Results 21-40 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The number of claims registered for Invalidity Pension along with the number of claims awarded for Invalidity Pension in 2024, and to date in 2025, are shown in the table below. 2024 to end September 2025 Claims Registered 9361 6814 Claims Awarded 6795 48

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Applications for State Pension Contributory are made to the State Pension Contributory Section of the Department of Social Protection for consideration by Deciding Officers. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to all appealable social welfare entitlements including decisions on State Pension Contributory. Appeals Officers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is responsible for the allocation of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) to people, including those who are returning emigrants, who require one to access public services or take up employment or education. The majority of returning emigrants should have a PPSN but if a person has difficulty recalling or locating their original PPSN, they should contact my Department for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 23 July 2025. This application was refused on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Common Travel Area (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Entitlement to UK payments, such as the UK fuel payment, is a matter for the Department of Work and Pensions in the UK and it would not be appropriate for my Department to comment on their behalf. However, the existing bilateral social security agreement between Ireland and the UK ensures that citizens across the Common Travel Area are protected. If someone residing in Ireland is in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My department officials engage with the UK Department for Work and Pensions on an ongoing basis on issues impacting social security entitlements across the Common Travel Area, including any changes to benefits such as the Winter Fuel Payment. Clarification on entitlements to UK payments is a matter for our UK counterparts and it would not be appropriate for my Department to comment on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to the Department in as targeted a manner as possible. To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria, this ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment is targeted at those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 21 March 2025. It is a condition for receipt of CA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 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 (PRSI) contribution conditions. My Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned concerned on 3 October 2024. This application was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the EU-Survey on Income and Living Conditions, the EU-20 average disability employment gap is 20.2 percentage points; however due to the methodology used, it is difficult to make cross-country comparisons with accuracy. Based on Census 2022, Ireland’s employment rate for people with disabilities was 49%, resulting in a disability employment gap of 22 percentage points. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Vacant Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department continues to work closely with the Office of Public Works to ensure the efficient use of office accommodation and public resources, and to prevent any buildings from remaining unused. The Department of Social Protection and the agencies under its remit do not own any vacant buildings in Dublin 2, 4, 6, and 6W.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce the Automatic Enrolment (AE) Retirement Savings System. The aim of introducing AE is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland and to provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement income. The new system - to be known as My Future Fund - will commence from 1st January 2026. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned reached pension age on 1 September 2021. The records of my Department show that, from their date of entry into insurable employment on 3 February 1975, the person concerned has 1,324 paid contributions and 4 credited contributions. This equates to a yearly average of 29 which gives entitlement to 85% of the max rate of pension or €246.30 per week. This...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Claim processing statistics are collated at national level only; breakdowns by county are not available. The most recent national totals for claims awaiting decision at the end of September are set out in the table below. Scheme Pending End Claims Sep 2025 Avg weeks to Award Sep 25 State Pension (Contributory) 1,626 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The person concerned applied for Carers Allowance and was refused on 23rd May 2024, on the grounds that full time care and attention were not being provided and that the information required by the Department to determine means had not been supplied. The person concerned submitted an appeal on 2nd September 2024. Having considered all of the available evidence the Appeals Officer...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. The key role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability and caring responsibilities. The main income supports to family carers provided by my Department are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Details, as requested by the Deputy, are contained in the table below: Name of Report Cost (inc. VAT) Review of National Employment Service Profit Moderation No costs yet incurred Review of Social Welfare Branch Office Managers PRSI Deductions No costs yet incurred Information Technology Internal Audit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that, as a result, they require that level of care. I can confirm that CA was in payment to the person concerned for a first care recipient from 02 September 2010 to 04...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I understand that the Deputy has clarified that his question relates to instances of people who were self-employed during their working lives but did not qualify for the state pension (contributory) due to insufficient social insurance contributions. In 1988, self-employed workers were brought into compulsory social insurance cover and, therefore, became liable to the applicable PRSI rate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (21 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: In addition to the 27 Member States of the EU, and the Convention on Social Security with the UK, Ireland currently has Bilateral Social Security Agreements (agreements) with Australia, Austria, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Quebec, the Swiss Confederation, the United Kingdom and the United States. The agreements are limited to certain social welfare benefits and are...