Results 22,101-22,120 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Applications (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 6thDecember 2016. However the Oral Hearing was adjourned as all parties wished to submit more documents in support of the appeal. I understand that a Freedom of Information request has been submitted by the person concerned and a response is currently being prepared. As...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Data (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the deputy will be aware, the State’s Public Employment Service is managed by my Department and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service and Job Club providers. The Department has contracts in place with in excess of 60 companies for the provision of these services. This includes two...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The number of social welfare appeals determined with a favourable outcome for appellants from 2014 to date in 2017 is outlined in the table below. Overall, 56.5% of the 31,211 appeals which were finalised in 2014 had a favourable outcome for the appellant, i.e. were either allowed in full or in part, or resolved by way of a revised decision by a Deciding Officer/Designated Person.58.8% of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (24 May 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), which had been available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. This is the current State pension age. It will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned made an application for an Exceptional Needs Payment towards funeral expenses. Following an examination of the application and all supporting documentation a decision was made to refuse the application; a written notification of this refusal issued to the person concerned on the 7th of April. The basis for the refusal was that the person concerned was deemed to have...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement. Following a review, it was determined that the evidence did not indicate that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (24 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: To be eligible for state pension (contributory) under current social welfare legislation an applicant must: - have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years; - have at least 520 full rate paid contributions since entry into insurance; - for a maximum rate pension, have a yearly average of 48 paid and/or credited contributions from 1979, or from the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Data (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The only internship programme that my Department has responsibility for is JobBridge. The number of people who commenced a JobBridge placement in 2015 and 2016 is listed in Table 1 below. JobBridge closed to new entrants in October 2016, so there were no new entrants in 2017. Over 700 participants remain on the scheme. The duration of a JobBridge placement can 6 months (with an option to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Insolvency Payments Scheme (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. The mediated agreement for former Waterford Crystal workers covers 1,774 members of the Waterford Crystal Pension Factory and Staff Schemes. The vast majority of former workers have agreed full and final settlements and are in receipt of their payments. During the mediation process it was agreed by the parties that disputes in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Work schemes offer opportunities for the long-term unemployed to gain valuable work experience and participate in training while they are paid an equivalent to their social welfare entitlement in addition to a top-up payment. Participants work for 19½ hours per week. Work opportunities are within communities and, in the main, support the provision of valuable community services in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government strongly supports the work being done through Community Employment (CE) and the other employment programmes. I have seen first-hand myself, over recent months, the vital role such schemes are playing in local communities, including supporting social services, across the entire country. With this in mind I plan to implement a number of changes to the terms and conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Both JobPath providers, Seetec and Turas Nua, provide immediate reimbursement for travel expenses upon production of a ticket / evidence of travel. This includes bus routes and where no suitable public transport is available, mileage costs will be paid. The amount payable is calculated on the basis of the most direct route from their home address to the office of the JobPath provider. Travel...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Staff that are recruited on a temporary basis staff are recruited on a fixed-term or fixed purpose contract basis, neither of which carries entitlement to permanency. Once the term has elapsed, or the purpose for which the person is recruited no longer exists, my Department is obliged to end the temporary employment in order to comply with the relevant employment regulations. Permanent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person concerned on 12 January 2017. Additional information in relation to the person’s application was requested by a deciding officer on 31 January 2017, 4 April 2017 and again on 23 May 2017. Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is not currently in receipt of a payment from this department and there is no record of a claim having been recently submitted. An overpayment of €331.57 occurred in 2009 and there is currently €158.24 outstanding on this debt. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Widow's Pension (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a widow’s contributory pension at €198.50 per week, the maximum rate payable to a person under 66 years of age. The person is also in receipt of fuel allowance in the amount of €22.50 per week for the fuel season. The weekly rate of invalidity pension is also €198.50. Additional benefits may be payable to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I refer the Deputy to PQ Ref No: 34273-16 of 9/11/2016. The Rent Supplement for the person concerned was closed in 2015 as documentation requested by the Department in a review was not provided. The person concerned has not, to date, provided the Department with a new Rent Supplement application. On receipt of same, entitlement can be assessed. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 20 January 2017. 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: Pensions Reform (25 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have made pension reform a priority for my term as Minister for Social Protection. To this end I can confirm my intention to publish and commence the implementation of an Action Plan for the reform of pensions over the coming months. In Ireland there is a significant retirement savings gap which sees just 35% of private sector workers with retirement savings to supplement the State...