Results 3,141-3,160 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Supports for public realm improvements and walkways are available from my Department, in collaboration with local authorities, through a range of different investment schemes. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based recreation sites and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based recreation sites and mountain trails. The 2024/2025 ORIS scheme is currently open. The deadline for applications under measure 1 and the Project Development Measure (PDM) has now passed. Applications...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: On Tuesday 11th March 2025, I was delighted to announce over €26 million for 369 community centres under Category 2 of the Community Centre Investment Fund 2024. Funding of up to €100,000 will be provided to each successful community centre to support vital refurbishment and enhancement works. The projects include building renovations, enhanced amenities, accessibility measures...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department follows the current advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) as set out in Cyber Security Guidance on Generative AI for Public Sector Bodies published on 1 June 2023. Artificial Intelligence tools are not widely used in my Department and no funding was allocated or expended in 2024 on artificial intelligence systems. However, my Department’s Press Office...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rental Sector (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The number of people availing of Rent Supplement has reduced significantly. The Housing Accommodation Payment scheme and the Rental Accommodation scheme, administered by the local authorities, are now by far the largest schemes providing rental supports. Accordingly, the issue of a review in the rent limits used across all three schemes is a matter for the Minister of Housing, Local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and the habitual residency conditions. Social Welfare Legislation provides that the means test takes account of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Inquiries (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: 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. I can confirm that CA has been in payment to the person concerned for their first care recipient since 30 September...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: On receipt of an application for State Pension (contributory), entitlement to the standard State Pension (contributory) is examined first. Under current eligibility conditions, a person must have 520 full-rate paid contributions to qualify for standard state pension (contributory). According to the records of my Department, the first person concerned has a total of 320 full-rate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Inquiries (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and the habitual residency conditions. The person concerned has been in receipt of DA since 18 November 2020 and had been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Statutory Instruments (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I will shortly be bringing Regulations to extend the timeframe for a further two years where the rental income from the 'Rent a room' scheme will be disregarded for means-tested schemes in my Department. This allows that up to €14,000 rent per annum will be ignored from the means test of social assistance schemes and Supplementary Welfare Allowance. Tenants cannot be direct family...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: A specific standard was set for School Meals under the Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals. A technical Nutrition Sub Group comprised of Dietitians from the following organisations was involved in developing these standards: The Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,The HSE,Safefood, andThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 together. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department through the local Community Welfare Service, was activated on the 23rd January 2025 to assist householders across the country affected by Storm Éowyn, and had previously been activated in November 2024 to assist householders affected by Storm Bert.Since Storm...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department manages Intreo Centres nationwide and delivers a wide range of services to customers. SAR Group provided the department with security services from 2022 until 30 September 2024. In 2024, following a competitive procurement process, the department awarded Synergy Security Solutions Ltd. with a contract for the provision of security services for an initial two-year period....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is made over the winter season - from September to April - at the weekly rate of €33 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum instalments - one in September and one in January. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: As announced in Budget 2025, a €400 Disability Support Payment was paid to people with disabilities. This additional support was paid to recipients of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension. The county breakdown of the recipients is set out below. County Recipients of disability support Carlow 3,563 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Support Services (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. Budget 2025 included the provision of a once off...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Programme (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: To date in 2025, one Statutory Instrument has been in enacted by my Department as set out below. Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 10 of 2025 Charities (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2025 Primary Legislation Charities Amendment Act 2024 Estimated timeframe Commencement date of Monday 27th January 2025 Other...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Seachtain na Gaeilge: Ráitis (5 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Tá a lán Gaeilge ann freisin.