Results 3,401-3,420 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Working Family Payment is a tax-free payment which provides an income top-up for employees, with children and with low earnings. It is a targeted measure that is directly linked to household income and therefore directly supports low-income working families. As at the end of January, there were some 47,000 households in receipt of the Working Family Payment, in respect of some 98,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Bonus payments, such as the Christmas bonus, can be paid by the Department of Social Protection. For example, the Christmas bonus, announced as part of Budget 2025, provided a 100% increase in the weekly rate of payment for over 1.38 million eligible recipients, including pensioners. The bonus is payable to long-term recipients of Social Protection schemes, including those in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am advised that Pobal, which administers the Community Services Programme (CSP) on behalf of my Department, has been engaging directly with the named organisation relating to ongoing financial challenges. A review of CSP funding rate categorisations will be undertaken by Pobal on behalf of my Department later this year, with any revisions to take effect from January 2026. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local authorities, through the Dog Warden service, have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts including enforcement. In July 2024, it was announced that funding of €2 million would be available to local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Consultations (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: In general my Department utilises the services of the Office of the Attorney General, the Chief State Solicitors Office and the Office of Parliamentary Council with regard to legal advice and services. My Department has occasional requirements for consultancy services which may be needed to provide advice or specialised technical expertise. Information on all such engagements are publicly...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects. A second iteration of the Fund was opened in March 2024. Applications under the 2024 round of funding can be submitted by local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Childcare Services (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I understand that the Deputy has received a response from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in respect of this matter and specifically as regards the Building Blocks Extension Grants Scheme. While my Department does not have responsibility in respect of the provision of créche facilities, a small number of childcare facilities have been funded...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Responsibilities (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: A formal delegation of functions order is currently being drafted. Once finalised and signed, the order will be made available on the Irish Statute Book. I can also confirm it is my intention to publish my Department’s Ministerial Briefing on gov.ie/drcd in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The main programmes in my Department focusing on areas of high disadvantage are the Empowering Communities Programme (ECP) and the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP). The ECP commenced in 2022, providing funding for 14 projects. At present there are 17 projects supported under the programme, with annual funding of €2.3 million. One of these projects is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Feb 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 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 €7.6 million was approved...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the School Meals Programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier. My Department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each school board to administer the Programme in their school, including handling the procurement process. All schools who wish to avail of funding under the programme are responsible for choosing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. All schools who wish to avail of funding are responsible for choosing their school meals supplier on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by the Department of Social Protection are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the contribution conditions. People in receipt of IP cannot undertake any paid employment. Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a scheme which extends the Illness Benefit and IP schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Free Travel Scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. The objective of the Free Travel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: 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. 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 needs,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The key role of the Department of Social Protection is that of income support for people experiencing specific contingencies that limit their ability to earn an income. These contingencies include unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities. These payments reflect the fact that, people experiencing these contingencies cannot earn, or can earn only a limited employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. In relation to the first person named, an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. Payments available to those over 66 include the State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory) and the Widows, Widowers and Surviving Civil Partners' Contributory Pension. The rate of primary and secondary payments to pensioners, and their adequacy, are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (20 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Social Protection provides income supports through a mixture of contributory payments (which are based on a person's social insurance record) and means-tested social assistance payments. To receive either a contributory or social assistance payment a person must qualify for that payment in their own right.The State Pension (Contributory) requires 520 (equivalent to 10 years)...