Results 22,181-22,200 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I can confirm to Members of the House that no cuts have been made to the school meals programme. The programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations, benefitting over 200,000 children. The allocation for 2017 is €47.5 million, an increase of €5.5 million or 13% on the 2014 allocation of €42 million. This increase will benefit over...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I really do not understand why that should be the case. The budget for 2016 was €42 million and was €39 million the year before. There was an increase on last year, and there will be a further increase this year. Schools get 100% funding for school breakfasts for all of the children in a school and not just those from disadvantaged families. When it comes to lunches, 90%...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I appreciate the Deputy is referring to individual cases and schools and I do not know which schools they are. It is impossible for me to comment on them without knowing that. In my constituency, which has a high level of disadvantage, this issue has not arisen in any of the schools.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I speak to them regularly, and they know to contact me if there is a problem. They are not behind the door in doing so if there is a problem, I can guarantee the Deputy. There have been some problems in some schools.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Among the problems we have had in some schools is, I regret to say, misappropriation. Money provided for schools for school meals was spent by principals on other things, and we have prosecuted a school principal for doing that.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: School Meals Programme (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am not suggesting it is, but it may be a local school issue rather than a cutback.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: State Bodies Mergers (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: While I understand that the committee has not yet published its report, I saw a draft copy of it and thank the committee for its engagement with this matter. At the outset I would like to highlight again how the Citizens Information Board, CIB, has repeatedly stated that the restructured governance arrangements will result in no job losses for those working in local services, no diminution...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: State Bodies Mergers (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have on my desk a draft response to the committee's report, but I have not yet signed off on it. I may not do so. I do not know what is going to happen in the next few weeks, but if I move on to a different office, somebody may want to look at it afresh. I have a particular view of Ministers signing off on things at particular points for reasons the Deputy will understand. However, I...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: State Bodies Mergers (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The position is that the board has taken its decision, as it was legally entitled to do. The consultation is about how best that decision might be implemented and how the transition can be organised. Having talked to people involved in the services, I note that there are mixed views. People on the various boards around the country do not agree with the changes. While some might agree to a...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: State Bodies Mergers (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. I always listen to the advice of the Taoiseach and sincerely hope it will continue to be available to the Government and whoever takes up his position in the coming weeks.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I always listen, although I may not necessarily always take advice.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am sure there are people whose advice is valued and listened to by the Deputy, although he may not necessarily always accept it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I apologise. Turas Nua Limited is one of two companies which my Department contracted for the delivery of JobPath services. Turas Nua is headquartered in Roscrea, County Tipperary, where it employs 39 people. The aim of the service is to assist jobseekers in finding sustainable full-time employment. This is in contrast to the community employment schemes which provide part-time...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: All schemes and services, whether community employment, Tús or JobPath, are paid by participant. The payment model may be different, but they are all paid by participant. We do not allow in any case people to chop and change from one programme to another while on it. We can imagine how difficult it would be to organise services if people could chop and change from one to the next two...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: People are expected to be on it for its entirety. As I mentioned, a review is under way and it should be completed later this year. The results so far are very good and we must bear in mind what Turas Nua and Seetec aim to do. They aim to provide people with a system to get into full-time paid employment of 30 hours a week, which they sustain for more than three months. The results so...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The funding model is a registration fee of approximately €1,000 for each participant, and any payment that follows only arises if somebody finds full-time employment and stays in it for more than three months. Certainly if there are community employment schemes and local employment services which want to move to the JobPath model of funding I will be happy to entertain it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have not come across any yet which would like to give up its block grant and move to that level of funding.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I have been in Turas Nua and Seetec officers in various parts of the country. At a time when Government offices and post offices are closing down throughout the country Seetec and Turas Nua are opening offices all over the place, often in very rural locations. This should be noted and regarded as a positive. I accept there is an issue with transport costs, and it is something the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (31 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The reply I have before me relates to the carer's allowance, but the Deputy is speaking about something much broader so I will answer the question the Deputy has put. I am sympathetic to the argument the Deputy is making. It is important that we subsidise child care. The cost of child care is a major barrier to work for many people, men and women, but particularly lone parents. The...