Results 1,841-1,860 of 12,033 for speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Agencies Data (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Low Pay Commission and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Details of the total number of positions on the boards of each of these bodies is set out in tabular format below. There are no current vacancies on any of the boards. Board...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff numbers. Table 1 below details the number of permanent staff and Temporary Clerical Officers working in my Department at year end in respect of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Data (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Increasing pension age, to moderate the increase in pension duration, is a means by which pensions can be made sustainable in the context of increasing longevity. In order to provide for sustainable pensions and to facilitate a longer working life, legislation passed in 2011 provides for an increase in the State pension age in three separate stages. In 2014, the State pension age was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 629 and 639 together. The National Pensions Framework was launched by my Department at a press event in March 2010. The Framework stated that the State Pension age would be standardised at 66 with the abolition of the State Pension (transition) in 2014 and would be increased to 67 and 68 in 2021 and 2028 respectively. The Framework received significant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The consultation process on the proposed reforms dates back to October 2007 when the Government published the Green Paper on Pensions to stimulate debate on the challenges and options for the future development of pensions. This consultation informed the development of the 2010 National Pensions Framework which included the policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Jobseekers engaged with the JobPath service receive intensive individual support to help overcome barriers to employment and to find jobs. Each person is assigned a Personal Advisor who assesses their skills, experience, challenges and work goals and agrees a Personal Progression Plan (PPP) that includes a schedule of activities, including relevant training and educational programmes to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. I am advised that the Appeals Officer has been requested to consider this case as a priority. The Social Welfare Appeals Office...

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

Regina Doherty: Carer's benefit (CARB) is a PRSI based payment, made to a person 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. It is payable for a maximum of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. To qualify the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing...

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 21 October 2019. It is a condition for receipt of a CA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Rent supplement continues its vital role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting approximately 17,200 recipients for which the Government has provided €132.4 million for 2019. The strategic goal of returning rent supplement to its original purpose, that of a short-term income support, has been primarily facilitated by the...

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

Regina Doherty: Disablement Benefit is one of the benefits payable under the Occupational Injuries scheme to an insured person who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational accident or prescribed occupational disease. It is medically assessed to determine the loss of faculty which can range from 1 to 100 percent. Injuries or diseases sustained since 1 January 2012 results...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The organisation in question made a submission to my Department's consultation on the introduction of the Total Contributions Approach last year which included their position on the increases to State Pension Age as legislated for in the 2011 Social Welfare and Pension Act. The organisation concerned is also represented on the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF) which was established...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Data (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The consultation process on the proposed reforms dates back to October 2007 when the Government published the Green Paper on Pensions to stimulate debate on the challenges and options for the future development of pensions. This consultation informed the development of the 2010 National Pensions Framework which included the policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010, as was the decision to base the entitlements of all new pensioners on this approach from around 2020. As the Deputy will be aware, pension ratebands were changed from 1 September 2012 in response to the economic crisis of the time....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Parent’s benefit is available for parents of new babies born or children adopted from 1st November 2019, who are on parent's leave from work. This leave and benefit is family-friendly and flexible, allowing parents to take leave for one week or two at a time and is in addition to existing maternity, adoptive and paternity benefits. New Parents can apply for paternity and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on issues relating to a particular pension scheme. Scheme trustees have duties and responsibilities under trust law, under the Pensions 1990, as amended, and under other relevant legislation. The duties of pension scheme trustees include administering the scheme in accordance with the law and the terms of the trust deed and scheme rules as...

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

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that two appeals were registered in the name of the person concerned as they had applied for carer's allowance in respect of two carees. I am also advised that the decisions of the Appeals Officer in these two cases will issue in the very near future. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (10 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 645 to 649, inclusive, together. Officials in my Department have finalised the report on the impact of the reduced rates of jobseekers payments for young people which was submitted to my office on 25th November. I am examining the report and I intend to publish it and make it available to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Employment Affairs and Social...

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 persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. The application in question was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 6 September 2019 and follow up contact was made with the SWI on 5 December 2019 to confirm that all...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (5 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I do not have the information to hand as it is not my Department but I will relay the Deputy's message to the Minister and get him to come back to him.