Results 20,681-20,700 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 3 August 2016. Further information was requested from the person concerned on 27 September 2016. Once received, this application will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. In the meantime, both the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Data (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Since 1995 Northern Ireland Senior Citizens aged 65+ have been eligible for restricted cross border free travel from any point in Northern Ireland to any destination in the Republic of Ireland (ROI). The provision was further expanded in 2007, to allow Northern Ireland 65+ Senior Smart Pass holders, with passes marked with the specific codes 031 and 035, to travel for free not only to a...

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

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement. CA is in payment to the person concerned since 16 May 2002 and a review is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: To date, 31 people have been withdrawn from JobPath for the purpose of engaging with Employability Services. These include both people who had engaged with Employability Services but had not been designated as such on the Department’s IT system at the time of selection for JobPath as well as people selected for JobPath and who were subsequently identified as having needs that were...

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

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. The Department periodically reviews claims in payment to ensure that there is continued entitlement. CA is in payment to the person concerned since 7 October 1999 and a review was carried...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against...

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 15 September 2016 in respect of a second care recipient. Unfortunately, there are currently delays in the processing of new applications. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Scéim na mBéilí Scoile (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of €42 million in 2016. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. Priority for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of €42 million in 2016. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. Priority for...

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

Leo Varadkar: My department has accepted an application from the person concerned submitted by email from you. The application is being processed and the person concerned will shortly be notified of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: According to the records of the department, the person concerned has not made an application for funeral expenses. It is open to the person concerned to make an application with their local community welfare office. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (4 Oct 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 measure aims at protecting young people from welfare dependency by providing young jobseekers with a strong financial incentive to engage in education or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 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 to some 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and the long-term unemployed at a cost of €197 million. It is estimated that the cost of a 75% bonus would be approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Inspections (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of a record of un-notified or notified home visits undertaken by Social Welfare Inspectors (SWIs) is not available in my Department. The approach taken in each investigation is determined by the Inspector and if home visits, be they un-notified or notified, are deemed to be necessary to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Inspections (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Social Welfare Inspectors (SWIs) operate under a code of practice which sets out the manner in which they are required to deal with the public. Inspectors are appointed under Section 250 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) and are required to investigate and report on customer’s claims. As part of their investigations, SWIs may need to make notified or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The BSCFA is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but to provide assistance towards these costs. The Government has provided €38.8 million for the scheme in 2016. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 305 together. The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the primary social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions at approx. €6.976 billion is the largest block of expenditure in the Department in the Estimate for 2016, representing approximately 35% of overall expenditure. Due to demographic changes, my Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (4 Oct 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Implementation of the recommendations of the Kerr Report, including the introduction of a basic payment account, is the responsibility of the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The corporate governance of An Post is a matter for the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and the Environment. My Department’s continuing support for An Post is...

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...