively in 2018. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change over the coming months in the context of emerging trends and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Services Provision (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy services to all citizens on a wide range of public and social services. One of the functions of the CIB, as defined in the Comhairle Act 2000 and the Citizens Information Act 2007, is to directly provide or support the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 June 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated and will be provided shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 18 July 2017. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax Code (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Programme for a Partnership Government commits to seeking “to introduce a PRSI scheme for the self-employed and provide a supportive tax regime for entrepreneurs and the self-employed". Significant progress has been made in the last Budget on extending the level of cover available to self-employed PRSI contributors. Self-employed contributors now have access to treatment benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: In response to information received by my Department, an investigation of payments to the person concerned was undertaken by the Special Investigations Unit. The outcome of the investigation resulted in decisions being made under the Social Welfare Acts. My Department has written to the person concerned advising her of the outcome, her rights to seek an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The fuel allowance is paid over the winter season and in the 2016/17 season it was paid for 26 weeks at the rate of €22.50 per week amounting to €585 per annum. Expenditure for 2016/2017 is estimated at €229 million with approximately 376,000 households benefiting. It is a means tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments who are unable to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (11 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: In Ireland, consistent poverty at the household level is defined as having a household income below 60% of the median household income andexperiencing basic deprivation (measured as lacking 2 or more of a list of 11 basic necessities). The latest national data from the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for 2015 shows that the number of children in consistent poverty in 2015...