Results 21,201-21,220 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 3 December 2015. The application was referred by a deciding officer (DO) to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 14 April 2016 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Customer Charters (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department’s Customer Charter and Action Plan 2013-2015 sets out the level of service customers can expect when dealing with the Department and its commitment to provide a professional, efficient, courteous and timely service to its customers. My Department is committed to ensuring that a customer service ethos is embedded in everything it does and is embraced by everyone in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Christmas Bonus was abolished in 2009. The Bonus was partially reintroduced in 2014 with the payment of a 25% Bonus. A 75% Bonus was paid last December to some 1.2 million long-term social welfare recipients, including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and the long-term unemployed, in recognition of their financial dependence on their social welfare payments. There is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There are currently approximately 853,000 people in Ireland in receipt of free travel at an annual cost of €80 million per annum. The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66, including those with learning disabilities, must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Data (12 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. A breakdown of applications from Louth and East Meath is not readily available. However, the following is a breakdown for all applications from 2010-2016. Year Applications...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Appeals (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing on this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Reduced rates for younger jobseeker’s allowance recipients were first introduced in 2009. Budget 2014 further extended the reduced rates to recipients under 26 years of age. This is a targeted measure aimed at protecting young people from welfare dependency. To guard against the development of welfare dependency I believe that it is necessary to provide young jobseekers with a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is considered as the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Eligibility (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Recently a review of the mortgage interest supplement (MIS) of the person concerned was undertaken and it was ascertained that the interest portion of the mortgage repayment was €6.32 per month or €1.45 per week. Under the scheme provisions only the interest portion of the monthly mortgage repayment can be considered for MIS and as applicants are liable for the first...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for credits has been received and a decision to backdate credits has been approved. The person concerned will be notified of the decision this week. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is responsible for a number of illness and disability schemes which require periodic assessment and reviews. Medical Assessors assisted by Nurse Attendants are employed by my Department to undertake this task. Agency or locum staff are not used to provide cover for staff absences or for any other purpose.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Websites (12 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is committed to ensuring the information on its website is accessible to all of its customers including families, people in employment, jobseekers, employers, people with disabilities, carers, retired and older people, together with information providers such as the Citizens Information Board or other Government Departments. In January 2013, my Department launched its new...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disablement Benefit (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I thank Senator Feighan for raising this important issue. Disablement benefit is one of the payments available from my Department under the occupational injuries scheme and may be payable as a single lump sum or regular pension, depending on the extent of the injury or effect of the disease. Eligibility is not limited to miners or to any particular occupation. It is a social insurance...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Disablement Benefit (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. As I said, 77 cases are outstanding. In some cases, we are awaiting additional information and, in others, it is our delay, if one likes, because the medical assessment has not happened yet. A new chief medical officer has been appointed to the Department in recent weeks, Dr. Max Hills, and we have recruited nine additional...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 137 together. Self-employed workers, including farmers, whose annual income exceeds €5,000 are liable to pay PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500. Similar to other self-employed workers, farmers pay PRSI, along with income tax and USC, with their annual return using Revenue's self-assessment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: A claim for Family Income Supplement (FIS) was made by the person concerned on 17thJune 2016. My department has assessed the family income in this case, based upon the evidence available, and has decided that the assessable family income exceeds the prescribed income limit for the relevant family size. Therefore, the claim for FIS has been disallowed and the person in question was notified...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a social assistance payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to people who have a disability such that they require that level of care and who satisfy a means test. A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses outside the home for a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Payments (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned reapplied for family income supplement (FIS) and was awarded from 9 June 2016 to 7 June 2017 at a weekly supplement of €81.00. This FIS claim was then suspended with effect from the 6 July 2016 as the person concerned was absent from work due to illness and receiving illness benefit (IB) from the 20 May 2016. FIS may be paid in conjunction with IB for a maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (7 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 16 June 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: Invalidity Pension Applications (7 Jul 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 12 May 2016. Payment will issue to her nominated account on 21 July 2016. Any arrears due from the 12 May 2016 to 20 July 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 06 July 2016. I hope this...