Results 20,601-20,620 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The average appeal processing time for all appeals determined to date in 2016 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following table. Significant effort and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeals process in recent years resulting in a marked improvement in overall appeal processing times. The average time taken to determine an appeal requiring an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. External consultant reports commissioned by Department of Social Protection since 6 May, 2016. Title of Report Company Publication Date/Estimated Publication Date Cost Jobseeker and JobPath Customer Satisfaction Survey 2016 – (this is the next annual round of Jobseeker Customer Satisfaction Survey which...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Data (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is estimated by the Department of Social Protection based on micro-data from the CSO Quarterly National Household Survey that in the four quarters to Q2 2016 the average number of young persons not in employment, education or training (NEETs) was approximately 72,000 or 13.8% of the population aged 15-24. It should be noted that the way in which the EU-defined NEET concept is measured...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Programme for Government Implementation (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a wide range of commitments which fall directly within the remit of my Department. While none of these commitments included a specific deadline of end-2016 for action to be taken, a substantial number of commitments are already being delivered upon. Budget 2017, for example, provided for €5 increases in the maximum weekly rates of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Eurostat Statistics on Income and Living Conditions 2014 show that the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households in Ireland was 25.1% in 2014, reflecting a 7.2 percentage point decrease on the 2013 rate. This compares to an EU average of 19.2% in 2014. (See the following table) My Department estimates spending €500 million on the one-parent family payment (OFP)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Data (14 Dec 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. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is currently in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance, fuel allowance and a top up supplementary welfare allowance. Her jobseeker’s allowance entitlement is currently being reviewed so that her payment rate will correspond with the change in her circumstances and any arrears due will issue to the person concerned promptly. The person concerned has submitted an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned does not have a pending application for an Exceptional Needs Payment. A Designated Officer from the Department will make contact with the person concerned to discuss the matter. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Back to Education Allowance scheme is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments, wishing to pursue second or third level courses of education, subject to meeting the qualifying conditions. In this case, the person concerned was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance which is a means tested payment. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Illness benefit and Invalidity pension are payments to persons who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain statutory PRSI contribution conditions. The person concerned does not qualify for either of these benefits on her PRSI record. Disability Allowance is a means tested payment for persons who have a disability which is expected to last for at least twelve months....

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2016: Second Stage (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senators for giving me the opportunity to consider and discuss this important and interesting topic. As Senator Terry Leyden said, even debating the issue is of value because it gets people thinking about the importance of having a will. It got me thinking, first, about the fact that I did not have one and, second, that I did not know that a will became void if one got married,...

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2016: Second Stage (14 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Also, I did not realise so many Senators were solicitors until the debate commenced today. Having listened to the very short debate we have had, I am a little better disposed to the merits of the idea than I might have been even an hour ago. I acknowledge the initiative of Senators Terry Leyden, Catherine Ardagh and Lorraine Clifford-Lee in drafting the Bill. I can certainly see why it...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: JobPath is a new service to support jobseekers whereby the Department of Social Protection has procured additional resources, under contract, to enable it provide a high quality case managed employment support service to people who are long term unemployed. JobPath supplements the internal case management capacity of the Department’s Intreo service and the Local Employment Service....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Fund (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Self-employed people 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) and Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension (contributory), Guardian’s Payment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s benefit (CARB) can be paid for a maximum of 104 weeks for each care recipient. The person concerned was in receipt of CARB up to 30 November 2016 when their claim expired after 104 weeks. An application for carer's allowance (CA) was received from her on 24 November 2016. CA was awarded to her on 12 December 2016 and the first payment for 15 December 2016 should be available...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Data (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In addition to providing income support my Department also provides employment services and supports to unemployed jobseekers and expects them to engage with such services in order to improve their prospects of securing employment and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This approach is in line with the principle of ‘rights and responsibilities’ whereby an unemployed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Transfers are carried out in accordance with agreements reached with staff unions. The majority of transfers into and out of the Social Welfare Appeals Office during the period under review involved the movement of existing departmental staff. A number of personnel were redeployed into the Appeals Office when particular units of work were relocated outside Dublin under decentralisation....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The rent supplement scheme is supporting approximately 48,600 tenants at a total cost of €267 million this year. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients by county is provided in the attached tabular statement. In recognition of the ongoing supply difficulties, my Department continues to implement a targeted case-by-case policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Widow's Pension Eligibility (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Widow’s, widower’s and surviving civil partner’s non-contributory pension is a means-tested payment. The person concerned was assessed with an overpayment of widow’s non-contributory pension, arising from a failure to declare her means from employment. A decision letter issued to the person concerned on 10 January 2013 informing them of the overpayment. If...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (16 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: During the recession, unemployment rose much more rapidly for men and for young people than it did for women aged over 25. The peak unemployment rate during the recession was 9.9% for women aged over 25; 16.1% for men aged over 25; 25.0% for women aged under 25; and 37.5% for men aged under 25. Inevitably, the recovery has seen the greatest falls in unemployment in those groups that...