Results 20,761-20,780 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (19 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 to 167, inclusive, together. JobBridge was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse of our economy and particularly the sharp and dramatic increase in unemployment. Its main aim was to help unemployed jobseekers to break the vicious cycle of ‘no experience no job, but no job no experience’. Since then over 19,000...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Brexit Issues (19 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The details, to date, are as follows: Date Meeting with Meeting Areas covered 14 July 2016 Mr Dragos Nicolae Pislaru - Minister for Labour, Family Social Protection and the Elderly, Romania Informal Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council [EPSCO], Bratislava, Slovakia Social Security, Posted Workers 8 December 2016 Mr Damian Hinds, Minister for Employment, UK...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 49 together. I am very much aware of the public concern highlighted by the recent publicity surrounding defined benefit schemes. The provision of occupational pensions in this country is on a voluntary basis and depends on the willingness of employers and employees to contribute to, and maintain schemes for their members. Traditionally, many such...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are two points. First, it is important to point out that the law in the United Kingdom has been different for a very long time. When employers established those defined benefit schemes decades ago, they knew they would have a liability in terms of making up any deficit. We know, unfortunately, that even though the law in the United Kingdom is different, employers there have found any...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I explained in my initial reply the difference between our regime and that of the UK. The Deputy has spoken passionately about his concerns for workers and his desire to do something for them. Will he consider the possibility that there may be unintended consequences of legislation such as he is proposing? Will he consider the situation of a company that is doing okay, is solvent and...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I will check to confirm this but, as far as I understand, the UK legislation has been in place for decades. It was introduced at a very different time when there were not such extensive liabilities arising from defined benefit pension schemes. Certainly, the pension protection fund has been in place for decades. I am not sure about the employer guarantee but I will check to confirm. I...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government acknowledges the crucial role family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the programme for Government and the national carers strategy. Carer's allowance is a means-tested payment, made to people who are providing full-time care and attention to elderly people or people with disabilities and whose income...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Of course I am concerned about any genuine cases being refused. That is why applicants can request a review and it is why they can also go to the appeals office. Applicants do go to the appeals office and have the decision changed. What is particularly different about the appeals system in Ireland relative to that in other countries is we allow applicants to introduce new information on...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot comment on an individual case of which I have no information or prior details, but I would encourage anyone who feels that he or she was assessed unfairly to seek a review or to appeal. That is why we have that system in place. The Deputy mentioned the delays in processing applications for carer's allowance. That is something on which I placed a strong focus in recent months...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have made pension reform a priority for my term as Minister for Social Protection. This includes an intention to develop a new supplementary retirement savings system for those workers without adequate savings for retirement. The rate of supplementary pension coverage in Ireland is estimated at only 35% of the working population when the private sector is considered in isolation. If...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The reason I have held back on too much detail in this area is because the detail has yet to be worked out and anything that is done, as we will be aware from experience in other countries, needs to be done with a degree of political consensus. It is one of the issues that I hope the new labour-employer forum will consider this year. Indeed, the Government will ask it to do that. It is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On the timescale, based on other countries that have done this, such as the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, people must be given a number of years' notice that this will happen because employers have to factor it into their business plans. As wage demands are being made, for example, these matters must be factored in. What they did in Australia, for example, instead of getting a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Employment Service (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Department has contracted with 22 local employment service providers for 2017, the same number as in 2016, and funding for the provision of the service has also been maintained for 2017 at the 2016 level of €20 million. We have not cut the budget for local employment services. Local employment services form part of the State’s public employment service. This service is...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Employment Service (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: This is not rocket science. The number of people who are unemployed has gone down by half. Unemployment was 15% and it is now approximately 7%, so of course the number of referrals has reduced. That is simple mathematics. There is half the number of unemployed people so obviously the number of referrals has gone down. As unemployment continues to fall, the number of referrals will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Employment Service (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I apologise if the Deputy feels that I was condescending in some way. However, when one is talking about cuts in this area one is talking about a particular type of cut - the number of unemployed people being referred for support.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Employment Service (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: If the number of people who are unemployed in a country halves, obviously there will be fewer referrals.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Local Employment Service (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Every time we have questions the Deputy cannot handle the answers. Of course, when unemployment is down by half there will be fewer referrals. Would the Deputy like us to refer the same people twice or to start referring people who are not unemployed? What is the Deputy seriously suggesting? With regard to the review, it is not ready for publication. It will be published when it is...

Other Questions: Unemployment Levels (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment, including long-term unemployment and youth unemployment, is twofold. The Action Plan for Jobs supports continuing strong economic recovery and employment growth. Policies and actions to ensure unemployed people benefit from the increase in employment are set out in the strategy paper Pathways to Work 2016-2020. These policies...

Other Questions: Unemployment Levels (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In our employment activation services, we try as much as possible to treat people as individuals rather than as part of a demographic group, whether old or young. Everybody is assessed and a probability of exit from unemployment, PEX, score is calculated, which indicates the probability of their finding employment without assistance. The focus is put on those who would find it most...

Other Questions: Unemployment Levels (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We have a particular concern with people who are unemployed in their 60s. Again, everybody's individual story is different. Somebody may have been working for decades and may have been made redundant in his or her 60s. Another person may be in his or her 60s and may not have worked for decades. This is a very different person, and that is why it is important to assess people individually....