Results 20,301-20,320 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for carer's allowance (CA) was received in respect of the care of the person concerned on 23 April 2015. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The final phase of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) age reforms were introduced on 2 July, 2015 bringing the maximum age of the youngest child for receipt of OFP to 7 years for all recipients. Approximately 25,500 customers transitioned from the OFP scheme on that date. The majority of customers transitioned to the Jobseeker’s Transitional payment (JST), the Jobseeker’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. One-Parent Family Payment Claims Disallowed November 2015 to October 2016 Dates Claims Disallowed November 2015 72 December 2015 45 January 2016 48 February 2016 64 March 2016 57 April 2016 62 May 2016 62 June 2016 56 July 2016 60 August 2016 71 September 2016 60 October 2016 51

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 321 together. The following tables provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy in respect of 2015 and to date in 2016. The schemes with the highest number of appeals to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2015 and to date in 2016 were - disability allowance (6,435 in 2015/4,077 in 2016), carer’s allowance (3,188 in 2015/3,309...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services Provision (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: People claiming supports under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme generally only interact with the Department on an occasional basis, for example, when seeking an exceptional needs payment or in claiming additional supports such as rent supplement. The availability of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) during normal office hours is therefore sufficient for general day to day...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Provision (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This is a matter for my colleague, Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. Carer’s Allowance Period Registered Awarded Disallowed Pending November 2015 to October 2016 21,546 17,951 10,552 3,833 November 2014 to October 2015 18,186 14,592 8,166 5,120 Percentage Variance 18.5% 23.0% 29.2% -25.1% Invalidity Pension Period Registered Awarded Disallowed Pending...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Live Register, which captures those registering for unemployment benefits (including those working part-time and in casual work who draw partial unemployment payments), is an administrative record. It is not the official measure of unemployment, but can give indicative trends. The official measure of unemployment is sourced from the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS). Measures...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Self-employed persons, who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. This provides them with access to the following benefits: State pension (contributory), widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory), guardian’s payment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €30.3 million for the ENP scheme in 2016. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Deserted Wife's Benefit Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Deserted Wife's Benefit is a payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. The Deserted Wife's Benefit scheme was closed off to new applications with effect from 2 January 1997, when One-Parent Family Payment was introduced.Entitlement to payment is based on social insurance contributions paid by the wife or her husband. A person who qualified for Deserted Wife's Benefit before 2 Jan...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits Data (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. Number of persons in receipt of unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit in County Kildare at end of December 2012 and the end of October 2013 to 2016 Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Benefit Recipients Percentage Change Recipients Percentage Change October 16 8,446 -19.7% 1,637 -11.7%...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The following table provides the data requested by the deputy for 2015 and 2016: - State Pension Contributory State Pension Non-Contributory Total - €000 €000 €000 2015 expenditure 4,475,691 972,206 5,447,897 Beneficiaries at end December 2015 - State Pension Contributory State Pension Non-Contributory Total Recipients 361,725 95,179 456,904 Qualified adults...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13 October 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (22 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 624,000 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated...

Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill and to recognise the efforts of the Green Party in putting this issue very much back on the agenda of the Dáil as well as the broader political agenda. I also note that Fianna Fáil and Deputy John Lahart, in particular, have made proposals and given us the opportunity to discuss this proposed important reform of the way we...

Local Government (Mayor and Regional Authority of Dublin) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I was referring to how Fingal County Council covers a wide area from Swords, Balbriggan, Malahide, Castleknock and Blanchardstown.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (23 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20 October 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (23 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Benefit (CARB) from the person concerned on 20 October 2016. It is a condition for receipt of a CARB that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (23 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Budget 2016 provided for a €3 increase in the weekly rates of payment for pensioners in receipt of a state pension, the first such increase since 2009. This increase was legislated for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2015with an effective date of 8 January 2016 for the State Pension Contributory and the State Pension Non Contributory schemes. Accordingly, state pensioners will...