Results 241-260 of 15,374 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Educational Sector Workers (ESWs), including School Bus Escorts, who wish to avail of income support while temporarily laid-off during the school breaks can apply for a jobseeker’s payment. They must satisfy all the qualifying conditions to receive a payment. This includes completing the relevant claim application forms and providing supporting documentation in a timely manner while...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disablement Benefit is a compensatory payment for persons who have suffered a loss of faculty due to injury arising out of and in their insurable employment. All qualifying criteria for disablement benefit must be satisfied before entitlement to payment can be established. The person concerned applied for disablement benefit on 26 October 2023 for an accident which was alleged to have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim of reducing consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, with 81 commitments. Progress towards achieving the aims of the Roadmap are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Inclusion Forum was established by Government in 2002, as part of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy institutional structures, and has continued to be part of the monitoring and evaluation structure of successive strategies, including the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025. The aim of the Forum is to give people who are directly affected by poverty and social exclusion, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim of reducing consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, with 81 commitments. Goal four of the Roadmap is "Supporting Families and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim of reducing consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, with 81 commitments. Goal three of the Roadmap is "Supporting Older People."...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim of reducing consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, with 81 commitments. Implementation of Roadmap commitments is well underway...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment for carers who look after a person in need of full-time care and attention. My Department received an application for CSG from the person concerned on 14 May 2025. I can confirm that the person has been awarded the CSG payment for the years 2024 and 2025. Payment of €1,850 for the year 2024 and €2,000 for the year 2025...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned was awarded State pension (contributory) with effect from 1 June 2011. Based on their contribution record, they were awarded 50% of the maximum rate of pension. Their current weekly payment is €154.70, which includes the over 80 allowance of €10.00. A number of reforms were introduced to the State pension (contributory) including a provision for people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance contribution conditions. The person concerned was awarded IP with effect from 22 May 2025 and will receive her first payment to her nominated bank account on 3 July 2025. She will receive all arrears...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides assistance to households in the immediate aftermath of severe weather events under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) which was activated on Thursday, 23 January in advance of Storm Éowyn’s arrival. The purpose of supports available under HAS 2 is to provide financial support to eligible householders whose primary dwelling i.e., their home only, was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department implemented a formal Blended Working Policy in September 2022 under which staff members were invited at that time to apply for a blended working arrangement and annually thereafter via the annual application process. This Policy, developed in line with the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organizations, offers a varied attendance model, depending on the staff...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department recognises the importance of meals on wheels service providers to our communities and supports such organisations through the CLÁR Programme and the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP). The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I understand from the Ulster-Scots Agency that the organisation provided a grant of £5,650 to the Royal Landing community festival. This award supported a range of Ulster-Scots cultural programming including Ulster-Scots musical displays across a range of genres, a display of highland dancing, historical re-enactors, historical talks, an exhibition and associated logistical arrangements....

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Staff (19 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The majority of staff in my Department and its agencies work a hybrid pattern. There are eight bodies under the aegis of my Department - Pobal, the Western Development Commission, the Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. The figures provided are inclusive of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this issue. Relating to LEADER in Tipperary, the Tipperary local action group, LAG, has received €10.8 million for the 2021 to 2027 period, which is an increase of 7% on the previous budget. As the Deputy knows, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht has no role in deciding on specific projects. That is done by the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (18 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: The official Irish language version of the placename for the town referred to by the Deputy is the subject of a comprehensive report that I have received from An Coiste Logainmneacha – the statutory committee of experts appointed to advise me on Irish language placenames. This report has been prepared following representations made to my Department initially from the local Tidy Towns...

Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2025: Financial Resolution (17 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: I move: That the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution to provide that amounts to be paid on the bereaved partner's contributory pension and the bereaved partner's non-contributory pension under the Social Welfare Acts are to be deemed to be earned income for the purpose of the Taxes Consolidation Act...

Seanad: Balanced Regional Development: Statements (17 Jun 2025)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas le Ceannaire an tSeanaid, an Seanadóir Seán Kyne, as an gcuireadh chun a bheith anseo inniu chun cúrsaí réigiúnacha a phlé. I thank the Leader of the Seanad for the invitation to speak with the Members today on the importance of balanced regional development. Responsibility lies with all of us in Seanad Éireann and Dáil...