Results 21,661-21,680 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 3 May 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 are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (14 Jun 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: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Department operates a range of means tested social assistance schemes where, in order to qualify for the payment, the claimant must satisfy a means test which takes into account the assets and income (including earnings) of the claimant and his or her spouse/partner. The means test for earnings includes tapering arrangements, whereby a certain proportion of earnings are disregarded in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Providing Equal Employment Routes (PEER) project was one of 14 disability activation projects (DACT), in the Border, Midlands and West region, which were jointly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department of Social Protection (DSP), from the end of 2012 to April 2015. The project was delivered by the Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability...

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 3 February 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Payments (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to carers who are in receipt of a qualifying payment on the first Thursday in June. The CSG for the person concerned were issued to their nominated post office on 2 June 2016 and 9 June 2016 in respect of two care recipients. I hope this clarifies the matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on 6 April 2016. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the applicant. It can currently take 12 weeks to process an application...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for the Carer’s Support Grant (formerly called Respite Care Grant) was received in my Department on 6thApril 2016. This application is being processed as expeditiously as possible and a decision will be made shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on the 3 November 2015. On the 6 November 2015, a deciding officer (DO) requested information from the person in question in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Payments (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Where a person is found to be eligible, invalidity pension (IP) is awarded from the first Thursday after the date of receipt of the application. I confirm that the Department received an application for IP from the person concerned on 15 March 2016 and he has been awarded IP with effect from 17 March 2016, the first Thursday after date of receipt. Payment will issue to his nominated bank...

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 December 2015. The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the SWI has reported, a deciding...

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 6 November 2015. The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the SWI has reported, a deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided for a gradual increase in the State pension age. This process began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) previously available at 65, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. There are no plans to introduce changes to this legislation which was introduced on foot of a Government commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Payment Options (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 and 330 together. My Department provides two main options for payment methods for its customers: payments direct to customer accounts in financial institutions or payments in cash at post offices. Specifically in respect of cash payments at Post Offices, in 2015 my department made over 38 million such payments in cash at a cost of €54...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (14 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The purpose of Tús is the provision of short-term quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than one year in order to break the cycle of unemployment and to improve a person’s opportunities in returning to the labour market. Currently, there are no circumstances under which a person’s term on Tús can be extended. The Tús budget for 2016...

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

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 17 February 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme (9 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Farm Assist is one of a range of means social assistance schemes operated by my Department. The means test for these schemes takes account of the income and assets of both the claimant and his or her spouse/partner, including the earnings and assets of the spouse. No account is taken of the value of the family home. Where a claimant or their spouse has income from self-employment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Placements (9 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy – particularly the sharp increase in unemployment. The primary aim of the scheme is to give unemployed people the opportunity to secure work experience and prove their competence to prospective employers. To date, Job Bridge has attracted the voluntary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (9 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I am aware of the concerns of the Irish Postmasters’ Union. In respect of payments my Department provides two main options for payment methods for its customers: payments direct to customer accounts in financial institutions or payments in cash at post offices. In 2015 my department made over 38 million cash payments at Post Offices at a cost of €54 million. These welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Widow's Pension (9 Jun 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There are three main schemes operated by the Department which are payable to widows, widowers and surviving civil partners: a contributory pension, a death benefit pension and a non-contributory pension. The latter scheme is only payable to widow/er’s and surviving civil partners under 66 years of age with no children – claimants aged 66 and over can apply for the...