Results 13,821-13,840 of 15,109 for speaker:Dara Calleary

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

Dara Calleary: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my department through the Community Welfare Service, was activated on 23 January 2025 to assist householders affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. Humanitarian assistance is available in three stages. Stage 1 of the HAS is available to people while they are directly impacted by the storm. It targets people who need...

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

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 521 and 522 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 affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. In the context of the particular circumstances of Storm Éowyn, and as an exceptional measure, additional...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

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

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 524 and 539 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 affected across the country by Storm Éowyn. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme Stage 1 is available to address essential needs in respect of shelter and...

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

Dara Calleary: Between 1 January and 31 December 2024 all videos posted to my Department's social media channels included closed captions. This includes the JobsIreland social media channels as well as those of the Department of Social Protection. Three videos using Irish Sign Language (ISL) were developed in 2024, one promoting the Work and Access programme and two in relation to the ISL voucher scheme....

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

Dara Calleary: Supports from this Department are not intended to cover circumstances where another Government Department or Agency has a primary responsibility. The Revenue Commissioners operate a tax relief scheme for vehicles purchased for use by people with disabilities. This scheme provides VRT and VAT relief, an exemption from road tax and a fuel grant to drivers and passengers with a disability,...

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

Dara Calleary: Child Benefit is a monthly payment to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. It is paid in respect of almost 1.3 million children. Expenditure on the scheme is estimated at over €2.2 billion in 2025. It is important to note that,...

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

Dara Calleary: Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who are on Maternity Leave and who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. Maternity rate has been increased in all four previous budgets, bringing Maternity benefit from €245 in 2021 to €289 in 2025, an increase of €54 in four years. Budget 2025 provided a €15...

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

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 529 and 530 together. There is no scheme in place to support beneficiaries of temporary protection, international protection applicants or indeed any persons solely for car repairs, however under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible...

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. Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, property, (except their own...

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

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 to 535, inclusive, 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 or other personal and household resources. The payment is available to anyone who needs it and qualifies, whether the person is currently...

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

Dara Calleary: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age. The level of that disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive...

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

Dara Calleary: Prior to 6 April 1995, civil and public servants did not have access to the full range of social insurance benefits as their terms of employment protected them against the main contingencies of illness and old age, and the risk of unemployment was not considered a factor due to the nature of their employment. Civil and public sector employees recruited prior to 6 April 1995 pay social...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (25 Mar 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. I can confirm that in September 2024, Kerry County Council was granted Approval in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Official Engagements (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The period around Saint Patrick's Day provides a unique opportunity to promote Ireland around the world, connect with the 70 million people around the world of Irish descent, and celebrate Ireland’s international connections and partnerships. As part of the Government’s programme of international travel for Saint Patrick's Day, Minister Jerry Buttimer travelled to New...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department supports community facilities and spaces across the country through a range of interventions, particularly the Community Centre investment Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Community Recognition Fund and the LEADER programme. Based on information provided to my officials by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I understand that local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of financial supports to communities across a broad suite of programmes, and many of these programmes have provided important supports to community halls across the country in recent years. Under the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), my Department has provided funding of over €4.5 million towards the refurbishment of 66 community halls within...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Applications for the delivery and upgrade of playgrounds are welcome under a number of schemes operated by my Department such as the CLÁR Programme, the LEADER programme, and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The CLÁR programme provides funding for small-scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. It supports a wide range of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department operates a large number of grant schemes that are available to community and rural groups throughout the country. These schemes include LEADER, the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS), CLÁR, the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) and the Community Services Programme (CSP). Full...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has a number of capital programmes designed to support community groups with capital funding towards the renovation and upgrade of community halls and theatres. The Community Centre Investment Fund provides funding towards capital costs for the refurbishment of community centres and other community facilities, such as theatres, that are open to and used by a broad range of...