Results 821-840 of 7,690 for speaker:Regina Doherty in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The provisions relating to the new scheme of jobseeker's benefit for the self-employed in the Social Welfare Act 2019 have been commenced and the scheme was introduced from 1 November 2019. The new scheme will support those who lose their self-employment and are covered by social insurance. This new scheme builds on other significant improvements for self-employed people in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (12 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to a State pension (contributory) claimants whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.  The person concerned is in receipt of IQA on their spouses...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department has responsibility for the legislation underpinning the social welfare code, occupational and private pensions, civil registration and gender recognition, redundancy and employer’s insolvency, employment rights and the Citizens Information Board. Twenty Acts relating to these matters have been enacted since March 2011, as set out in the following table. No post-enactment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: A copy of the means assessment based on the information provided by the person concerned and used in the calculation of state pension non-contributory entitlement has been issued to the person concerned, as requested by the Deputy. I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Under current legislation, child benefit is paid up to and including the month of a child’s 18thbirthday provided the child is in full-time education. It ceases at 18 even if the child remains in full time education. As the person concerned received payment up to the date of the child's 18thbirthday there is no further entitlement to child benefit. If the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: According to the records of my Department no application for an exceptional needs payment has been received from the person concerned.  An application form was issued to the person concerned on the 22/10/19. I am advised that an Officer of my Department has made contact with the person concerned and an appointment was arranged for 8/11/19.  I trust this clarifies the matter for the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department provides a range of income supports for persons who are ill or who have a disability.  Two of these supports are the illness Benefit (IB) and Invalidity Pension (IP) schemes.  In summary these schemes operate as follows: 1. Illness Benefit is a payment made to insured people who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Departments Employer Relations Officer will make direct contact with both the employer and the potential YESS participant today to ensure that both the vacancy and the obligations with participation in YESS by the candidate are fulfilled. I trust that this clarifies the position.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 535 together. Bessborough Community Employment, (CE), and Bessborough Job Initiative, (JI) have been in-situ and supporting the Bessborough Centre over the past 35 years and 29 years respectively.  Currently, there are 23 Community Employment participants, 9 Job Initiative participants and 2 Supervisors employed by the Bessborough Community...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Payments (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer.  The scheme operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act 1984, which derives from EU Directive 2008/94.Payments are made from the Social Insurance Fund. The Protection of Employees...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: As the Deputy will be aware, I have been in recent discussions with representatives of CE supervisors to discuss issues arising following the 2008 Labour Court Recommendation.  The details of the discussions have remained confidential while the engagement is ongoing and I would ask Deputies to respect these wishes and allow the talks to continue free from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Penalty rates were introduced in 2011 as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage with activation measures and to co-operate with efforts of the Department to assist them in securing employment.  The Department is committed, under Pathways to Work, to incentivise the take-up of activation opportunities, and this includes implementing sanctions for failure to engage where...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Data (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The primary purpose of JobPath is to provide a case management based employment advice and counselling service to long-term unemployed jobseekers. The service was launched in 2015 on a ‘rolling basis’ with referral numbers gradually increasing over time. Between July 2015 and October 2019, some 244,219 jobseekers had commenced their engagement period with the JobPath...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: My Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market to secure and sustain full-time paid employment. The table below shows the number of participants currently engaged on Community Employment schemes and the number of those that are aged over 55. No. Total Number...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The person concerned applied for State pension contributory on 28 June 2019. It was decided that they were entitled to a reduced rate of €211.40 which equates to 85% of pension. They were informed on 15 October 2019 that it was financially more beneficial for them to remain as a qualified adult on their spouses state pension (contributory). This payment will increase to €222.50...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (12 Nov 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 16 July 2019. Additional information in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment Applications (12 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work weekly payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children, relative to family size. A new application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 04 September 2019. That application was referred to a local Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for further clarification on 11 September 2019. The relevant SWI...