Results 861-880 of 16,601 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The breakdown by county for the number of people in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) for more than 2 years.My officials have commenced work on a successor to the current employment services strategy, Pathways to Work Strategy 2021-2015. This new strategy will aim to carry on from the success of its predecessor which has focused on removing barriers to employment, providing tens of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Wage Subsidy Scheme is a key disability employment support provided by my Department. It aims to encourage employers to offer substantial and sustainable employment to people with disabilities through a subsidy. Last year, my Department published a review of the Wage Subsidy Scheme, following a public consultation. The review made six recommendations to make the scheme more flexible and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: In line with the Programme for Government commitment, my Department is examining a new Working Age Payment which will ensure that individuals always see an increase in income when they work or take on additional hours. An outline of a proposed approach was previously published as part of the strawman consultation process on the introduction of new pay-related benefit. My officials are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As announced in Budget 2025, from the 1st January 2025, the Fuel Allowance qualifying conditions for those aged over 70 were extended to those aged over 66 and the means threshold increased to €524 for a single person and €1,048 for a couple. In December 2024, there were 221,459 recipients aged 66 and over in receipt of Fuel Allowance. Under the new criteria, the number...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As at end June 2025, there are 28,468 people aged under 66 years in receipt of Widow’s / Widower’s / Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension. As at end June 2025, there are a further 973 people in receipt of Widow’s / Widower’s / Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension. Illness Benefit is the primary short term income support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The parties to Government have agreed a number of commitments that are to be achieved over the lifetime of the Government, some of which are relevant to my Department. The Deputy can be assured that I am determined to deliver on these commitments and will take the opportunity afforded at budget time each year to progress them as far as possible. The Deputy will understand that not everything...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Self-employed contributors pay class S PRSI at a rate of 4.1%. This is 11.15 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.25% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors. The Programme for Government includes an action to explore the option of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Care Services (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The key role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide income supports where there is an income need. My Department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2025 is expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: A person aged between 65 and 66 years of age may only receive Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit if they have not retired from employment as they must meet all the conditions for receiving Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit including being available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work during their 65th year. Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds continues to be the appropriate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, that has an independent mandate to provide information, advice and advocacy on a wide range of public services. CIB itself is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The Citizens Information Service (CIS), in turn, comprises of eight regional companies that are funded by CIB to deliver...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department places great importance on making sure we have people in roles and is actively recruiting to fill any existing vacancies. Listed in the table below are current vacancies within my Department from Administrative Officer grade and above; I expect these to be filled in the coming weeks. Grade Number of Vacancies ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: An Teanga Gaeilge (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Tá tábhacht nach beag ag baint le hinfheistíocht sa réimse digiteach, d’fhorbairt na Gaeilge agus do phobal a labhartha. Tá maoiniú suntasach ceadaithe ag mo Roinn do thionscadail éagsúla, i réimsí éagsúla den earnáil dhigiteach; tá na mór-réimsí sonraithe sa tábla thíos: ...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an mbeirt Seanadóir as ucht an leasaithe seo. I do not propose to accept the amendments. As I said during the Dáil debate, it is not appropriate to include commitments to produce reports in primary legislation, particularly legislation that is as complex as the Social Welfare Consolidation Act and this Bill. With respect to the specific issues, as...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: With the Acting Chair's indulgence, I will make a few remarks. I thank the Senators for their consideration both at Second Stage and at the Stages this evening, including Senators Rabbitte, O'Donovan, McCormack and Ruane, whose contributions were really instructive. As we all know, this legislation will bring a very important change for hundreds of people who are directly affected by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Priorities (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy, with a five-year timeframe, that aims to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less, and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. The Roadmap, published in January 2020, is an overarching statement of Government strategy, which acknowledges the range of sectoral plans already in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the provision and maintenance of CCTV systems for my Department. As the Deputy will appreciate, for sensitive security reasons, it would not be appropriate to disclose the specific technical details requested, such as the number of CCTV cameras owned or the video file formats used by my Department and bodies under its aegis. Releasing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jul 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. The CA application form (CR1) should, in all cases, be completed in full and signed by the claimant. The claimant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: General Register Office (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under Section 19 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, it is the duty of a parent of a child born in the State to have the birth registered within 3 months, following which a certificate may be produced. A person who has knowledge of the particulars of birth may apply to either the General Registers Office or a Civil Registration Office for a birth certificate for a person born...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under Section 61 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, a person who has knowledge of the particulars of birth may apply to either the General Register Office, or to a Civil Registration Office for a birth certificate in respect of a person born in the State. A prescribed fee is payable in advance of any certificate issuing. This availability of certificates is a longstanding...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (15 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department has delivered significant achievements since 23rd January 2025. Since taking office as Minister for Social Protection, I have worked hard with my officials to deliver commitments contained in the Programme for Government. Key achievements to date include:The delivery of the new Pay Related Jobseeker’s Benefit at the end of March, which provides greater income support...