Questions asked 20 total

• Social 14 questions

  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if contributions can be considered for an alternative year instead of the previous tax year with regard to self-employed persons retiring and moving to the benefit for person over 65 years of age in 2021, in recognition of the fact that many businesses were heavily impacted by Covid-19 which in turn affected their contributions and resulting benefit payment rate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57005/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the means testing requirement to qualify for the one-parent family payment; if exceptions are made for household income such as savings which are intended for the purpose of supporting children such as purchasing a home or paying for college costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57154/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received for the Covid-19 enhanced illness benefit from January 2021 to date; the number awarded by month, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57349/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the average waiting time from application to approval for the Covid-19 enhanced illness benefit, by month, since January 2021 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57350/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the changes to the process for the Covid-19 enhanced illness benefit given the updated public health guidelines requiring entire households to isolate for five days if a member of the household has Covid-19; if she plans to scale up her Department’s ability to process these payments in expectation that these guidelines will increase the need for the payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57351/21]
  • 2021-11-24 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if any further consideration has been given to extending time allowed on the back to work enterprise allowance for current participants given that they have been unable to avail of the advantages of the scheme due to Covid-19 and have therefore lost out; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57729/21]
  • 2021-11-24 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the mechanisms in place to support medical assessment of chronic pain conditions as part of applications for disability allowance such as endometriosis, which is a condition in respect of which there are large diagnostic delays, despite sufferers experiencing chronic pain which would prevent them from working on a longer-term basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57803/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to support families who are struggling to meet energy costs during winter 2021 and who are locked out of the fuel allowance given many households are not eligible for the payment and are reporting challenges with the rising cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58204/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will reintroduce the pandemic unemployment payment for those workers who are affected by recent updates to public health guidelines; the supports that are available to those who now cannot work as a result of these guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58205/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the way she intends to fill the current gaps left as a result of those departing community employment positions, particularly with regard to community employment referrals and in circumstances in which there is difficulty replacing persons in these important roles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57828/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection the next steps with regard to the findings of the Poverty Impact Assessment on jobseeker’s rates for young people; when she intends to lay the document before the Houses of the Oireachtas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57827/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when the Child Maintenance Review Group is due to report on its findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57826/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection when she expects her Department to implement reforms to the pension system following consideration of recommendations made in the report by the Commission on Pensions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57829/21]
  • 2021-11-25 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the forthcoming phase two of the tender for employment services process; the expected timeline in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57825/21]
• Education 3 questions

  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education when additional schools will be able to seek DEIS status; if there is flexibility to allow schools DEIS status in certain circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57219/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education the status of the work of the DEIS technical group; if schools will be able to seek DEIS status for 2022 given the funding was made available in Budget 2022 to expand same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57218/21]
  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to bus drivers’ concerns in relation to 100% capacity on school buses given the increase in transmission of Covid-19; if additional resources will be put in place to support and protect bus drivers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57496/21]
• Tourism 1 question

  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if financial supports are available to a not-for-profit community sports club (details supplied) to assist with running costs such as rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57501/21]
• Health 1 question

  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health when a child (details supplied) will be given a date for an assessment by the HSE; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56902/21]
• Rural 1 question

  • 2021-11-23 Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if financial supports are available to a not-for-profit community sports club (details supplied) to assist with running costs such as rent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57500/21]