Results 10,221-10,240 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed primarily to support second chance education. It is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain qualifying social welfare payments wishing to pursue second or third-level courses of education in order to improve their employment prospects. Entitlement to BTEA is conditional on having an on-going entitlement to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: Any decision to allow lone parents in employment with children between 7 and 14 years of age to receive both the jobseeker’s transitional payment (JST) and the Family Income Supplement (FIS) concurrently would have to be considered in the overall budgetary and policy context and would require Government approval. In this regard, my Department is hosting its annual pre-Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: Successive Governments, and this one most notably, have consistently stated their commitment to maintaining the post office network. It is Government policy that An Post remains a strong and viable company in a position to provide a high quality postal service and maintain a nationwide customer focussed network of post offices in the community. My Department’s support for An Post is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The application for carer’s allowance (CA) of the person concerned was disallowed on the grounds that she was not providing full-time care as required. She was notified on 2 May 2017 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review or appeal. To date, there has been no new information submitted which would warrant a review of the decision made in this case. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Brexit Staff (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The Department’s EU and International section, including Irish-UK Relations, is led by an assistant secretary. The Irish-UK Relations unit has, at present, three additional staff assigned to it. These are two assistant principals, one on a full-time basis and one on a four-day per week basis, and one executive officer on a four-day per week basis due to work sharing. In addition...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Administration (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together. Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 626,525 families in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Data (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy is aware, the rural social scheme (RSS) provides employment opportunities for low income farmers and fishermen who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments. While communities benefit from the skills and talents of local farmers and fishermen, participants have the opportunity to improve existing skills, or develop new skills. In recognition of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 604 and 605 together. To remain eligible for Farm Assist, an individual must continue to satisfy the qualifying criteria for the scheme including a means test. In April 2017 a review of the means in this case was conducted. The person concerned was found to have weekly means in excess of that allowable under the scheme and a decision was taken to terminate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 607 together. The social insurance system currently provides recognition of the contribution of recipients of carer’s allowance and full-time carers generally, through the system of credited contributions and the homemaker’s scheme. Credited contributions (credits) are awarded to recipients of carer’s allowance where they...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Census of Population Data (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: My Department is highly committed to evidence-based policymaking. To inform our policy and operations across all our business areas, we make extensive use of this full range of Irish and European official statistics, including the Census of Population. Alongside this, we regularly conduct research surveys (see www.welfare.ie/en/surveys) and make analytical use of our own detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The role of Scope insurability section in the Department of Social Protection is to make statutory decisions on insurability of employment under the Social Welfare Act. Employers, employees and the self-employed may apply to Scope for an investigation of an employment status and a determination of the correct class of PRSI. Scope insurability decisions are based on all available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (4 Jul 2017)

Regina Doherty: The manner in which transfer lists are currently held does not allow for the provision of the specific details being sought by the Deputy. Formal transfer protocols exist only in respect of the Clerical Officer grade. As advised in response to Parliamentary Question No. 2114 which I answered for the Deputy on Tuesday 20 June 2017, each Department maintains transfer lists in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (29 Jun 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 267 to 270, inclusive, together. The full year cost of increasing the weekly rate of Disability Allowance, from €193 to €198.50 per week, is estimated at €41.2 million in 2018. There is an analogous social insurance payment, Invalidity Pension (€198.50 per week), which is paid to people who are permanently incapable of work (subject...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Investigations (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: The majority of people who are supported by the social welfare system claim and receive their legitimate entitlement. Following referral of any report of concern that fraud or wrongful claiming may have occurred, an investigation is undertaken. A determination of fraud can only be made after a detailed investigation by a social welfare inspector and the making of a revised decision under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: 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. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment or pre-determined amounts under the scheme. ENPs are payable at the discretion of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: The key areas identified in the confidence and supply agreement which are of direct relevance to my Department relate to: - increasing rent supplement limits by up to 15% taking account of geographic variations in market rents, - including provisions for pension increases, - securing the future of family farms, and - seeking to introduce a PRSI scheme for the self-employed. Actions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 12 May 2016. The application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 27 July 2016 and of her rights of review and appeal. The person concerned appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: Further to PQs 23861-17 and 29433-17, according to the records of the Department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for an exceptional needs payment pertaining to the accumulation of outstanding rent arrears. The person concerned is currently in receipt of her full entitlement to rent supplement and all payments have been made to date. Her rent supplement claim is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (29 Jun 2017)

Regina Doherty: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 11 May 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.