Results 101-120 of 15,432 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputies for the amendments. I do not propose to accept them. There are provisions in the Bill which remove the eligibility of those who are divorced to the bereaved partners contributory pension, as we have discussed. The Bill attempts to treat each cohort as equally as possible. That means the eligibility for bereaved partner's contributory pension would end on divorce,...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 23: In page 12, line 32, to delete “Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Act 2025” and substitute “Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025”.

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment 24: In page 14, lines 24 and 25, to delete “Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension) Act 2025” and substitute “Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2025”.

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 25: In page 20, after line 17, to insert the following: “PART 3 MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS TO PRINCIPAL ACT AND FAMILY COURTS ACT 2024 Invalidity Pension 19. The Principal Act is amended— (a) in section 113A— (i) in subsection (1) by the insertion of “, and subject to subsection (1A),” after “under this Chapter”, and (ii)...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 26 In page 20, after line 17, to insert the following: “Attendance at, and participation in, questioning of detained person by relevant officers during interview by member of An Garda Síochána 20. The Principal Act is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 250B: “250C. (1)Where a member of An Garda...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 27: In page 20, after line 17, to insert the following: “Amendment of Family Courts Act 2024 21. Schedule 2 to the Family Courts Act 2024 is amended, in item 6— (a) insofar as it relates to the amendment of section 142A(4)(d)(ii)(I)(A) of the Principal Act, by the substitution of “Part III of the Child Care Act 1991, or” for...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I will address both amendments. Once again, I wish to correct the record. I do not rule amendments out of order. We have had considerable engagement with all of the organisations in this space. I do not propose to accept the amendments. It is important that the changes we propose are allowed substantial time to bed in and any changes to the rights of qualified cohabitants are consistent...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I have no difficulty with reviews. I have committed that I will keep the committee informed but to put it in primary legislation in this instance, in the instance of a working scheme such as this, is unnecessary at this point. I will keep the committee informed and engaged with it about the implementation of this Bill. It is a Bill I myself intend to keep a close watch on and I know that...

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Committee Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move amendment No. 30: In page 3, line 6, after "1997" to insert "; to amend the Family Courts Act 2024".

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

Dara Calleary: My Department is aware of the sensitivities involved in conducting reviews of means-tested payments, particularly where older people and those living with disabilities are concerned. The Department has a commitment to an annual level of control reviews and operates an ongoing continuous schedule of control and review activity for scheme recipients. The primary purpose of these reviews is to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125, 126 and 127 together. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The legislative basis for implementing the new system was enacted last July. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The legislative basis for implementing the new system was enacted last July. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement savings. I recently...

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

Dara Calleary: Within the social welfare system, there are a number of supports for people who suffer a bereavement. In particular, there is an arrangement known as the six-weeks payment after death which allows for certain payments to continue to be made after a person dies. If a person is in receipt of a primary social welfare payment which includes a child support payment and, tragically, that child...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: In administering over 140 schemes and services, the staff of my Department interact daily with a wide and diverse group of customers. This includes families, people in employment, unemployed people, people with illnesses and disabilities, carers, older people and employers. I believe it is crucial that my officials act with empathy and courtesy at all times. My Department is acutely aware...

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

Dara Calleary: The person concerned reached pension age on 15 April 2025. As the records held by my department did not match the employment history provided by the person concerned on their pension application, their case has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector to examine the matter further. An interview will be scheduled with the person concerned to progress the review. In the meantime, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: A person’s PRSI contribution record is of vital importance for determining current and future entitlement to Social Welfare Benefits, these records are maintained by the Client Eligibility Section of my department. If an individual believes any information on their PRSI contribution record is incorrect or incomplete, they must report this matter to the Client Eligibility Section who...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department’s officials have estimated that approximately 3,800 individuals approaching the State Pension Age of 66 years within the remainder of 2025 do not have the required social insurance contribution record to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). The figure for all of those attaining State Pension Age in 2025 is just over 8,000. The data my Department holds...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: An Teanga Gaeilge (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Tacaíonn Údarás na Gaeltachta leis an earnáil luathbhlianta sa Ghaeltacht trí dheontas reáchtála a sholáthar do Chomhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG) a chuireann ar a gcumas tacú le bunú, forbairt agus reáchtáil seirbhísí luathoideachais trí Ghaeilge sa Ghaeltacht. Tá breis agus 135 seirbhís...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR programme is one of a number of supports available to communities for the development of recreational facilities such as playgrounds. Measure 1 of the CLÁR programme is administered by the local authorities who review applications received locally and can select up to 15 projects for onward submission to my Department for consideration for funding each year. I understand...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Coláistí Samhraidh (25 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Ní bheidh figiuirí ar fáil go dtí deireadh na bliana maidir le líon na scoláirí a d'fhreastal ar choláistí samhraidh i 2025.