Results 13,561-13,580 of 15,083 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 316 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, and had previously been activated in November 2024 to assist householders affected by Storm Bert.Since Storm...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department manages Intreo Centres nationwide and delivers a wide range of services to customers. SAR Group provided the department with security services from 2022 until 30 September 2024. In 2024, following a competitive procurement process, the department awarded Synergy Security Solutions Ltd. with a contract for the provision of security services for an initial two-year period....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is made over the winter season - from September to April - at the weekly rate of €33 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum instalments - one in September and one in January. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: As announced in Budget 2025, a €400 Disability Support Payment was paid to people with disabilities. This additional support was paid to recipients of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension. The county breakdown of the recipients is set out below. County Recipients of disability support Carlow 3,563 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Family Support Services (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. Budget 2025 included the provision of a once off...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Programme (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: To date in 2025, one Statutory Instrument has been in enacted by my Department as set out below. Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 10 of 2025 Charities (Amendment) Act 2024 (Commencement) Order 2025 Primary Legislation Charities Amendment Act 2024 Estimated timeframe Commencement date of Monday 27th January 2025 Other...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (6 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter in respect of funding for men’s sheds. I acknowledge the fantastic work they do in County Tipperary and throughout the island. The emergence of men’s sheds has been a highly positive development for communities - not just men - across Ireland. The sheds provide an invaluable service, helping to tackle social isolation and providing a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I will not give any specific commitment until I engage on the proposal. Nationally, the local enhancement programme has a €7 million budget for 2025. Applications for that closed on 7 March and will be dealt with quickly. I look forward to meeting representatives of the Irish Men's Sheds Association and to engaging with them. I know I speak for the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) is the unique reference number for transactions between individuals and Government Departments and other public service providers. It forms part of the Public Services Identity (PSI) data set. Verification of a person’s identity is carried out during the SAFE Registration process following which a  Public Services Card is issued.  A...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Farm Assist is a statutory means-tested income support specifically for farmers on low incomes. There are approximately 3,500 claims in payment at present. The government has provided €46.99 million for the scheme in 2025. In line with many other means-tested social welfare schemes, the first €20,000 of capital is not assessed in the means test for Farm Assist. Based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Justice regularly notifies my Department with details of persons who are subject to deportation orders. The details are matched against social welfare records and if a person is in receipt of a payment, the scheme area is notified, and the payment is stopped. A person who is subject to a deportation order is considered not to satisfy the habitual residence condition as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department operates a substantial network of more than 180 public offices nationwide and operates a very large national customer Contact Centre. My Department utilises SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) telephony technology to provide high-capacity concurrent telephone channels from customers into its national Contact Centre and network of offices. I have outlined the number of lines in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (20 Mar 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. I can confirm that the Department received an application for DA from the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned reached pension age on 21 October 2016. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 27 September 2016. Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate contributions paid in the State to qualify for standard State Pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned has been in receipt of Disablement Benefit since 25 December 1987. Disablement Benefit is a compensatory payment for the loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational injury or prescribed occupational disease. Disablement Benefit is paid whether the recipient is engaged in full-time employment/self-employment or whether they are receiving social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The full-year cost of increasing State Pension (Contributory) by €13 per week is €380.4 million. The full-year cost of increasing Disability Allowance by €13 per week is €120.2 million. The combined estimated annual cost of the two increases would €500.6 million. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The full-year cost of increasing the island allowance by €4 from €20 to €24 per week is €0.13 million. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (20 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 04 February 2025. The application was examined and CA...