Results 1-20 of 15,432 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: It is important to acknowledge this Bill came about as a result of Mr. Johnny O'Meara and his family in memory of his partner and their mum, Michelle Batey. I thank Mr. O'Meara and Deputy Alan Kelly who stood and worked with him along with other organisations throughout this process. I thank all Deputies for their contributions to this debate and look forward to bringing the Bill to the Seanad.

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputies O'Reilly and Wall. I do not propose to accept amendments Nos. 7, 8 and 14. To accept them would remove the ability of any future Minister for Social Protection to make regulations to clarify the circumstances where a couple may be living apart for more than two years due to medical circumstances. This definition is linked to the regulation-making power inserted into...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: If one part of the couple said something different to what had been signed up to, for whatever reason, there would have to be further investigations. I assure the Deputy that I would not want any intrusion into a relationship and the Department does not intend to intrude. If evidence was presented by a member of the couple that contradicted what the other member of the couple had said, that...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Yes.

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Yes.

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am pretty sure. It is a standard provision in such legislation. I assure the Deputy that the Department is not going to stick its nose in where that is not necessary.

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy Wall for the amendment. Amendments Nos. 18 to 20, inclusive, are grouped together. I do not propose to accept these amendments, which are possibly irrelevant owing to other related amendments being ruled out of order. I wrote to Deputies Wall, Quaide, Coppinger and O'Reilly on this issue after Committee Stage. There are provisions in the Bill removing the eligibility of...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: This is an area the Leas-Cheann Comhairle has also expressed an interest in. On Deputy O'Reilly's comment about the lady whose partner passed away while she was expecting, we have based the qualifications on the 2010 civil partnership Act and the issue from the Department of Justice. I am writing to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to highlight this case and also on the points reflected in...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Report and Final Stages (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputies for their remarks. I will speak to the amendments first and then speak to some of the queries that were raised, which were dealt with on Committee Stage. Amendments Nos. 1 and 2, and 21 to 23, inclusive, are grouped together. As I said during the Committee Stage debate, it is not appropriate to include commitments to producing reports in primary legislation,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit scheme is available to those whose unemployment begins on or after 31 March as provided for in the Commencement Order and section 68KB(1)(d) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. People who became fully unemployed before 31 March will remain on Jobseeker's Benefit until they return to employment, or their benefit runs out, whichever...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. The Programme for Government has clearly set out a timeline which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. This is a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department, was activated in November 2024 to assist householders affected by Storm Bert and again in January 2025 to assist householders affected by Storm Éowyn. The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes are damaged and who are not able to meet costs for essential...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to people with disabilities through a subsidy. The table shows expenditure in the period 2020-2024 and the number of employers and employees involved in the Scheme. Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. That is why I was really pleased to announce that Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility is being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid. The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The estimated annual cost of increasing the weekly rate of Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme by €1 is €1.64 million. It should be noted that this costing includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2025, and is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their nineteenth birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. Child Benefit is currently in payment in respect of approximately 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. Currently, the payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. Child Benefit is currently in payment in respect of approximately 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. That is why I was really pleased to announce that Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility is being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid. The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The estimated annual cost of increasing pension payments to all recipients aged 66 years or over by €1 is €40.6 million. This includes the following schemes but only where payable to those people aged 66 and over:State Pension (Contributory)Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) PensionDeserted Wife's BenefitDeath Benefit PensionState Pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (2 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The estimated annual cost of bringing all working-age social welfare weekly payments (at 2025 rates) in line with the recently published MESL 2025 rates is €1.51 billion. It should be noted that this costing includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and for those on reduced rates of payment, where relevant. This costing is based on the estimated average number of...