Results 13,521-13,540 of 15,083 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain supplements. Table 1 shows the number of Additional Needs Payments paid by county from 2022-2024. Any person who...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The delivery of vital locally based Community Welfare Services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my Department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of clients, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is a priority that this service is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Although I am aware of the concerns around the level of detail required when completing a DCA application form, the nature of the scheme and the variety of possible cases lends itself to a broad application form requiring questions across a variety of care requirements. As the scheme is open to children from birth to 16 years of age and is based on the care requirements compared to a child of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government commits to introducing a new Working Age Payment to provide that individuals see an increase in income when they work or take on additional hours and remove inconsistencies and anomalies in the current Jobseeker's supports. My Department is progressing this work, taking into account initial responses on the principle of the scheme which were received as part...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain supplements. Table 1 shows the number of Additional Need Payment applications and those of which were Urgent Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme that provides part-time employment opportunities for farmers and fishers who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The RSS is delivered by a network of 36 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta, known...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: Means testing payments ensures that the State’s limited resources are directed towards those who are in the most need of financial support. The means test examines the following types of income: Cash income (including income from work) Property that someone personally uses Capital (savings and investments) and property that someone does not personally use. The house a person lives...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 207 together. Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain supplements. The statistical reporting was revised in 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (26 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 table below shows a breakdown of average processing times for the period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024 on a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. Last year, funding of over €20.3 million was announced for 221 projects under measures 1, 2 and 3 of the 2023 ORIS scheme. €1.3 million was approved for 13...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (26 Feb 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects. Of this more than €7.2 million has been allocated to 74 projects in County Donegal. Town and Village Renewal funding...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the House for facilitating my presence here and I thank Senator Collins for raising this issue. As she will be aware, the contributory State pension is funded from the Social Insurance Fund through contributions paid by workers and employers. To qualify for this payment, a person must have 520 contributions, which is the equivalent of ten years of paid contributions. The rate of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Pension Provisions (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I have taken the Senator's position on information on board. We have an extensive presence at farming events, including the national ploughing championship, to provide that information on a one-to-one basis. As with all our office members, my office is more than happy to assist with any specific queries that the Senator may have.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senator Scahill for raising this issue. There is no doubt that Storm Éowyn brought huge disconnect and upset to many families across our region. It is important that we learn the lessons, particularly regarding connectivity. I and the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, have met the telecommunications companies and asked them to present us with resilience plans. This will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I join the Acting Chairperson in welcoming the guests from CBS Charleville. I again thank Senator Scahill. I will bring the pre-2021 models to the attention of my officials. The most important thing is that we are looking at all the lessons we have had to learn from Storm Éowyn, particularly in light of the long period the people were without power and the impact that had on, for...

Oideachas trí Mheán na Gaeilge: Tairiscint [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Níl.

Oideachas trí Mheán na Gaeilge: Tairiscint [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Tá.

Oideachas trí Mheán na Gaeilge: Tairiscint [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Níl.

Seachtain na Gaeilge: Ráitis (5 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCoiste Gnó as an deis seo cúrsaí Gaeilge a phlé. Mar Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus mar Aire na Gaeltachta, fáiltím roimh an deis labhairt inniu anseo i nDáil Éireann. Mar atá ráite agam in áiteanna eile, is onóir mhór dom é a bheith anseo mar Aire na Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge. Mar...

Seachtain na Gaeilge: Ráitis (5 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Deputy is looking for a quorum.