Results 14,321-14,340 of 15,117 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Apr 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 Code (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: Self-employed people pay contributions to the Social Insurance Fund at a lower rate of 4.1%. This is 11.15 percentage points lower than the combined employer and employee contribution of 15.25% made in respect of employed contributors. However, self-employed contributors do have access to over 90% of benefits available to employed contributors. The Programme for Government 2025 includes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Apr 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, means test and habitual residency conditions. My Department periodically reviews claims to ensure there is continued entitlement. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), 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 Insurance (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The estimated additional yield that would be raised by increasing both the lower and higher employer PRSI rates, currently at 8.9% and 11.15% respectively, by 0.1 percentage points is €119 million. This estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer or employee behaviour, arising from changing the rates of the employer PRSI contribution. I trust this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS), administered by my department through the Community Welfare Service (CWS), 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 Appeals (29 Apr 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 my Department received an application for DA from the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) funds and supports eight independent regional Citizen Information Service (CIS) companies, which in turn operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres. It is important to note that each CIS is a limited company governed by a voluntary Board of Directors, which make decisions independently on the delivery of services in their regions. North...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: My officials have confirmed that all IT systems used by my Department are capable of utilising the síneadh fada.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (29 Apr 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 06 December 2024. As part of the decision process,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Social Protection has no outstanding EU directives awaiting transposition. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Properties (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Social Protection does not directly rent any properties. All of the properties occupied by my department are owned or leased by the Office of Public Works (OPW), with the exception of the department's headquarters, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin 1, which is held by the Minister on behalf of the Social Insurance Fund. It is not possible to give the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Social Protection outsource cleaning services as listed as follows. External company Service Value (Inc VAT at 13.5%) Duration Grosvenor Cleaning Services Cleaning €4,256,250 per year Initial 2-year contract. The Department has the option of 2 twelve-month extensions if required. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: 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. There are options available, at the discretion of my Department, for two twelve-month contract extensions thereafter. The following table outlines the value of the contract for the initial two...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Apr 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Apr 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: School Meals Programme (29 Apr 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 engaged with a number of schools that have been unable to secure a hot meals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Apr 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: State Pensions (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1459, 1463 and 1471 together. Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension (WCP) is a weekly payment to the widow, widower or surviving civil partner of a deceased person. The pension remains payable while the person remains widowed or a surviving civil partner and the payment is not means tested. As a result, a person can be in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: Budget 2025 was, for the second year in a row, the largest social protection budget in the history of the state. It supported individuals and families throughout society via a diverse range of supports including across the board increases to primary social protection weekly rates, targeted ongoing measures and once-off cost of living payments. These rate increases included a €12...