Results 121-140 of 1,050,193 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:Bernard Durkan OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I commend the Minister on her efforts to improve the time. A period of 29.2 weeks is quite a long time to be waiting for a decision, and especially if the person does not have any income over that period. Obviously when income has been reduced quite considerably, there is a stress that goes with that. Does the Minister have targets in respect of these times of 29.2 weeks and 17.6 weeks?...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. They can ask for a review and if the review fails it then goes to an appeal. Often the issue gets resolved at review stage because maybe further information has been provided and then it goes through. We are changing the system. It has been modernised to improve the efficiencies and to decide quicker. I understand how important it is that people get an answer quickly...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

Question No. 2 taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Social Welfare Rates

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Bernard Durkan: 3. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the extent, if any, to which improvements might be made in respect of various social welfare payments which currently might fall short of an equality with other recipients of payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25394/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I seek to ascertain the extent to which the Minister might be able to improve the levels of payments made to various recipients. This could arise from a variety of reasons such as lesser contributions in old age pensions or any other issue that is at present seen as a glitch in not allowing the payments to be equal with the highest.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Minister for Social Protection and during the lifetime of this Government, I am proud to have introduced many improvements to the social protection system. As part of budget 2024, I secured a €2.3 billion social protection package. This was, for the second year in a row, the largest social protection budget in the history of the State. Post-budget analysis from the ESRI...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister for that reply. It is well acknowledged that substantial improvements have been made in relation to the delivery of social welfare payments throughout the country and this is greatly valued. Is it the Minister's intention in the course of preparation for the next budget - which is in some months' time - to examine family situations whereby a large family may have a lot...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes we have a number of schemes. There is the basic payment and then there are social transfers that also kick in depending on family size and depending on the situation. A number of different variables are taken into account when determining the default payment a family receives from social welfare. These variables are reviewed every year when I look at them. There are other things I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Bernard Durkan: One issue that has come to my attention in recent times - and at all times - is in relation to family law disputes where the mother of the children may be forced to pursue the partner in court in order to get a validated payment, which is a very dangerous thing to do if there is violence. This happens in many cases and puts huge hardship on the mother of the children and creates terrible...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am glad the Deputy brought this matter up. Due to the child maintenance review that was carried out, I have changed the legislation so that from the beginning of this month, child maintenance is no longer taken into consideration as part of the means test. A person does not have to go to court to prove what he or she is getting or not getting. All of that is being disregarded and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Rates (11 Jun 2024)

Bernard Durkan: I thank the Minister.

Special Education: Motion [Private Members] (11 Jun 2024)

Amendment agreed to.

Special Education: Motion [Private Members] (11 Jun 2024)

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions (11 Jun 2024)

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

Social Welfare Appeals

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: 1. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of cases currently being considered by the social welfare appeals office, in tabular form; the longest waiting times under each scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25415/24]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: This question is on the social welfare appeals office. The staff in the Department of Social Protection do a fantastic job. I have read reports where the Ombudsman commends the staff, the appeals officers, the deciding officers, the work they do and the way they deal with the public. I want the Minister to report that back to the staff of the Department. They are very professional and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and for his kind comments about the staff of the Department. The social welfare appeals office is an office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions relating to social welfare entitlements. Appeals officers are independent in their decision-making functions. Significant efforts and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jun 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister for her response and commend her on the work she is doing in this area, especially updating the IT systems, which should make for a huge improvement there. I ask the Minister to give us a bit more of a breakdown of which schemes or areas are causing the most difficulty with respect to appeals. Is there anything standing out there with respect to the number of appeals...