Results 21,021-21,040 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Advisers Remuneration (21 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Mr. Miller’s salary is €87,258. Mr. Murphy’s salary is €99,370. These are the same salaries they were paid as my advisers in the Dept of Health. I have not sought an increase for either of them.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The application for jobseekers allowance was refused for the person in question on the basis that he was not considered habitually resident in the country. The person has been afforded the right of appeal. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for the Carer’s Support Grant (formerly called Respite Care Grant) was received in my Department on 15 July 2016. This application is being processed as expeditiously as possible having regard to the significant increase in the number of people applying for Carers Support Grant this year. The applicant will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned applied for and was recently granted financial assistance towards the cost of funeral expenses. The designated officer has further reviewed this application and has determined that the person concerned has received his full entitlement to financial assistance based on his current circumstances. I hope that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Jul 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 who has a disability such that they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 26 May 2016. The application has been referred by the deciding officer to a local social welfare investigative officer (SWI)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 11 May 2016. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and that backlogs in claims are kept to a minimum. Each scheme area continuously monitors and reviews claim processing operations to ensure that customers are responded to as quickly as possible. Processing times vary by scheme but this principally reflects the fact that the eligibility...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Supports in relation to housing and the provision of financial supports, including the rent supplement scheme, which is currently supporting some 54,000 recipients at a cost of €267 million in 2016, are a key priority for Government and remain under close review. Increased maximum rent limits under the rent supplement scheme were recently introduced with effect from Friday last, 1...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief Application (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The administration of the mortgage interest relief scheme is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners and any changes to current arrangements is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance. The most appropriate way in which families experiencing mortgage difficulties can be supported is through on-going engagement with their lender to explore sustainable solutions. The Money...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the right environment for a strong economic recovery through effective policies. In doing so it is hoped to promote competitiveness and productivity. Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment has fallen substantially to just over 15% in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 May 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 appeal in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As agreed with my officials the Deputy will be contacted directly with a reply in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Pursuant to Section 308(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, the Chief Appeals Officer is obliged to submit an annual report to me not later than six months after the end of each year on the activities of the Social Welfare Appeals Office for the preceding year. Copies of the report are laid before each House of the Oireachtas and the report is published on the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The new partnership Government aims to create an additional 200,000 jobs by 2010, including 135,000 outside of Dublin. In particular, the role of entrepreneurs and the self-employed will be central to this ambition. They are a diverse group and include farmers, tradesmen, small business owners, professionals, freelancers and consultants, some work part time, others work every waking hour...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme, taking into account...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10 June 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 27 June...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Maternity Benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions in order to avoid the need for them to work pre and post-delivery of their baby. The original scheme was introduced in 1970 and was extended to include self-employed mothers with effect from June 1997. It is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the right environment for a strong economic recovery through effective policies. In doing so it is hoped to promote competitiveness and productivity. Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, youth unemployment has fallen substantially to just over 15% in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information requested is currently being compiled and will be sent directly to the Deputy in the coming days.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (20 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Legislation provides that sanctions in the form of reduced payments may be imposed where recipients of jobseeker payments fail, without good cause, to comply with activation measures. Activation measures include the requirement to attend group or individual meetings, and/or avail of suitable education, training or development opportunities, or specified employment programmes, which are...