Pensions Thousands of workers face lower state pensions after reformsMinister says new 40-year total PRSI contributions regulation will save the national coffers €43 billion by 2070
Pensions ‘PRSI increases for keeping pension age at 66’ - HumphreysCabinet rejects recommendation of independent commission to raise state pension age to 67 by 2031 and to 68 by 2039
Pensions Nearly 40% have no pension in place as cabinet approves plan to keep retirement at 66Survey finds broad lack of pension preparedness ahead of new government plan to increase state pensions for those who work to 70
Workers can check out, but never leave: Can the government’s controversial plan defuse the pensions timebomb? The state’s new scheme for the 750,000 private sector workers who do not have a private pension aims to generate a pension pot of €21 billion within a decade. But opinion is already divided over whether it will work
Jobseeker’s payment into bank accounts ends after probe found higher risk of fraud in pandemic Investigation found fraud amounting to a €117 million loss to the state when the allowance was paid into recipients’ bank accounts during the pandemic
State inspectors cut PUP payments to more than 37,000 working claimants Pandemic payments were stopped after data-matching showed thousands were still claiming support while back at work
Heather Humphreys interview: ‘If people have defrauded the system, they should face the full rigours of the law’Fraudulent PUP claims, the thorny pensions issue and child maintenance reform are among the priorities in 2022 for Heather Humphreys, the minister at the heart of the welfare response to the pandemic
Auto-enrolment pension scheme set for end of 2023Every worker on a salary of over €20,000 will be automatically ‘opted-in’ to the pension scheme, the rollout of which was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic
Increased funds for victims who need legal advice ‘a drop in the ocean of what’s needed’ The justice budget included a €13 million package to help tackle domestic, sexual and gender based violence and victims of crime
Humphreys asks Irish Water if it is spending enough money A lack of wastewater treatment plants means planning permission for new housing estates is being refused by councils, which the minister says is causing ‘real problems’ for development of towns and villages
Number of Pup recipients falls to lowest since March 2020 The number of people in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was approximately 192,000 this week, a decrease of almost 10,000 on the previous week
Analysis: Government’s new pathways to work strategy suggests a move towards a European-style welfare systemIt is tempting for people to be cynical about employment initiatives, but many of the targets in previous strategies were achieved
Gardaí shut down 80 websites that were trying to scam unsuspecting peopleFraudsters pretended to be from An Garda Síochána, government departments, the Attorney General’s Office and delivery firms as scams rise, says Minister for Justice
Government to look at setting up ‘one-stop-shop’ to accept notifications of person’s deathRelatives have to contact numerous branches of the state to cancel things such as services and payments after bereavements
Student PUPs cost state at least €20 million per monthMinister stands over granting of benefits to people in full-time education, but there are misgivings in government