Results 1,321-1,340 of 14,528 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has tried to make contact with your office to establish the correct PPSN. They were unable to trace the customer accurately without the PPSN. Should you wish to re-submit this question with the correct PPSN we can provide you with an answer.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (11 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. My department has an oversight role in relation to the School Meals Programme and conducts regular...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned reached pension age on 05 January 2025. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 08 January 2025. In general, public servants who joined prior to 6 April 1995 paid modified contributions (B) which are not reckonable for the standard state pension (contributory). However, such employees generally have an occupational pension, the level of which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Civil and public sector employees recruited prior to 6 April 1995 pay social insurance contributions at modified rates under classes B, C and D. Amongst the class B contributors are permanent and pensionable civil servants and Gardaí; the class C contributors are commissioned army officers and members of the army nursing service; and the class D contributors include permanent and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. Under the Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Health, optical services are provided to medical card holders aged over 16 years by ophthalmologists, community ophthalmic physicians, optometrists and dispensing opticians. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Responsibilities (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: In my first week as Minister, I received a comprehensive Ministerial brief on the many areas for which I am responsible in the Department of Social Protection. As has been the policy of the Department, it is intended that the briefing material will be published in the coming weeks.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Regulations (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department and the agencies under the aegis of the department, namely the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal are not in breach of EU guidance, requirements, regulations, directives or laws; there are therefore no fines in payment at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (11 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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Process (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department initiated five Bills in 2024, all of which have been enacted. Details of these Bills are set out below and with additional requested material in the following table. Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 (No. 6 of 2024) This Act amended the Social Welfare Acts to exclude assessment of child maintenance payments from social welfare means tests and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Flexible Work Practices (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is supportive of blended working and was one of the first to introduce a blended working policy. This Policy, developed in line with the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organizations, offers a varied attendance model, depending on the staff role and business needs. The ability to effectively meet the needs of each business area and ensuring high-quality...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 24th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pay (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The pay scale that applies to the Secretary General in this Department is Secretary General Level II. This salary scale is set centrally in the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation. This salary scale increased on the 1st January 2024, the 1st June 2024 and the 1st October 2024 in line with increases in the Public Service Agreement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: For the purpose of this response, I have interpreted ‘national media outlet’ as being both radio media and print media advertising. My Department is committed to ensuring that members of the public are aware of the welfare supports and services that are available to them and that they are notified of any scheme changes, which may affect them. The total advertising...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Working Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them and be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment. An application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership. As the Deputy is aware, on 22nd January 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the entitlement of an unmarried cohabitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: IT external service provision is defined by the Department of Finance as where a person or organisation provides the services or the human/physical resources to meet the ICT needs of a Department. These requirements could include software development, network installation and management, infrastructure management, data centre hosting, managed services etc. Details as requested by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Responsibilities (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I wish to inform the Deputy that no Minister of State has been appointed to my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22nd...