Results 13,201-13,220 of 15,080 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 419 to 421, inclusive, together. Work programmes such as Tús and Community Employment (CE) are initiatives that enable the long-term unemployed to contribute to their communities whilst upskilling themselves for prospective future employment. One of the qualifying conditions to avail of the opportunities provided by Tús is that a person...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Service Obligation (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department currently has 5 separate contracts in place for subsidised transport services for Árainn Mhór and Oileán Thóraí. These contracts provide those island communities with a range of passenger and cargo ferry services along with a seasonal helicopter service (in conjunction with the HSE). It should be noted that these services are not operated as Public...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Community groups and volunteers throughout the country have played an important role in supporting families and vulnerable groups in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. This has complemented the Cross Government response by government departments, local authorities, utility companies and emergency services, in particular with regard to those areas impacted for a long period of time. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Responsibilities (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm it is my intention to publish the Ministerial brief on my Department's website in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Process (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My department enacted one piece of legislation in 2024, the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024, which was signed into law on the 10th July 2024. The details of the Act, with respect to the questions raised, are presented in tabular form below. Specify in which House of the Oireachtas the Bill was initiated The Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023 was initiated in Dáil...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Sector Pay (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The pay scale that applies to the Secretary General in the Department of Rural and Community Development is Secretary General Level III. These pay scales are set centrally in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Deliver and Reform, and are subject to pay increases in line with the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Bodies (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Regulator is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects. A further €50 million in funding under the Community Recognition Fund was announced last year. This second iteration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Community groups and volunteers throughout the country have played an important role in supporting families and vulnerable groups, in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn. This has complemented the Cross Government response by government departments, local authorities, utility companies and emergency services, in particular with regard to the areas impacted for a long period of time. In...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Town centre regeneration is a key focus of my Department and the funding schemes available within the Department are guided by the national Town Centre First policy which seeks to tackle vacancy and ensure our rural towns are vibrant and lived-in places. As the Deputy will be aware, the property referred to and known as Grant’s Hotel in Roscrea is a privately owned property and as...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services for my Department are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Office (OGCIO) and, therefore, there is limited use of external ICT services. On occasion, the Department procures external ICT services to supplement the managed desktop service and helpdesk provided by the OGCIO. This includes, for example, support to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Responsibilities (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am currently in discussions regarding the delegation of functions to the Minister of State within my Department. A formal delegation of functions order will be drafted in the coming weeks. Once finalised and signed, the order will be made available on the Irish Statute Book.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) provides funding for the development and construction of large scale capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. Funding is allocated to local authorities and other State-funded bodies, who take the lead role in individual projects. Calls for applications to the RRDF are sought under two categories, Category 1 and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and established to support more compact and sustainable development, through the regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns. Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (11 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department operates a large number of funding schemes aimed at supporting communities and community facilities. In order to empower local responses to local needs, the majority of schemes operated by my Department are administered in partnership with the Local Authorities, Pobal, or the Local Development Companies. It should be noted that other Departments also operate schemes with regard...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (12 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 190, 191, 192 and 198 together. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department through the local Community Welfare Service, was activated on the 23rd January 2025 to assist householders across the country affected by Storm Éowyn. The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (12 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office received a request on 10th January 2025 from Arthur Cox Solicitors, for a review of the decision...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pensions (12 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Requests for decision have been received in the Scope insurability section of the Department from employees of the employer referred to by the Deputy. Insurability decisions are made on a case-by-case basis having carefully considered all of the facts and circumstances of the engagement. The Department is actively engaging with the employer in relation to these cases and decisions will be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (12 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and the habitual residency condition. Assessments of medical eligibility for Disability Allowance is based on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I note the recent announcement of redundancies at the company referred to, which I know means significant uncertainty for the employees concerned and their families. My Department provides a comprehensive system of income supports and employment services to assist at this time. When my Department receives a notification of collective redundancy from the company concerned, the Employer...