Results 281-300 of 7,690 for speaker:Regina Doherty in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: According to the records of my Department, I am advised that the person concerned is currently in receipt of a Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment (PUP). The current focus is on ensuring that PUP payments are made and continue to be made to all who qualify for them.  My Department is aware that many people are due some arrears and that each person's case is unique.  This means...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: Expenditure on Pandemic Unemployment Payment is €1.5 billion to date.  This includes 585,000 people who will received the payment during week commencing Monday, 18th May 2020 costing €204.6 million.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Revised Estimates Publication (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: As the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) for 2020 has not yet been voted upon, spending thus far in 2020 is operating under the ‘four-fifths’ rule which applies to voted expenditure under the Central Fund (Permanent Provisions) Act, 1965.  Under this rule, Departments can spend an amount up to 80% of that included for the relevant Department in the previous...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit Eligibility (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of the enhanced Illness Benefit payment in respect of COVID-19 is to encourage people to not go to work due to financial constraint when they should be in isolation.  The rate of payment is higher than the normal maximum personal rate for a limited period.  The measures were designed to ensure that where a registered medical practitioner or a HSE medical officer of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1227 and 1233 together. The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 sets out the key parameters for the taking of annual leave and payment for same. The terms and conditions of individual employment contracts may provide additional specifics within those parameters such as stipulations in relation to the taking of minimum blocks of leave and the timing of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: In situations where an employee has been given notice of redundancy by their employer, an employee may wish to leave their employment earlier than the date of redundancy notified to them, for example to take up alternative employment.  In such cases Section 10 of the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides that an employee can request in writing, within the obligatory period...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 7 October 2019.  It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.  These...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: I can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the key role carers play in society and I will continue to keep the range of supports available to carers under review.  Combined spending on all  payments to carers in 2020 provided by my Department is expected to exceed €1.3 billion.  The social welfare system generally operates under the principle of a single payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 March 2020.  It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.  These...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 March 2020.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 March 2020.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1238 and 1240 together. The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme (MIS) was to provide short-term support to eligible people who were unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which was their sole place of residence, due to temporary unemployment or loss of earnings.  The mortgage interest...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.  This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an income tested, in-work payment which provides additional financial support to employees on low earnings with children.  In order to qualify for WFP, an applicant or the applicant and a spouse, partner or cohabitant must be engaged in fulltime remunerative employment as an employee for not less than 38 hours per fortnight.  This...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Support Services (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: I have noted the correspondence referred to in the question. For the Deputy's information, I have set out below the supports available from my Department to support people with disabilities, including deaf people, to achieve their employment goals. In addition to providing income supports, my department provides a wide range of employment-related supports for both jobseekers with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: Issues relating to maintenance are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, who has responsibility for the Family Law Acts, which govern maintenance requirements. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has no legal basis to pay maintenance in lieu of the other parent's responsibilities. If a person who was in receipt of maintenance that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension Eligibility (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned is currently in receipt of state pension contributory at a reduced rate.  I am advised that date my Department does not appear to have received an application for widow's/widower's & surviving civil partner's contributory pension from the person concerned.  Accordingly we have issued an application form to the person concerned, which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1247, 1254 and 1272 together. The COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced in March 2020 as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The conditions for receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are that a person must of working age between...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Wage (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy will understand, I am not in a position to comment on any potential changes to specific policy issues which may be implemented by a new Government, until that Government is formed, and a finalised Programme for Government has been agreed.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (20 May 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.  This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support...