Results 501-520 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: EU Funding (23 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department utilises EU funding across three broad areas, the LEADER Programme, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the PEACE Programmes.The LEADER programme is co-funded by the EU, with the rates of EU funding differing across each programme period. In 2024 and to date in 2025 LEADER has funded 1,017 projects to the value of €33.6 million, which includes €21.7 million...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (23 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has a number of archive files stored with an external supplier, the details of the expenditure for the years in question are set out below. Provider Service 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 Glenbeigh Storage Off site file storage €811 €1,187 ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (23 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The CLÁR programme in 2025 includes a range of different funding measures, including measure 1 which supports community facilities and amenities. Applications under measure 1 are submitted to my Department via the local...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Heneghan. Is mór an chaill é do TG4 go bhfuil sé anseo sa Dáil. Tá muid ag iarraidh go mbeidh airgead breise ann, ach caithfear a rá freisin go bhfuil an méid airgid is mó riamh i stair an Stáit á chaitheamh ar chúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta. Tá muid ag iarraidh seasamh le daoine a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Food Safety (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. The Nutritional Standards for School Meals have been in place since its inception and were developed by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. In Budget 2025, it was announced that the Hot School Meals Scheme will be extended to all remaining...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My department established an interdepartmental working group, which includes the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 292 together. The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Under the School Meals Programme, the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Nutritional Standards for School Meals have been in place since the scheme's inception. They were developed by a technical Nutrition Subgroups comprised of:Dieticians from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,The HSE,Safefood, andThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland.These standards are available to all schools, organisations and suppliers and are publicly available on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school. The primary relationship is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My department provides the funding for the meals directly to the school. The primary relationship is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly payment for people with a specified disability, aged between 16 and 66, where the disability is expected to last at least one year. Entitlement is subject to a medical assessment, a means test, and habitual residence conditions. The Department’s Medical Assessors are all qualified physicians with backgrounds in areas such as General Practice,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department published a review of the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and Disability Awareness Support Scheme in August 2023. This report set out nine recommendations to merge the two schemes into a single, flexible scheme and to expand and improve the supports offered under the new scheme. In July 2024, the new Work and Access scheme was launched. Work and Access offers seven supports...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The accommodation needs of victims of domestic violence are met through a joined-up service delivery model provided by Tusla with the close involvement of the various housing authorities nationwide. Access to Rent Supplement can be provided on referral by Tusla or by prescribed Tusla-funded service providers. This provides victims of domestic violence with a fast track approval and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Inquiries (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: In relation to your questions above, I have instructed my officials to issue Contribution History Statements for both persons which should reach them in the coming days. Regarding the periods 1997- 2020 and whether the person concerned is entitled to credits, there is also an application for the Home Caring Scheme attached. Please have the person concerned complete and return this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department assesses all factors relating to the State pension system and its sustainability through Actuarial Reviews of the Social Insurance Fund - from which the State pension is paid. An Actuarial Review must be conducted every five years. The last Actuarial Review was published in March 2023. The purpose of the review is to determine the extent to which the Fund may be expected, in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 Sep 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 1 January 2026. My...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: There is a general principle of one person-one payment that applies across our social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world. As a result, in the case of a...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (18 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is committed to supporting thriving communities across the country through a range of funding initiatives. My Department has allocated in the region of €51 million in funding to County Offaly from 2020 to 2024. My Department’s funding programmes have delivered significant capital investment in County Offaly over the years referenced. Examples include:Over...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 720, 760, 761, 764 and 767 together. 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...