Results 21,401-21,420 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

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

Leo Varadkar: The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions is approximately €7 billion per annum. Due to demographic changes, my Department's spending on older people is increasing year on year at an approximate rate of €1 billion every 5 years. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other payments is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Expenditure (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is an in-work support, which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. FIS is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. There are currently over 57,000 families with more than 126,000 children in receipt of FIS. The estimated spend...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The household benefits package comprises the electricity/gas allowance (€35 per month) and the free television licence scheme (€160 per annum). At present, it is paid to some 425,000 customers, with expenditure estimated at €232 million for 2017. There has been no reduction in the household benefits scheme in recent budgets. However, there were considerable changes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Care Provision (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a wide range of services for people growing older in Ireland and is committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of older people, their dignity, diversity and independence. The specific issue raised in your parliamentary question concerning services for older people and persons deemed as vulnerable would appear to be more appropriate for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: All jobseekers referred to JobPath must have been registered as unemployed and available for work for at least 12 months. Participation with the JobPath service is mandatory as is the case for the activation services provided for jobseekers by Intreo and the Local Employment Services I understand that the customer has not yet informed my Department regarding his ill health and I have asked...

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

Leo Varadkar: Entitlement to a Carer's Allowance means that a person must be living with, or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who does not normally live in an institution and not be engaged in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. During such an absence, adequate care for the person...

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

Leo Varadkar: In recent Budgets my Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving. This allowed my 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: State Pensions (21 Mar 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: Fuel Allowance Expenditure (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to 378,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €229 million in 2017. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. It represents a contribution towards those costs and is not intended to meet them in full. Only one allowance is paid per...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The details of the 5 members of staff of my Department currently suspended with pay pending the completion of the disciplinary investigation process are as follows. - Grade Salary Point Suspended From Reason for Suspension Date Investigation commenced Expected date of completion of investigation 1. HEO €57,246 August 2012 Alleged Fraud See below Unknown 2. HEO €57,246...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Surveys (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In August 2016, the Department of Social Protection conducted a survey of 20,022 people – largely self-employed workers including farmers, as well as certain company directors – who relied on Class S Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions to qualify for social insurance benefits in the tax year 2014. The survey was undertaken to understand how the PRSI system is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Legal advice and services are provided to the Department by Legal Advisors who are seconded to the Department from the Office of the Attorney General. That Office, together with the Chief State Solicitors Office, determines if, and procures and pays for, any external legal advice that may be required and incurs any expenditure arising.

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

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 10 March 2017 and the first payment issued to their nominated bank account on 15 March 2017. Arrears of allowance due from 5 January 2017 to 14 March 2017 have also issued to the bank. The person concerned was notified of these details on 10 March 2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in the delivery of key local services, to tackle disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. It provides valuable resourcing for service delivery undertaken by not-for-profit companies and co-operatives in communities around the country. This group referred to by the Deputy is not currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Allowances (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There were no overnight expenses claimed by any Minister or Minister of State in my Department for staying in Dublin for the period 2011 to date. The Minister’s and the Minister of State’s expenses are available on the Department’s website at www.welfare.ie.

Seanad: JobPath: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the House for the invitation to outline my Department’s activation polices and in particular the important role of the JobPath initiative. Getting and keeping a job is the most effective way that people can be lifted out of poverty, achieve financial independence and have improved living standards. As a result of the improvement in the economy and the range of activation...

Seanad: JobPath: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senators for a very interesting and broadly constructive debate. I will do my best to answer as many questions as I can to which I have the answers. I might not have jotted all of them down, but I will do my best to cover as many issues as I can. JobPath does not take precedence over the community employment programme. It is just that we do not allow people to switch from one...

Seanad: JobPath: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: At the same time she is very upset about Brexit.

Seanad: JobPath: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: She wants to insist that Northern Ireland remains in the European Union. What is the European Union about? A fundamental principle of the European Union is the four freedoms - movement of capital, labour, services and goods. Any EU company can bid for a contract in other parts of the EU. Once again, Sinn Féin has a two-faced approach in which it is determined to keep Northern Ireland...