Results 21,141-21,160 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the consistent poverty rate of children living in households headed by one parent. The latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) for 2015 shows that the consistent poverty rate for lone parent households is 26.2%, up from 25% in 2014. The deprivation rate for lone parent households fell from 58.7 per cent in 2014 to 57.9% in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As announced in Budget 2017, the treatment benefit scheme is being extended to cover self-employed contributors for the first time from March 2017. Department officials are involved in a consultative process with the relevant representative bodies at present. This consultative process should be finalised shortly. When the process is completed, it is intended to set and announce a...

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

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 13th February 2017, 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 Benefits Eligibility (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: All jobseekers claiming a jobseekers payment are required to be available and genuinely seeking work. They are also required to engage with the department’s activation service and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the department’s own case officers or those employed by the Local Employment Service or by JobPath companies. In general...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As Deputy may be aware, my colleague Paschal Donohoe T.D. Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, recently announced a new approach that will be taken to reviewing current Departmental expenditure in advance of Budget 2018. The purpose of this review is to ensure the best value for money for the taxpayer. It is quite distinct from the ‘savings’ reviews in Departmental...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The aim of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities within their communities. CE participants are required to work 19.5 hours on a weekly basis. Current eligibility to participate on CE is linked to a person’s social welfare status (duration of payment) and...

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

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 309 together. The rent supplement scheme, for which the Government has provided €253 million for in 2017, plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 47,000 tenants, of which c. 2,500 are in Co. Kildare. In view of the on-going rental market difficulties, my Department implements a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Section 10 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 provides that an applicant for a gender recognition certificate shall furnish among other items, the forename and surname by which he or she wishes to be known and proof of his or her identity. Where a person notifies my Department of a change of name they are required to provide proof of the new name through either, evidence of "use and...

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 (CA) from the person concerned on 6 January 2017. 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. As part of the application process, the care recipient’s doctor must...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department undertook a business study in 2015 to ascertain what the ICT implications of introducing the Eircode would be and this cost €5,701.56 (excluding VAT). The cost of the contract for the ICT work to implement Eircodes was €298,890 inclusive of VAT. The project was completed on time and within budget. Furthermore, my Department has the Eircode Address Database...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Paternity Leave (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The commencement of the Paternity Leave and Benefit Act 2016 created an entitlement to two weeks’ paternity leave from employment in relation to children born or adopted on or after 1 September 2016. The commencement of the Act also created a new associated social welfare scheme of paternity benefit from 1 September 2016. Paternity Benefit is paid at the same rate as maternity benefit...

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

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy relating to appeals received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2005 on the question of Habitual Residence is set out in the following table. I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that it is not possible to provide a breakdown of these figures between Irish citizens and non-Irish nationals as this information is not captured on the Appeals...

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

Leo Varadkar: My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 14 April 2016. It is a condition for receipt of CA that where the care recipient is younger than 16 years of age, domiciliary care allowance (DCA) must be in payment in respect of them. As DCA was not in payment in respect of the carer recipient on this application for CA, the application was...

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 in question on the 7thDecember 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 with this query please do not hesitate to contact my office. I hope this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Data (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. One-Parent Family Payment claims rejected 1 February 2016 to 31 January 2017 February 299 March 237 April 251 May 206 June 202 July 225 August 217 September 214 October 219 November 309 December 143 January 186 Total 2,708

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

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy was previously supplied on 24th January 2017 in a reply to PQ ref no. 3227/17. The text of that reply is set out below. The following tables provide the details which have been requested by the Deputy in respect of 2015 and 2016. The schemes with the highest number of appeals to the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2015 and 2016 were - disability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment continues to fall with a rate of 13.5% (27,500 persons) in January 2017 estimated by the CSO, as compared to 18.1% (33,800) persons in January 2016 and a peak of over 31% (70,600 persons) in 2012. While systemised data is not readily available on employment outcomes on all...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services Provision (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In Co. Kildare, the restructured Community Welfare Service which was formerly available two mornings per week at walk-in clinics is now available at all times through initial telephone contact, which means the service can be delivered without the need to attend a clinic. Telephone calls are followed by appointments or home visit if necessary, or application by post for non-urgent claims....

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

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table. - Jobseeker’s Allowance - Jobseeker’s Benefit - Total Jobseeker's Allowance + Benefit - Year Recipients Change year-on-year Recipients Change year-on-year Recipients Change year-on-year Jan-14 11,839 - 2,411 - 14,250 Jan-15 10,977 -7.30% 2,172 9.90% 13,149 -7.7% Jan-16 10,385 -5.40% 1,919 11.60%...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (21 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The average appeal processing times for all appeals determined from 2014 to 2016 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the following tables. As the Deputy will be aware, appeal processing times are kept under constant scrutiny by the Chief Appeals Officer and significant effort and resources have been devoted in recent years to reducing the length of time taken to...