Results 22,001-22,020 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 276, 287 and 338 together. Supports in relation to housing and the provision of financial supports, such as the rent supplement scheme currently supporting some 56,800 recipients at a cost of €267 million in 2016, are a key priority for Government and are being considered by the Cabinet Committee on Housing in the context of the Programme for Government...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: This client presented to the Cork Street Intreo Centre on Tuesday 17 May to make an application for basic supplementary welfare allowance. Her application is pending award as the Designated Person handling her case is awaiting additional information that the person has been asked to supply. When this information is provided to the Department a decision can be made on her application....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 19th February 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 person concerned. Applications are processed in date of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 24 July 2015. 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: State Pensions Payments (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In the period 1 January to 31 December 2015, the Department paid state pension (contributory) on 52 scheduled payment dates to customers whose pension payment method was either to their post office or to their nominated financial institution, in Ireland. In order to ensure that customers are paid on or as necessary before their due date, it is common practice to bring payments forward when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together. I confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 18 August 2015. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 8 April 2016. Unfortunately, there are currently delays in the processing of new application. 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: Social Welfare Application Forms (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: In assessing means for social assistance payments, account is taken of the income and the value of property, including capital, of the claimant and their spouse/partner. Social welfare legislation provides that the yearly value of property (including capital) owned but not personally used or enjoyed is assessable for means testing purposes. However, it does not include property such as the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided for increases in the State pension age over a period of years. This process began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) previously available at 65, thereby currently standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. The changes introduced in 2011 were on foot of a Government commitment included in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I have already announced that I am considering replacing JobBridge with a more targeted scheme later this year. I believe that economic and labour market conditions have changed for the better since the scheme was introduced in 2011 and that the time may now be right for a more targeted scheme. JobBridge was developed in 2011 in response to the unemployment crisis to serve a dual...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Most Jobseekers receive their payment through the network of Post Offices. Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Allowance payments are made in arrears and this means that the customer’s payment for this week is based on last week’s entitlement. This payment calculation method for Jobseekers is easy to facilitate for the majority of customers as their income position does not...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The community services programme (CSP) is one of a number of programmes and schemes operated by my Department. It provides financial support to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a social inclusion nature. Many of these companies are also funded from other sources and generate revenue from the public use of their facilities and services. The CSP provides a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 to 293, inclusive, 298, 305 and 306 together. The information that the Deputy seeks is detailed in the following table: Measure Cost €million Increase the Family Income Supplement Scheme by 10% for 2017. 41.0 Increase the rate of Jobseeker's Allowance for those aged under 26 years of age to €188.00 per week. 148.4 Increase the Living...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Data (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: It is assumed that the Deputy is enquiring about increasing the earnings disregard on the one-parent family payment to €120 per week as opposed to the stated €120 per month. The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Support Services Funding (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The EmployAbility service is a national employment service dedicated to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities who wish to take up employment. The budget for 2016 provides €9.6 million to run the service. The average cost of providing support through the service is €2,900 per customer, so if the service was expanded to support an additional 1,000 customers,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Data (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The back to education allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The value of the BTEA weekly payment is equivalent to the weekly rate on the underlying qualifying payment, except in the case of jobseekers who are on an age-related jobseeker allowance payment....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Data (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 297 and 333 together. The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to 391,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €224 million in 2016. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Support Services (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 299 and 300 together. Reasonable Accommodation Fund for People with Disabilities The DSP has the responsibility for providing labour market services for disabled people, assisting them with finding paid employment or preparing them for employment through a training or employment programme. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund is a demand-led scheme in that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 301 and 330 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme (24 May 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The information, including the detailed breakdown that the Deputy has requested, is currently not available but is being calculated by my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.