Results 21,181-21,200 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The programme for Government commitment is not about getting people onto schemes. It is about getting people into jobs. We are having enormous success in that regard. The Deputy will note from yesterday's figures that the quarterly national household survey shows that long-term unemployment in Ireland is now below 4%. Everything we are doing, whether Intreo services or JobPath services,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 242 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of some €47.7 million in 2017. The funding for the scheme was increased this year, as part of Budget 2017, by an additional €5.7 million (14% over the previous...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Rebates (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 254 together. The purpose of the redundancy payments scheme is to compensate employees for the loss of their jobs, where the employer is unable to pay statutory redundancy due to financial difficulties or insolvency. The scheme is funded from the social insurance fund. Up to 2013, the State paid a rebate to all employers who provided statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Data (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement (MIS) scheme was to provide short-term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. This scheme was discontinued to new entrants from 1st January 2014. The most appropriate way in which customers experiencing mortgage difficulties...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person concerned on 21 December 2016. Additional information was requested from her on 2 February 2017. Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and she will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Partnerships (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: An application for a retrospective farm partnership decision has been received in the Scope insurability section of the Department from the customer referred to by the Deputy. The matter is under investigation and a decision will be made in due course. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. If you require any further assistance with this query please do not hesitate to contact my...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Records (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department’s costs in relation to 3rd party off-site storage from 2014 to 2016 are set out in the following table:- Year 2014 2015 2016 Cost €164,393 €187,436 €121,020 These costs relate mainly to document handling and retrieval at the off-site facility. The cost of the facility itself is borne by the Office of Public Works (OPW). It is not possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: 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. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the carer is not employed or self-employed outside his or her home. However, where the carer can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: JobBridge was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse of our economy and particularly the sharp and dramatic increase in unemployment. Since then over 19,000 Host Organisations have offered work placement opportunities to over 48,000 participants. The findings of the recent external evaluation of JobBridge by Indecon Economic Consultants show that the scheme has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Records (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department operates two secure data centres in which all business data is stored. Some limited utilisation of cloud computing services has been undertaken by my Department in recent years, in tandem with the growth in the utilisation of such services in the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services generally. My Department utilises very limited hybrid cloud...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Regulatory Impact Assessment Data (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) are undertaken by my Department in accordance with the relevant Department of the Taoiseach guidelines on significant legislative, policy and other changes. A Regulatory Impact Analysis is not ordinarily undertaken on the package of tax, welfare and other measures announced in the annual Budget Day Statements. As most of the Social Welfare Bills provide for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: An application for an Exceptional Needs Payment for the person concerned was received on 25/01/2017. The application was refused on the grounds that it should be possible for the client to meet this cost from his own income. The person concerned was advised of the outcome of the application and the right to appeal the decision. To date, no appeal has been received. I trust this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Fund Data (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The last Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund, which referred to 31 December 2010, did not provide a cost for permitting self-employed workers to opt to into class A structure paying equivalent rates of contributions. It did provide a costing of extending two benefits – jobseeker’s benefit and invalidity pension – to self-employed workers. The full year...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Social Protection has been in contact with the person concerned in relation to the particular circumstances in this matter. Following this communication it is now the intention of the person concerned to apply for a carer’s allowance. An application form was sent to the person concerned by post and upon receipt of a completed application for carer’s allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Maternity benefit is a payment made for up to 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions and who qualify for maternity leave from work. In addition to meeting the PRSI contributions for the tax year relevant to her claim, a woman must also be in insurable employment that is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994, immediately before...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Rent Supplement is currently in payment to the client concerned and will issue accordingly on 23/2/17. Any changes in a client's circumstances that may affect their entitlements should be immediately notified to the Department. The client should submit an up to date Rent Supplement application form to the Department together with a lease agreement confirming any increase in their monthly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been received by that office. In order to make a valid appeal the person concerned should write to the Social Welfare Appeals Office outlining her up to date grounds of appeal i.e. the reason why she disagrees with the conclusions of the Deciding Officer. On receipt of same...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (23 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department currently has five staff members suspended from work pending the completion of investigations under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code. The staff members are suspended from work without prejudice on full pay in accordance with the Disciplinary Code.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 28 October 2016. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include employment schemes such as Community Employment (CE). These schemes provide part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping stone back to employment. The objective of these schemes...