Results 1,801-1,820 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Seanad: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I ask the Senator to withdraw both of her amendments for two different reasons. One is because there is already a report so I do not need an amendment to the legislation to provide what we have done already during the deliberations and preparations for budget 2020. I would be very happy to share it with the Senator today or in the next couple of days. It helps explain the reason for the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: No, the amendment asks me to produce a report on the impact of the disregard. I already have that report. If the Senator withdraws her amendment, I will give her the report immediately - either later today or tomorrow.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 304 together. The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied for a Companion Free Travel Pass on 26 August 2019. The application was assessed by the Department’s Medical Advisor on 07 September 2019. Based on the medical evidence provided, the application was disallowed on 14 September 2019. The person concerned has provided additional medical evidence to support their claim for a Companion Free Travel Pass. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) 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 child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 31 May 2019. The application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Programmes (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 299 together. In early 2019, the Government agreed to establish an Interdepartmental Group (IDG) to explore how social inclusion schemes might be organised going forward. A series of meetings of the IDG have taken place and a number of bilateral meetings were also undertaken with the relevant Departments. In addition to this, all submissions received...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to the living alone increase my Department pays out a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash on a weekly, monthly or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in nature. The living alone increase is currently an additional payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have received the draft of the new social inclusion strategy "Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025", and intend to bring it to cabinet committee and government for review and approval as soon as possible. I expect that the new strategy will be published shortly. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Fuel Allowance is a payment made for 28 weeks, from October to April, to help with heating costs during the winter months. I was pleased to announce, as part of Budget 2020, that the Fuel Allowance will be increased by €2 per week from January 2020. This increase will raise the payment to €24.50 per week, benefiting over 373,000 low-income households. The Over 80...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The estimated full year cost of providing a single additional monthly child benefit payment to parents on the birth of their first child only is €3.5 million in 2020. This cost assumes the payment of €140, representing an additional months payment in respect of these children. It is estimated that there will be approximately 25,000 first births in 2020. It should be noted...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The organisation in question recently corresponded with my Department requesting clarification on various aspects of the increases to State Pension Age as legislated for in the 2011 Social Welfare and Pension Act. As the Deputy is aware, the organisation concerned is affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) which participates in the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF)....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Justice and Equality is the lead department with regard to Ireland’s Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities. On 3 December, the Department of Justice and Equality published a revised action plan to support the delivery of the Comprehensive Employment Strategy objectives in the coming years. The revised plan (available at: ) sets out a range...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department administers over 80 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. The Department is fully committed to ensuring that members of the general public are fully aware of the social welfare supports and services available, as well as ensuring key changes are communicated to them. Public information campaigns are therefore an important part...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (11 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department administers over 80 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. The Department is fully committed to ensuring that members of the general public are fully aware of the social welfare supports and services available, as well as ensuring key changes are communicated to them. This includes the use of videos where this is considered the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Please note that this claim for Farm Assist was forwarded to a Social Welfare Inspector to assess means. The Inspector undertook a visit to the land. Further documentation was requested on 6th November and when this was not submitted the claim was closed. On receipt of a separate representation, the relevant Intreo Centre office accepted that this claim would be reopened and a disallowance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children. It is currently paid, to approximately 637,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of €2.1 billion this year. A child benefit claim was received from the person concerned on 25th November 2019. Correspondence requesting additional...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and others with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent Community Employment Sponsoring Bodies. The contract agreement between the Department and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) 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 child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 31 October 2019. The application is currently being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Carer's allowance (CA) 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 child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. The application in question was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 31 October 2019 to confirm that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 597 and 605 together. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3 October 2019. 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is...