Results 19,101-19,120 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Payments (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned reapplied for family income supplement (FIS) and was awarded from 9 June 2016 to 7 June 2017 at a weekly supplement of €81.00. This FIS claim was then suspended with effect from the 6 July 2016 as the person concerned was absent from work due to illness and receiving illness benefit (IB) from the 20 May 2016. FIS may be paid in conjunction with IB for a maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16 June 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 12 May 2016. Payment will issue to her nominated account on 21 July 2016. Any arrears due from the 12 May 2016 to 20 July 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 06 July 2016. I hope this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The increased rent limits under the rent supplement scheme, as announced last week, were introduced with effect from Friday, 1 July 2016. Supports in relation to housing and the provision of financial supports, including the rent supplement scheme currently supporting some 54,000 recipients at a cost of €267 million in 2016, are a key priority as evidenced by the early implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 29 June 2016 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In accordance with Departmental guidelines, Crèche Supplement applications can only be considered, in exceptional circumstances, in respect of children attending a community crèche. This application for a Crèche Supplement was disallowed because the person concerned was applying for a payment for their child to attend a privately-run crèche and the scheme applies to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed to support jobseekers to undertake second chance education. A person wishing to pursue a course of study under BTEA must satisfy a number of conditions such as age and in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a specified period of time amongst others. The period for which a person is required to be on a jobseeker’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: A jobseeker’s payment is paid for days of unemployment where the person is not in receipt of holiday pay for those days and where they also satisfy the conditions of the scheme. School educational sector workers, who are employed on a temporary basis and who have previously been in contact with the Department, are issued with a repeat jobseeker’s application form and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The state pension transition and contributory claims of the person concerned have been reviewed. Based on this review, the person has been awarded a pro-rata state pension (transition) with effect from 1 September 2010, (on retirement) in accordance with EU legislation. The person concerned has also been awarded a pro rata state pension (contributory) with effect from their 66th birthday....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a weekly jobseekers payment of €232.70. This is in payment with effect from the 23rd of May 2016 when he made his most recent claim for jobseekers allowance at Blanchardstown Intreo Centre. The amount payable includes his own personal rate of €188.00 weekly plus the appropriate child dependent payments for a person in his...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Tús, the community work placement initiative was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment, and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a person’s opportunities of returning to the labour market. For this reason, eligibility is confined to those in receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The application for carer’s allowance in respect of the person concerned was awarded on 22 June 2016 and the first payment issued to the person’s nominated post office on 30 June 2016. Arrears of allowance due from 10 March 2016 have also issued to the post office for payment. The person concerned was notified of these details on 22 June 2016. I hope this clarifies the matter...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: UK Referendum on EU Membership (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Staff in the EU and International section of the Department of Social Protection, in addition to their role in supporting the Department on EU and International matters generally, manages the social protection implications for Ireland of the decision of the United Kingdom to exit the European Union. This role involves liaising with colleagues both across the Department and in other...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Data (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular form. Reports commissioned by Department of Social Protection since March 2011 Report Name of Consultants Commissioned Publication Date Cost € 2011 Social Welfare Appeals Office – Research on Insurability Issues & Access to Legal Resources Mel Cousins & Associates 2011 2011 €7,744...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Photography services are used, in conjunction with some press releases and conferences, to communicate my Department’s initiatives, schemes and services to customers and to the regional and national media. In 2015 photography services were used for the occasions as set out in the following table. The procurement of these photography services is carried out in accordance with national...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Relations Contracts Data (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is the policy of the Department of Social Protection that its Press Office deals with all media queries and public relations matters. My Department’s policy is to use in-house resources as much as possible and to restrict the use of external public relations firms to a minimum. Since my appointment as Minister for Social Protection on 6 May this year, my Department has not...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disablement Benefit (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senator Feighan for raising this important issue. Disablement benefit is one of the payments available from my Department under the occupational injuries scheme and may be payable as a single lump sum or regular pension, depending on the extent of the injury or effect of the disease. Eligibility is not limited to miners or to any particular occupation. It is a social insurance...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disablement Benefit (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. As I said, 77 cases are outstanding. In some cases, we are awaiting additional information and, in others, it is our delay, if one likes, because the medical assessment has not happened yet. A new chief medical officer has been appointed to the Department in recent weeks, Dr. Max Hills, and we have recruited nine additional...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009 and were further extended in subsequent budgets. Reduced rates of jobseeker’s allowance apply to jobseekers under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. To guard against the development of welfare dependency I believe that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The objective of the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) is to assist those who are distant from the labour market to acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system. The BTEA, which is designed to support second chance education, enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income...