Results 141-160 of 481 for like to work speaker:Regina Doherty

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...

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

Regina Doherty: With respect, the Deputy does not like what has been done so far because we have not yet determined the final outcome of the organisation's future security. Work is in progress and the negotiations are ongoing. As a sign of our sincere commitment to St. Joseph's, not only have we given security to the people already living there, we have also provided it with extra money and resources to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Deputy obviously did not pay any attention to the CSO SILC reports released last week, perhaps because he does not like the direction that things are taking. He would be much happier if we had people who were genuinely living in persistent poverty, similar to what is happening in Northern Ireland. The SILC numbers show a reduction to 5.6% last week. I restate my thanks to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I might not be able to answer all the Deputy's questions but as of 29 November there were 3,231 participants and 138 supervisors in the RSS. The funding allocated to the scheme for this year is €53.11 million. The Deputy is correct that it was established as an income support scheme, but the way the scheme has developed with the involvement of training and the fact that people can...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Fraud (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I hope I am on the record stating my determination to tackle false self-employment. We have reallocated some significant resources, particularly this year in the Department to do so. Since I became Minister, the Department's social welfare inspectors have been instructed to redouble their efforts with a nationwide campaign of employer inspections. That happens through our scope section...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes Supervisors (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41, 45, 63, 68, 69, 71 and 74 together. I know sometimes it annoys people when we take all these questions together but they are all obviously about the same topic. The questions show the extent of the concern and appreciation that we all have and share in the House for the CE scheme itself and in particular for CE supervisors. I thank Deputy Heydon for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Live Register Data (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: In the October Live Register published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), 31,296 people reported that their last held occupation was in the construction sector.  This represented 17.3% of the total Live Register. Over 57% of those who previously worked in the Construction sector are considered short-term unemployed, while just under 43% have been on the Live Register for more than...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Low Pay (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection role in relation to wage setting is restricted to the setting of the National Minimum Wage on the basis of recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. Legislation in relation to the setting of the National Minimum Wage has existed since 2000.  The Low Pay Commission was established in 2015 and its primary function is, on an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...remit of the CSO, and the CSO’s Labour Force Survey is the official measurement of unemployment in the state.  Neither the Live Register nor the so-called "unemployment blackspots" can be used to measure unemployment in the state.   The concept of “unemployment blackspots” was developed by the CSO following the 2016 Census, and was based on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (4 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: ...measures include changing how income is treated in means assessments, and the level of income thresholds and disregards.  Analyses often involve carrying out a social impact assessment which estimates the likely distributive effect of changes on household income using the ESRI’s SWITCH model.  As well as carrying out reviews, I, and my officials,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Data (3 Dec 2019)

Regina Doherty: Pension entitlement is assessed on the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an individual reaches pension age. State pension age will increase to 67 in 2021. As the person concerned was born in 1955 they will reach pension age in 2022. For those who reach state pension age since September 2012, two different methods of calculating entitlement to a contributory state pension...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Chair and committee members for the invitation to appear before them. I am seeking a Supplementary Estimate of €100 million for 2019. The purpose of this Supplementary Estimate is primarily to fund the Christmas bonus for Vote 37 social assistance recipients. The Christmas bonus will be paid next week. I was pleased that we could restore the Christmas bonus last year,...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: A great deal of work and research has been done on what the new model can and should look like. The proposed model might not be the same at the end of the process as it was at the beginning of it. The rationale for it has to be laid out to everybody. I do not believe any data should be held back. There should be transparency around what the Social Insurance Fund will look like in the next...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank the Deputy for his questions. The first question was on the working family payment, formerly known as the family income supplement. There are two reasons for the reduction there. We spent a considerable amount of money on a publicity campaign this year. That campaign was very well received which I took some comfort from because sometimes one can spend a lot of money on advertising...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2019
Vote 37 - Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Supplementary) (28 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: Finally, I will answer the question on the numbers people on the scheme. We have 145,544 recipients on the disability allowance, 52,036 recipients on the working family payments scheme and 5,607 on the back to work family dividends scheme. The State contributory pension is very close to the 34% of the indexation level that we would like it to be at. We need to see how wages increase next...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (26 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: The Medical Review and Assessment Section (MRAS), in conjunction with individual scheme business sections, co-ordinates and manages all referrals for assessment to the Medical Assessors. The Department offers a number of schemes on illness, disability; carers and occupational injury and applications vary in volume and frequency both yearly and seasonally. High volume and resource...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Committee Stage (21 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I have flagged that we will table an amendment on Report Stage to add to the amendment submitted by Deputies O'Dea and Penrose, but there will be other amendments to address issues raised in the Supreme Court's judgment that found that the provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act related to the entitlements of prisoners were unconstitutional. To put it simply, the court found that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (19 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 Department gives...

Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I thank all of the Deputies who contributed yesterday evening and today. I am grateful for the positive comments they have made about the small number of initiatives that are in the budget and the changes that they will effect. I thank those who spoke today and yesterday. I attempted to reach the most vulnerable people with the small amount of money I had. Everybody has mentioned how...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Nov 2019)

Regina Doherty: I am pleased that the Government recently approved significant elements of my design of an automatic enrolment retirement savings system which will commence in 2022.  Key decisions have now been made in relation to the target membership, the contribution rates, the policies in relation to opting-out and re-enrolment, the administrative arrangements and organisational approach and the...