Results 20,541-20,560 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Clár na mBéilí Scoile (11 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Is oth liom gur i mBéarla a freagraíodh an Cheist ar thagair an Teachta di. Tá an freagra i nGaeilge leagtha amach sa ráiteas táblach atá faoi iamh leis seo. Chun a fhiafraí den Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí cad chuige nach bhfuil scoil i gcontae Dhún na nGall (sonraí curtha ar fáil) páirteach i Scéim na mBéilí...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Data (11 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions, at approximately €7 billion, is the largest block of expenditure in my Department in the Estimate for 2016, representing approximately 35% of overall expenditure. Due to demographic changes, my Department’s spending on older people is increasing year on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (11 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Ballymun Youth Guarantee Pilot officially started on 31 December 2013 and finished on 31 December 2014. The number of under-25s on the Live Register and registered in the Ballymun local office, at end October 2013, was 696. The number of under-25s on the Live Register and registered in the Ballymun local office was 466 at end February 2015.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: 3 o’clock The social insurance system recognises the contribution of the recipients of carer's allowance through the system of credited contributions and also through the homemaker's scheme. Credited contributions or credits are awarded to recipients of carer's allowance who have an underlying entitlement to credits. Recipients of this payment qualify for credits if they have...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I think the Deputy is asking whether it is possible for someone who has been a carer to receive a non-means-tested benefit for a period after he or she finishes caring, as if he or she had been paying PRSI.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: He is referring to jobseeker's benefit or a similar benefit.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: At present, when the person for whom a carer has been caring dies, the carer continues to receive carer's allowance for 12 weeks. It is a different way of doing the same thing. This does not happen if the person for whom the carer is caring goes into long-term care, however. In such circumstances, the allowance is stopped and the carer does not get the allowance for three months while he...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I would like to explain a couple of aspects of this matter. When cash contributions come in through the PRSI system, the social insurance fund pays for non-means-tested benefits like the contributory pension and jobseeker's benefit. In order to have a benefit at one end, one has to be paying in at the other end. The only fair and just way to do what the Deputy is suggesting, while ensuring...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Yes, but if that were done-----

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: -----they would be the only workers who are not paying PRSI while their employers pay PRSI for them.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Of course, the State is not the employer of carers. It would be a very expensive and complicated way of doing something that can be done much more simply by allowing people to continue to get carer's allowance for a few months after they finish caring.

Other Questions: Labour Activation Measures (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I acknowledge the time and effort spent by Dr. Millar and her team in completing this study. My Department values the contribution social policy research makes in assisting the Department by informing policy across its broad remit. The report does not purport to be an analysis of the lone parent reforms. Based on the study’s terms of reference, my Department expected that it...

Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Actually, I am not sure that it would. I was quite sceptical as to whether increasing the rent supplement limits would make a difference. However, we said that if we were going to do it, we would do it properly and that is why the increases were so big. They averaged 15% but were 30% in some places and even more than that for some categories of family. In many cases, the limits are at or...

Other Questions: Fuel Poverty (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The risk of fuel poverty is influenced by a combination of fuel prices, weather, income and the heat efficiency of housing. My Department will continue to ensure those on low incomes and those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty are supported through the fuel allowance and the household benefits package. The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from...

Other Questions: Fuel Poverty (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Unfortunately, the budget is not agreed yet so I cannot tell the Deputy whether there will be something in it on the fuel allowance. It is worth pointing out that, in the budget for this year, the fuel allowance was increased from €20 to €22.50 per week, an increase of more than 10%. Exceptional needs payments can be paid in special circumstances. It is also worth pointing...

Other Questions: Fuel Poverty (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy's point is well made. Even aside from the fact that the fuel allowance can help ease fuel poverty, it is a very good payment in the sense that it is means tested and very targeted. I am not sure, however, that I will be able to match all of Deputy O'Dea's expectations in this particular budget, but if he keeps me here for long enough, we will get there.

Other Questions: Household Benefits Scheme (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions, at approximately €7 billion, is the largest block of expenditure in my Department's Estimate for 2016, representing approximately 35% of overall expenditure. Due to demographic changes, my Department’s spending on older people is increasing year on year....

Other Questions: Household Benefits Scheme (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I met groups that represent the elderly in the course of my work and I am sure the Deputy, as a politician, meets them in the course of hers. When I ask them what they would most like to see done for them in the budget, many bring up issues of services like home-care packages. When they talk about these kinds of more budgetary measures, we hear of three issues. They are the €5...

Other Questions: Household Benefits Scheme (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I have never given a figure and I cannot because it is not yet agreed. The budget will be announced next-----

Other Questions: Household Benefits Scheme (6 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It will be announced next Tuesday by the Ministers for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputies Donohoe and Noonan. Fine Gael committed to a €5 per week increase in the pension and, as part of our confidence and supply arrangement with Fianna Fail, provision will be made for an increase in the pension. No decision has been made on the exact amount. What I have said today...