Results 19,861-19,880 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Jobseeker’s Allowance payment of the person concerned has been restored. Payment for the period 14/09/2016 to 18/10/2016 was available for collection on 18/10/2016. I trust that this clarifies the issue for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In order to qualify for disability allowance (DA), a person must be aged between 16 and 66, satisfy a medical and means test and be habitually resident in the state.I confirm that this lady was in receipt of DA from 2 November 2005. Payment ceased with effect from 13 April 2015 when she notified the Department of her intention to live abroad. Her entitlement to social protection while...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned made a claim to illness benefit from 5 Aug 2016. Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. One of the conditions is that a person have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the tax year governing the claim. Claims made in 2016 are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. The Government, as part of the budget package for 2017, announced 500 additional places on the scheme which will increase the overall number to 3,100. My Department intends allocating these places...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, the purpose of Tús is to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than one year. It helps to break the cycle of unemployment and improves a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. My Department is also conscious of the valuable contribution the scheme is making in the provision of services to individuals...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The jobseekers allowance payment of the person concerned has been reinstated following the submission of additional information by her in relation to her claim.I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned applied for a payment under the back to education scheme for a postgraduate course (a Master of Education – Level 9) on 19 May 2016 for the 2016/2017 academic year. As this person already holds a post graduate qualification (a Higher Diploma in Further Education), the application was refused on the basis that a person who holds a Higher Diploma cannot pursue a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Agencies (19 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for providing information, advice (including money and budgeting advice service) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers on this remit through a network of delivery partners which includes 51 local Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) and 42 local Citizens Information...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Government recognises the enormous challenges that face Ireland as a consequence of Britain's decision to leave the EU, including for farmers and exporters, as a result of the currency changes the Deputy mentioned, for the tourism industry, which is so dependent on visitors from the UK, for the service industry and for individuals. As the Deputy said, what the British Government decides...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I cannot give the Deputy a specific commitment today. I am not in a position to make policy decisions on the hoof. Some funds are already available. For example, a payment has been made to a producer in the mushroom industry and, as part of the budget, a low-interest loan scheme to the value of €150 million is being put in place for farmers. Falls in the value of sterling have...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank the Deputy. The situation is as follows: there are no pay rises and no pay increases proposed for politicians. There have been no pay rises and no pay increases for politicians since 2008. What is happening in respect of Deputies is a restoration of some of the pay that was cut from their salaries as a consequence of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act. With...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This always happens with Sinn Féin when it does not want to hear the truth.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This always happens because Sinn Féin does not want to hear the facts. We all know what happened in Northern Ireland where the party's representatives voted to transfer the powers relating to welfare back to London in order to avoid making decisions. They then tried to claim they never had those powers. In fact, they did have those powers but they voted to transfer them back to London...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps we should have a special new session where Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin can have questions among themselves and see how that dynamic plays out.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I will, of course, pursue Deputy McDonald's suggestion of raising the issue of the paltry welfare payments paid to people in Northern Ireland with the Tory Government . I will also bring it up with the Minister of Finance in Northern Ireland, Mr. Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, who is a Sinn Féin Minister-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Again, I am being interrupted mid-sentence because Sinn Féin is terrified of the facts and really hates the truth being spoken in this Chamber. Deputy McDonald is correct in saying that she is paid €87,000 per year as are all of the other Teachtaí Dála who are on her party's benches now. However, they claim that they only draw the industrial wage. Perhaps Deputy...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Perhaps she will tell us how much money Sinn Féin MPs, including some who are now Teachtaí Dála, claimed from the British Treasury for jobs they never did. Perhaps she will explain why they-----

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Deputy Lowry for his acknowledgement of the reinvestment in the Garda that is occurring under the leadership of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald. I will give some examples of that investment. We provided for 457 new vehicles in 2014 and 486 new vehicles in 2015. More than 500 new vehicles will come on stream this year, compared to just 50...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I do not have any detail in front of me in relation to the golf club or the other site mentioned by the Deputy. I know this is a matter of great interest to him. This important national facility is located in his constituency. I think Templemore has served the Garda and the State extremely well over the years. I refer to the quality of the training that is provided at the college and the...

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am happy to talk about the issues. I think that distinction was created by Mary Harney, someone I admire very much individually and as a politician. I have always taken the view that the attempt to create a distinction between a vision of Boston on the one hand and Berlin on the other to be somewhat bogus and a little outdated. It is somewhat outdated in many ways that the Green Party is...