Results 41-60 of 7,690 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Regina Doherty

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: It is important to note that the Department did not introduce an embargo on any of the employment support schemes during the Covid-19 emergency.  In light of the national health and safety guidelines and social distancing measures introduced, and in conjunction with sponsoring authorities and implementing bodies, recruitment was suspended for the period of the emergency and existing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (16 Jun 2020)

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 increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. A person who is caring for two care...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Government has extended the suspension of redundancy provisions relating to temporary lay-off and short-time work which arose as a result of Covid-19 until 10th August 2020.  A temporary suspension of these provisions was introduced on 13th March under new emergency measures as the existing provisions were not considered adequate to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic and Government has agreed its extension until 10 August 2020.  Changes were also announced to the structure of this payment which means that it continues to be a strong support which is also fair and targeted. The Government is aware that there are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Jobseeker's benefit is a weekly payment to people who have lost their employment and who satisfy the scheme conditions including the requirement to have sufficient social insurance contributions paid.  This benefit is paid for 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid.  It is paid for 6 months (156 days) for people who have less than 260 PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: There are a range of supports available from my Department for people following a bereavement.  Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department may make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income.  An application can be made under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist households in receipt of long-term social welfare payments, including pensioners and the long-term unemployed, who cannot provide for their own heating needs. Customers are either paid €24.50 per week or in two lump sums of €343.  The payment is made by means of an allowance paid alongside the customer’s primary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (16 Jun 2020)

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. The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the on-going need to respond to new demands across a wide range of services.  This is to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: My Department introduced a series of measures to maintain social welfare payments while assisting with social distancing measures designed to combat the spread of the Coronavirus.  Fortnightly payments were introduced to minimise the need for people to attend and queue in banks or post offices to collect payments, so helping people restrict their movements to essential activities...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The back to education allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level.  The main focus of the BTEA is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and improve their prospects of gaining employment. At the end of April 2020 there...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic and Government has approved the extension of this payment until 10 August 2020. The conditions for receipt of this payment are that a person must be of working age between 18 and up to 66 years old, have been in employment immediately before 13 March 2020 and have lost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (16 Jun 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: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment was the most effective and remarkable emergency response in the history of our nation’s social welfare system.  In the space of days, we provided assistance to over 600,000 people who lost their income suddenly and without warning.  At a time of great stress and worry about the health effects of Covid-19, the introduction of the payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: People in receipt of Jobseekers Transition, One Parent Family Payment, Working Family Payment and Carers payment can receive the COVID 19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) as well as their primary payment.  PUP effectively acts as a replacement for the loss of employment income in these cases. Where a person’s previous gross weekly earnings were €200 or higher there...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Government policy to reduce youth unemployment, is twofold: - to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and - to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including young people.   This policy approach was effective in reducing youth...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of young persons under 25 years of age that are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and signing for credits is detailed by age and scheme in the tabular statement. Young persons under 25 years of age that are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and signing for credits at the end of May...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of young persons under 25 years of age that are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and signing for credits is detailed by age and scheme in the tabular statement. Young persons under 25 years of age that are in receipt of jobseeker's benefit, jobseeker's allowance and signing for credits at the end of May...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: Lead responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.  The co-ordination of the services addressing the needs of these customers is managed by The Child and Family Agency, Tusla.  Victims of domestic violence accommodation needs are met through this joined-up service delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of  the number of young persons aged 25 years of age and under, that are in receipt of the full rate of jobseeker’s allowance of €203 per week is detailed in the tabular statement. The number of young persons aged 25 years of age and under, that are in receipt of the full rate of jobseeker’s allowance of €203...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (16 Jun 2020)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1035, 1037, 1038 and 1040 together. I convened the Labour Market Advisory Council earlier this year at a time when the economic landscape and outlook was very different to the conditions we are facing today. The key challenge facing my Department and the Intreo Service at that time was how to increase participation rates in an economy that was at full...