Results 13,801-13,820 of 15,109 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My department has an oversight role in relation to the School Meals Programme and conducts regular...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the School Meals Programme, the primary relationship is between the school and supplier. My Department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school and it is the responsibility of each school board to administer the Programme in their school, including handling the procurement process. All schools who wish to avail of funding under the programme are responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 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. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the carer cannot be engaged in employment/self-employment or training/study....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million. The number of Bereavement Grant claims paid in 2013 equated to 80% of registered deaths. If the same percentage was applied to the figures for 2023 - the most recent data that the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Official Engagements (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations provide a unique and special moment to connect with the 70 million people around the world of Irish descent and to showcase Irish culture and heritage. It is also an opportunity to celebrate Ireland’s international connections and partnerships, which enrich both Ireland and our partners overseas. This year 38 representatives of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 7,055 active recipients at the end of December 2024. The provisional expenditure for rent supplement paid by the Department of Social Protection at end of December 2024 was almost €57.4 million. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The 'Baby Loss Certificate' scheme was introduced by the UK government as part of a response to an independent review, published in 2023, into early pregnancy loss. The recommendation in relation a certificate of baby loss which the Deputy refers to is one of 73 recommendations made in the UK review. The report also recommends against establishing a formal system of registration as part of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 489 to 498, inclusive, and 500 to 508, inclusive, together. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my department through the local Community Welfare Services (CWS) was activated on Thursday 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) is operated in 3...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of people across the country is a priority for me and for my Department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Expenditure in relation to the Department is contained within the Vote 37 Appropriation Account. A copy of the annual Appropriation Accounts can be found on the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s website as set out below. The 2024 Appropriation account has not been finalised. 2023 - Vote 37 - Social Protection 2022 - Vote 37 - Social Protection 2021 - Vote 37 -...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: There are two bodies under the aegis of my Department which meet the definition in the question - that is they have a quasi-judicial role. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is independent in its functions. If a person is dissatisfied with the decision of a Deciding Officer regarding one of the Department's statutory schemes, they may submit an appeal to the Chief Appeals Officer. She...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In November 2023 my Department published a report on the inclusion of long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations. This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the statutory criteria for recognition as an occupational illness or accident at work. Specifically, it found that presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable as it is not possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: According to the records of my department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for the contributory State Pension. An application for the non-contributory State Pension was received on 4 April 2023 and awarded from 7 April 2023. There are no further arrears due in this case. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under Section 248 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, where a person who is in receipt of a benefit dies and (i) he or she was receiving an increase in respect of a qualified adult, or (ii) his or her spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is in receipt of a benefit in his or her own right, payment of the deceased person's benefit shall continue to be made for 6 weeks after...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support which replaces the current Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people who become fully unemployed from 31 March 2025 and who satisfy the conditions for the scheme. Pay-related benefit means that a person's rate of payment will be linked to their previous earnings, subject to maximum and minimum rates. Government has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. An application for IP was received from the person concerned on 28 August 2023. On 30 August 2023, the claim was refused on the grounds that the person concerned had...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Official Engagements (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I did not meet the CEO of Coca-Cola during my visit to Atlanta for the St. Patrick's Day events.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517, 531 and 536 together. My Department provides a number of income supports for people with a disability who are of working age. These include Disability Allowance Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension. Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are means tested social assistance schemes, while Invalidity Pension is a social insurance based scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (25 Mar 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 the number of disability allowance appeals on hand and the number that are under consideration for two,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 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. The means test takes account of all income and assets of the applicant and their...