Results 20,441-20,460 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware the Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The department informs me that there is no recent application by the person concerned for carer’s allowance registered. If she wishes to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There is a requirement on all employers, including Community Employment Sponsors, to comply with all relevant statutory and legal obligations. Participants on Community Employment (CE) are obliged to work 19.5 hours per week (39 hours per fortnight) with no additional payment funded by the Department. Work patterns, particularly those outside the normal working week, must be agreed by the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the committee for allowing me to present the Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Social Protection. I am seeking a Supplementary Estimate of €109 million for 2016. The purpose of this additional Estimate is to fund the Christmas bonus, which is being paid to Vote 37 for social assistance recipients this week. Overall, the Christmas bonus is estimated to cost...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I identify with Deputy Bailey regarding the fanfare. I have not been involved in a fanfare; I have always been clear that the priority of this budget was to be prudent. It was not a giveaway budget either in terms of welfare increases or tax cuts. It was a prudent budget designed to reduce the deficit and make sure the mistakes of the past are not repeated. Any changes will be modest. On...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: That is the Deputy's opinion.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: We can never engage, unfortunately, with Deputy Brady interrupting me. It is something I have-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is. We can have a conversation or debate without always having to interrupt people. It is just basic manners. Opinion is not fact. If somebody works a 40-hour week on the minimum wage in Ireland, it is almost €400 per week and the CE programme pays less than €200. Somebody on the minimum wage in Ireland working 30 hours per week is better off than somebody on CE so why...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Deputy Mitchell asked how many applications for carer's allowance have been successful. My staff will check that and I shall supply the answer to her at the end of this session. The rising cost indicates that the number of successful applicants has increased. To date, 145 complaints have been made to the Department about JobPath. That is out of 60,000 referrals. It is important to...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is a different amount and depends on how long a person stays in a job. The first payment is 13 weeks and after that it is 26 weeks. The companies do not get paid if people only hold down jobs for a few weeks. The companies are paid more depending on how long people remain in jobs. They would be pretty foolish to put people into jobs in which they will not last three months because that...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: -----adopt budgets that allow managers to hire more outdoor staff so that people can have the good, pensionable, well-paid and unionised jobs to which the Deputy referred. I particularly encourage Sinn Féin to do this in Dublin city. On Gateway and supplies to any scheme, the initiative often gives somebody something to do every day and a bit of work experience. One will have...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2016
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: We can do that.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Widows or widowers aged under 66 who are in employment generally pay PRSI contributions at Class A in line with other employees. Where such employees have rental income, they also pay PRSI at Class K (4%). Widows or widowers aged under 66 who are self-employed pay PRSI contributions at Class S (4%) in line with other self-employed. Class S also applies to any rental income the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person concerned on the 20 October 2016. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am informed that the case referred to by the Deputy is an occupational pension scheme, which had a requirement that potential payees under the Widows benefits element be notified before a certain time. I understand that the European Court of Justice very recently ruled that there was no discrimination involved in the case. Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a legal act,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 8th November 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Social Protection makes every effort to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time. These principles are an integral part of the day-to-day work of my Department. Where overpayments of benefit or assistance arise, my Department seeks full recovery as quickly as possible. The Social Welfare (Consolidation Act) 2005 makes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Collection (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: My Department contracts with a range of third parties including private companies to act as its agent for the purposes of transacting its business and with whom it shares customer information. These include my Department’s branch offices, the Local Employment Service (LES) companies as well as the JobPath companies. As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Payments (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the persons concerned under Family Law. Where a lone parent is in receipt of the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP), my Department has a statutory requirement to carry out an assessment against the Liable Relative (other parent) and issue a Determination Order for them to pay a contribution either to my Department or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (6 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1st 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...