Results 20,381-20,400 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs of clothing and footwear when children start school each autumn. BSCFA payments have issued to over 150,000 families in 2016 at a cost of over €39 million. A person may qualify for payment of BSCFA in respect of a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Funding (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 to 334, inclusive, together. The information as requested by the Deputy is not readily available. A request to gather the information as requested by the Deputy has been made. The Department will contact the Deputy directly when the request for information has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: My Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include the JobPath service and employment programmes such as the Community Employment (CE) scheme. The JobPath service is provided for jobseekers only, whereas CE schemes provide part time temporary work in communities for people in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There are two Social Welfare Inspector posts in Tuam and they cover the whole North Galway area. A vacancy in one of the posts arose as a result of the transfer of an Inspector to Galway City in August 2016. My Department, like all Government Departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget. Within these...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (29 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 22 November 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 23 November 2016 and the first payment is due to issue to their nominated post office on 1 December 2016. Arrears of allowance due from 11 February 2016 to 23 November 2016 have issued by cheque. The person concerned was notified of these details on 23 November 2016. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Payments (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Self-employed people, who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year, are liable to pay PRSI on a compulsory basis 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),...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As a result of an appeals officer’s decision, the person concerned was awarded carer’s allowance on 15 November 2016. The first payments were issued to her nominated bank account on 24 November 2016. Arrears of allowance due from 29 October 2015 to 23 November 2016 have also issued. The person concerned was notified on 15 November 2016 of this decision. I hope this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the table. Invalidity Pension Period Registered Awarded Disallowed Pending 2015* 9,454 7,691 5,070 1,559 31 October 2016 7,657 6,231 3,388 2,003 Partial Capacity Benefit Period Registered** Awarded Cancelled Disallowed Pending 2015* 964 775 79 38 72 25 November 2016 1,054 687 52 86 229 Family Income Supplement (New Claims)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested is currently being compiled within my Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Applications (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Waiting days have been a long standing feature of the jobseeker’s schemes and are a feature of similar social security schemes in many countries. The application of a three-day waiting period avoids the disproportionately high administrative costs involved in processing large numbers of claims of a very short duration. The waiting day rule is not applied in every case. For instance,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There are two Social Welfare Inspector posts in Tuam and they cover the whole North Galway area. A vacancy in one of the posts arose as a result of the transfer of an Inspector to Galway City in August 2016. My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget. Within these...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 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 15 November 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This man has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 11 May 2016. The first payment will be made by his chosen payment method on 4 January 2017. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments or in respect of outstanding overpayments (if applicable). I trust this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Non-Disclosure Agreements (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The agencies under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The subject matter of the question from the Deputy relates to non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements between my Department or its agencies with any organisation, such agreements having been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware the Carer's benefit is a payment for insured people who have recently left the workforce and are providing full-time care and attention to certain people who require that level of care. A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Social Assistance payments act as a safety net for people who have insufficient income and who do not qualify for a contributory payment. The use of a means test is to ensure that scarce resources are directed to those in greatest need. Payments from the United Kingdom (UK) are assessed as income under current legislation. In assessing means derived from payments received from non-European...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Advisers Appointments (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There have been no additional special advisers appointed by me.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Bill provides the legislative framework for the implementation of the measures announced in budget 2017. It also contains a number of largely technical changes which aim to resolve minor deficiencies identified within the welfare code. Overall, the Bill represents a prudent approach with modest increases to all weekly payments, alongside more targeted measures, an...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Section 10 also relates to self-employment, in this case by providing that city and county councillors will in future be brought into social insurance cover as self-employed people. They will be treated in the same manner as other self-employed people insofar as entitlement to the wider range of benefits is concerned. Councillors currently pay class K contributions, which were introduced at...