Results 21,121-21,140 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The free travel scheme is available to people aged over 66 years, to carers and to people in receipt of certain disability type payments. There are currently some 850,000 customers who benefit from the scheme, which has an annual allocation of €80 million. The scheme permits travel for free on most CIE public transport services, Luas and some 80 private operators. The free...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (14 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 07thJuly 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 case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Payments (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned was awarded Family Income Supplement (FIS) from 3rd July 2014 to 29thJune 2016 and they have been in receipt of a weekly FIS supplement during these dates. In order to qualify for FIS the person concerned must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee for at least 38 hours per fortnight (19 hours per week). Each year, FIS customers must reapply for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 29 April 2016. 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 hard to make this happen. Frequently, delays...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 12thJuly 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: According to the records of this department, the person concerned has not submitted an application for financial support. It is open to the person concerned to contact her local community welfare service in Celbridge if she wishes to make an application for a supplementary welfare allowance payment or seek financial assistance. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Jobseekers Application of the person concerned was disallowed as means were not disclosed. Documentation requested by the Department in April 2016 is still outstanding and the application could not proceed. Should the person concerned now wish to proceed with his application, he should submit all outstanding documentation to the local office so that his application can be processed. I...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application was received by the person concerned applied for exceptional need assistance following a recent relocation of residence. The Designated Officer awarded a payment in early June 2016, to cover necessary household items of furniture and equipment. Taking into account her full circumstances, the designated officer has deemed that the person concerned has received her full...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The rent supplement of the person concerned has been restored effective from 1stApril 2016, with three months arrears of rent supplement paid. A full review of this case is being undertaken to ascertain if any further arrears of rent supplement are due to the person concerned. The person concerned will be contacted directly in relation to this review. I hope this clarifies the matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The client concerned should provide the Department with an up to date Rent Supplement application form confirming any changes to their rate of rent payable. On receipt of same, the claim will be re-assessed with regard to entitlement. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned was in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) payment until 1st July 2016. The person concerned has applied for Jobseeker’s Allowance which is a means tested payment. The spouse of the person concerned owns a farm and an in-depth means assessment is required to establish entitlement. Upon receipt of this assessment a decision will be made on the application...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 29 February 2016 in respect of two care recipients. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant must be providing full-time care and attention. A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 11 March 2016. The documentation enclosed in support of the application was not sufficient to enable the application to be assessed by a deciding officer (DO). Therefore, the DO has referred the application to a local social welfare investigative officer (SWI) on 8 July 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned was awarded on 12 July 2016 in respect of a 2ndcare recipient. The first payment of CA at the higher rate of payment is due to issue to the person’s nominated bank account on 21 July 2016. Arrears of allowance due from 3 December 2015 have issued by cheque on 12 July 2016. The person concerned was notified of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Qualified Child Increase Payments (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Increases for a Qualified Child Qualified (IQCs) are paid as child-related supplements to most weekly social welfare payments in recognition of the need for greater incomes among benefit-dependent households with dependent children. The current full rate of payment is €29.80 per week per dependent child. Expenditure on IQCs in 2015 was in the region of €597 million. Along with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Waiting Times (14 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, there are currently delays occurring in the processing of carer’s allowance (CA) applications. The average waiting time for new carer's allowance (CA) applications...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (13 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 06th July 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (13 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Gateway initiative is one of a range of activation programmes included in the Pathways to Work 2016-2020 strategy to help jobseekers back to employment. Gateway provides work placements in local authorities for a period of 22 months to those who are unemployed for more than two years. Gateway assists the personal and social development of long-term unemployed persons by providing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (13 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 to 136, inclusive, together. JobPath is a new approach to employment activation that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The JobPath service is delivered by two companies - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited. The companies deliver services...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (13 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: JobPath is a service contracted by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to provide long-term unemployed clients with intensive individual support over a period of 12 months, to help them overcome barriers to employment and to assist them to find employment. Contracts to deliver JobPath were signed with two companies – Seetec Limited and Turas Nua Limited. Referrals started in...