Results 20,221-20,240 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in respect of all eligible schemes and is not routinely collated by my Department in the format requested. I am however informed that at the end of October there were in excess of 53,600 recipients of payments of the schemes detailed in the attached tabular statement. This figure is based on the information communicated to my...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Education and Training Boards (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives has been to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused in the first instance on the cohort of people who are unemployed and in receipt of a social welfare payment (either...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 12 July 2016. Additional information was requested on 5 October 2016. Once the information is received the application will be processed without delay and she will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 5 October 2016. The application is currently being processed and once completed, 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: Rural Social Scheme Applications (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware the purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support to farmers and fishermen and women 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. A request for expressions of interest...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Rent supplement continues to play a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting some 49,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016. The policy direction of my Department is to return rent supplement to its original purpose, that of a short-term income support scheme for those who are temporarily...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and recipients retain the advantages of the jobseeker’s allowance scheme such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2016 Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of €85 million on the farm assist scheme. Budget 2017 introduces new measures in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Social Protection completed a report on the Community Employment (CE) Programme in late 2015. This report was completed in the context of the Government’s activation strategy Pathways to Work and meets the Department’s commitment to analysing CE, as the largest employment programme, and to ensuring the delivery of services, value for money and progression of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (17 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The rate of payment of the State pension (contributory) is related to contributions made over years into the Social Insurance Fund. As such, those with a stronger attachment to the workforce, who have paid more into that fund, are more likely to be paid under that scheme. There are a number of criteria which must be satisfied in order to qualify for a State pension contributory. One of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Training (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department of Social Protection supports its staff by offering a suite of disability awareness training, including Disability and Deaf Awareness, Dealing with Blind Customers, and Mental Health Awareness. The Department also offers courses in Stress Awareness, SafeTALK suicide awareness and ASIST suicide prevention. These are available to all staff in the Department, including staff in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Applications (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In order to qualify for family income supplement (FIS) the applicant must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee for at least 38 hours per fortnight (19 hours per week). An application for FIS was received from the lady concerned on 25 October 2016, but was disallowed on the grounds that she is not working the required number of hours. A letter was issued to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested (where available) by the deputy is detailed in the following tabular statement. Social Welfare claims by average waiting times 31 October 2016 Scheme Average Waiting Time (weeks) Jobseeker's Benefit 1 Jobseeker's Allowance 2 One-Parent Family Payment 6 State Pension Contributory (Dom) 6 Widow’s, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 163 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting some 49,700 recipients for which the Government has provided €267 million for in 2016, approximately €22.3 million per month. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients by county is provided in the following tabular...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Review (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: My Department administers over 65 separate schemes and services which serve a diverse group of clients including families, employees and employers, jobseekers, people with disabilities, carers and older people. All of these schemes and services are kept under constant review with a view to ensuring that they continue to meet the needs of my Department’s customers. In line with the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: At the end of September there were 11,930 persons in receipt of a transitional jobseeker's allowance who had been in receipt of a one parent family payment during the previous 30 days.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Data (16 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support to farmers and fishermen and women 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. A request for expressions of interest in additional RSS places was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (15 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are habitually resident in the State and are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. Full-time care and attention is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (15 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person whose care needs are such that they require from their carer continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions or continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself and likely to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (15 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...