Results 21,121-21,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 68 together. D.): The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions, at approximately €7 billion, is the largest block of expenditure in my Department in the Estimate for 2017, representing approximately 35% of overall expenditure. Due to demographic changes, my...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Poverty (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Government policy around tackling poverty for children and families is articulated in Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures (BOBF): The national policy framework for children & young people 2014-2020, published by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in 2014. BOBF includes a target to reduce child poverty by two-thirds by 2020. Meeting this target means lifting 102,000 children...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Brexit Issues (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A key area of concern is the impact of Brexit on the current reciprocal arrangements for social insurance and social assistance schemes and child benefit between Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland. I met with the UK Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Right Hon. Damian Green, M.P. on 2nd February 2017. Prior to that meeting, I also met informally with Mr Damian...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am very much aware of the public concern highlighted by the recent publicity surrounding defined benefit (DB) schemes. DB schemes have been facing substantial challenges over the last two decades. This is due to volatility in the stock markets, increasing liabilities arising from the demographic pressures of increasing life expectancy, low interest rates, and regulatory requirements....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service is delivered by two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua. The service was rolled out on a phased basis over the period mid-2015 to July 2016, as a result the first...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In order to qualify for a widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, a person must satisfy certain social insurance conditions and be a widow, widower or (since 1 January 2011) a surviving civil partner, and not be in a cohabiting relationship. The contributions must have been paid on one of the spouse/civil partners’ social insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid or credited over their working...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2015 show that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability, was 22.4% in 2015. This compared to 14.4% the year before. The at-risk-of-poverty rate increased from 25.2% to 34.8% and basic deprivation rose from 51.3% to 53.2% for this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Bereavement Grant (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In recent Budgets the Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving. This allowed the Department to protect other social welfare payments such as the State pension. There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the grant. These include a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The rent supplement scheme plays a vital role in housing families and individuals supporting approximately 47,000 tenants for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017. The numbers in receipt of rent supplement are declining for a number of reasons including the continuing improvement in the economy and transfer to social housing options. The most significant policy...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: EU legislation provides that arrears of benefit due to a person payable by one Member State can be withheld or reduced, if required, by another Member State if that Member State had an assistance overpayment for the person concerned, relating to the same period. In this case, the person concerned applied for an Irish state pension (contributory) and indicated that they had also worked...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 26 January 2017 and she was notified on that date. Arrears of allowance due from 27 October 2016 to 8 February 2017 have issued to the person’s nominated post office on 9 February 2017. The person concerned was notified of these details on 9 February 2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 7 December 2016. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. If you require any further assistance on this please do not hesitate to contact my office. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The following table shows the number of persons, by gender, who were awarded a state pension (contributory) in 2015 and 2016. Year Male Female Total 2015 18,392 12,061 30,453 2016 18,907 12,541 31,448 Entitlement to state pension (contributory) is decided having regard to an individual’s social insurance contribution history. It is not possible to quantify or aggregate the number...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. Recipients of Jobseeker’s allowance and Jobseeker’s Benefit by age and sex at the end of January 2017 - Jobseeker's Allowance - Jobseeker's Benefit - Age Male Female Male Female 18 1,256 990 0 1 19 2,084 1,585 5 7 20 2,270 1,615 21 16 21 2,207 1,478 80 77 22 2,307 1,494 146 166 23...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service is delivered by two companies, Seetec Ltd and Turas Nua Ltd. For the purposes of the JobPath service all long-term unemployed jobseekers on the Live Register...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2015 show that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability, was 22.4% in 2015. This compared to 14.4% the year before. The at-risk-of-poverty rate increased from 25.2% to 34.8% and basic deprivation rose from 51.3% to 53.2% for this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I welcome the latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions results for 2015, showing improvements in living conditions and at tackling poverty. The CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for 2015 shows that 31.4 per cent of children experienced deprivation. While this is higher than the national rate, this is a reduction on the 2014 figure of 36.1 per cent or 51,000 children....