Results 19,661-19,680 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The average processing time for One-Parent Family claims awarded in August was 5 weeks. This compares with 7 weeks in August 2015. The target for the scheme is that 90% of claims are awarded within 10 weeks. The One-Parent Family scheme is a means-tested payment and can also require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby lengthening the decision-making...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Live Register, which is not a measure of unemployment, is published monthly by the Central Statistics Office. I am however informed that there were 9,128 persons aged 18 to 24 on the Live Register at the end of August in Dublin INTREO/Social Welfare Local Offices. A breakdown of this number by age and Office is detailed in a tabular statement. Number of Persons aged 18 to 24 on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for carer's benefit (CARB) was received from the person concerned on 8 September 2016. The application is currently being examined and once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for Back to Education Allowance for the person concerned was sent to a Case Officer for review on 28/09/2016. It is expected that a decision on the application will issue this week. I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11thJuly 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 15thaugust 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Data (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: With the exception of my own private staff, employees in my Department, whether permanent or temporary, are recruited on foot of competitions administered by the Public Appointments Service. There are no age restrictions in place in relation to participation in these competitions and therefore some of the successful candidates may have previously worked in the civil or public service and may...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The table outlines the number of staff employed in the Department at 31stAugust 2016. Staff Posts People Permanent Staff 6170.88 6554.00 Temporary Staff 552.00 552.00 Total Staff 6722.88 7106.00 The figure for permanent staff in the table above includes staff who are currently seconded in to the Department from other public sector organisations.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The primary objectives of the illness and disability payments administered by my Department are to provide income support; promote social inclusion and provide supports to work. The various illness and disability payments provide income support for people, and their dependants, who cannot earn a living because of sickness and/or disability. These schemes also provide a range of supports...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April to low income households at an estimated cost of €224 million in 2016. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Supports in relation to housing are a key priority for this Government, as evidenced by the early implementation of its commitment to introduce increased rent limits under the rent supplement and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) schemes with increased limits introduced from 1 July 2016. The rent supplement scheme is supporting some 50,700 tenants at a cost of €267 million this year. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Christmas Bonus was abolished in 2009. It was partially reintroduced in 2014 with a 25% Bonus payment. A 75% Bonus was paid in December 2015. It is estimated that the cost of the Bonus in 2016 (as was paid in 2015) to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and the long-term unemployed would be approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and fishermen who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Eligibility for the scheme is on the basis that the participant is underemployed in their primary activity, either farming or fishing, and that their earnings are insufficient to support their family circumstances. The scheme currently provides work...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Senator for raising this innovative idea. I acknowledge the high cost of third level education for students which is attributable to travel and accommodation in addition to fees. Services for students and the adequacy, or otherwise, of their supports are matters for the Minister for Education and Skills. Transport is primarily a matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (5 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This is an innovative and good idea. Of course I would be happy to engage with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Department of Education and Skills on any idea like this. Joined-up thinking is important in government. There are, of course, other good ideas also. Free travel for children is a good idea. When I was Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I was...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The aim of the reforms to the one-parent family payment is to better engage with lone parents to assist in the transition from welfare into employment. Research shows that being at work reduces the at-risk-of-poverty rate for lone parents by three quarters, highlighting that the best way to tackle poverty among lone parents is to assist them into employment rather than through welfare. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is obviously open to people to apply for the jobseeker's transition payment or FIS and my view is they should apply for whichever of those two payments gives them the most at the end of the week. If people do that, then that is their choice. It should be borne in mind that some people who may be working and in receipt of FIS and who then return to education apply for the jobseeker's...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Obviously, the rules relating to eligibility for the SUSI grant are a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills and his Department. That Department, with our assistance, has commissioned research examining the barriers to education for lone parents. The matter is being considered in the context of next week's budget in terms of what we can do to assist lone parents. That will...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobseeker's Allowance (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The CSO's most recent monthly unemployment figures released this week show that youth unemployment had fallen to 15.9% in September. This is a significant decrease of five percentage points, from 20.9%, in the past 12 months. Therefore, in just the past year youth unemployment has fallen from over 20% to 15.9%. The overall unemployment rate fell by 1.2 percentage points in the same period,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobseeker's Allowance (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: If the Deputy is going to quote me, he may wish to quote me in full. Our attitude is very different. The Deputy is interested in welfare rates for young people. I am interested in getting young people into work. Youth unemployment has fallen by 23% in the past year; it has decreased from over 20% to 15.9%, which means that youth unemployment is falling substantially faster than general...