Results 1,761-1,780 of 16,601 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports for individuals on maternity leave, primarily through Maternity Benefit. Maternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed women who are on Maternity Leave from work and who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. It is currently paid at €289 per week for 26 weeks. Any changes to the rate of Maternity Benefit would need to be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (28 May 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. On 22nd January 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the entitlement of an unmarried cohabitant to a Widower's Contributory Pension. The Supreme Court...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the single payment per person rule, people who qualify for multiple payments from my Department typically receive only the higher of the available options. However, as an exception to this rule, the half-rate Carer’s Allowance was introduced for people already receiving a social welfare payment. This arrangement allows people receiving certain welfare payments to retain their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 292 together. 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. As clarified with the Deputy's office, I have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The requested statistics for 2020 - 2023 are shown below. Figures for 2024 are currently being compiled and will be published later this year. The 'Average Time to Award' is the average number of weeks between a claim being registered and the claim being awarded for successful claims. Note that after an appeal is submitted, there are two stages to an appeal. First, the appeal goes back to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (28 May 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. In Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals Scheme will be extended to all remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. It forms part of my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme, and has allocated €588 million to 243 projects across Ireland to date. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department supports both rural and urban communities across the country with significant levels of funding. Budget 2025 secured a 9% increase in my Department’s allocation to €472 million, giving it additional resources to support communities. This record allocation is providing €212 million for rural development and €260 million for community development. ...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue regarding Women's Sheds. I acknowledge the huge work she has put into this issue over many years and join her in acknowledging the fantastic work being done by women's and men's sheds throughout the country. This area of women's sheds is an important issue to many colleagues across government, in particular, the Minister, Deputy Foley,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator. I certainly will take her up on that offer. I will ask somebody from my office to engage with her. As I said, we have had meetings and both the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will be having further meetings. In our Department, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Foley, the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Treatment Benefit is a PRSI-based scheme which provides free dental and optical services, and assistance towards the provision of audiological appliances and hair replacement products, to people who satisfy certain qualifying conditions, and to their dependent spouses/partners. The following payment changes were made from 2021 to date in 2025, for persons who satisfy the medical...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: International Protection Applicants who are resident in, or on a waiting list for, International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation, may receive a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA) while awaiting a decision on their international protection application, provided they meet the conditions of the scheme. The International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) is under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department offers a range of income supports to freelance (self-employed) people, including, but not limited to, Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed, means tested Jobseeker’s Allowance, the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance. Additionally, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Central Statistics Office (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My officials have held meetings with CSO in this matter. The CSO has agreed to revise its process to ensure the parties to a marriage can be listed in the order of the couples choosing. This involves changes to the production process for CSO. Testing is being commenced to ensure the change can be implemented seamlessly and without impacting the CSO production process. The General Register...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has assigned a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the person concerned. A letter to inform the person of their PPSN was issued on 20th May 2025. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: A contribution statement issued to the person concerned on 14 November 2024. To qualify for the standard State pension (contributory) you need a minimum of 520 paid contributions in the first instance. The records of my Department show that the person concerned has 123 paid contributions which falls short of the minimum requirement. A Pension Caring Supports application was received from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports and programmes catering for the unemployed and those most distant from the labour market, which includes both the Tús programme and Community Employment. It is recognised by Government that both programmes are positive initiatives that enable participants to make a significant contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Relating to the details supplied, officials from my Department have contacted the person directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: All expenditure incurred, irrespective of the procurement process, is included in the Department’s annual accounts and details of all contracts awarded is published quarterly on GOV.ie here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/collections/pr ocurement-contracts-awarded/. The Department has one framework agreement for ICT services independent of those centrally established...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The process for monitoring payments in the Department is undertaken by contract as there can be numerous contracts awarded by the Department under a framework to various companies. There can also be numerous separate Lots under a framework. Each contract awarded under a framework will have a maximum value except for those available under a drawdown arrangement. Details of contracts awarded...