Results 541-560 of 15,374 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (28 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department supports both rural and urban communities across the country with significant levels of funding. Budget 2025 secured a 9% increase in my Department’s allocation to €472 million, giving it additional resources to support communities. This record allocation is providing €212 million for rural development and €260 million for community development. ...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue regarding Women's Sheds. I acknowledge the huge work she has put into this issue over many years and join her in acknowledging the fantastic work being done by women's and men's sheds throughout the country. This area of women's sheds is an important issue to many colleagues across government, in particular, the Minister, Deputy Foley,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator. I certainly will take her up on that offer. I will ask somebody from my office to engage with her. As I said, we have had meetings and both the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will be having further meetings. In our Department, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy Foley, the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Treatment Benefit is a PRSI-based scheme which provides free dental and optical services, and assistance towards the provision of audiological appliances and hair replacement products, to people who satisfy certain qualifying conditions, and to their dependent spouses/partners. The following payment changes were made from 2021 to date in 2025, for persons who satisfy the medical...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: International Protection (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: International Protection Applicants who are resident in, or on a waiting list for, International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) accommodation, may receive a Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA) while awaiting a decision on their international protection application, provided they meet the conditions of the scheme. The International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) is under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department offers a range of income supports to freelance (self-employed) people, including, but not limited to, Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed, means tested Jobseeker’s Allowance, the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance. Additionally, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Central Statistics Office (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My officials have held meetings with CSO in this matter. The CSO has agreed to revise its process to ensure the parties to a marriage can be listed in the order of the couples choosing. This involves changes to the production process for CSO. Testing is being commenced to ensure the change can be implemented seamlessly and without impacting the CSO production process. The General Register...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has assigned a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the person concerned. A letter to inform the person of their PPSN was issued on 20th May 2025. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: A contribution statement issued to the person concerned on 14 November 2024. To qualify for the standard State pension (contributory) you need a minimum of 520 paid contributions in the first instance. The records of my Department show that the person concerned has 123 paid contributions which falls short of the minimum requirement. A Pension Caring Supports application was received from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports and programmes catering for the unemployed and those most distant from the labour market, which includes both the Tús programme and Community Employment. It is recognised by Government that both programmes are positive initiatives that enable participants to make a significant contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Relating to the details supplied, officials from my Department have contacted the person directly on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: All expenditure incurred, irrespective of the procurement process, is included in the Department’s annual accounts and details of all contracts awarded is published quarterly on GOV.ie here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/collections/pr ocurement-contracts-awarded/. The Department has one framework agreement for ICT services independent of those centrally established...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The process for monitoring payments in the Department is undertaken by contract as there can be numerous contracts awarded by the Department under a framework to various companies. There can also be numerous separate Lots under a framework. Each contract awarded under a framework will have a maximum value except for those available under a drawdown arrangement. Details of contracts awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department publishes details of all contracts awarded over €25,000 on gov.ie quarterly. The published documents include reference to whether the contract was awarded from a framework agreement. Information on contracts awarded from 1st January 2022 to 31st December 2024 is available here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-social-protection/collections/pr ocurement-contracts-awarded/. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Procurement Contracts (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department has one framework in respect of ICT Services for the period in question and a new ICT framework was established in Q1 2025. The process for monitoring payments in the Department is undertaken by contract as there can be numerous contracts awarded by the Department under a framework to various companies. There can also be numerous separate Lots under a framework, however...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department continues to work in an ever-changing environment and is constantly required to meet new challenges and update its processes to remain alert and to respond to new and emerging forms of fraud and non-compliance. The Department’s Compliance and Anti-fraud Strategy published during 2024 covers the five years from 2024 to 2028. In line with the previous strategy, it...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance is my Department's primary disability related social assistance scheme. Disability Allowance is a means-tested payment for people with a disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a means test, a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Treatment Benefit is a PRSI-based scheme which provides free dental and optical services, and assistance towards the provision of audiological appliances and hair replacement products, to people who satisfy certain qualifying conditions, and to their dependent spouses/partners. The following payment changes were made from 2021 to date in 2025, for persons who satisfy the medical...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The delivery of vital locally based Community Welfare Services (CWS) to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my department. The CWS provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is a priority that this service is easily accessible and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (27 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: A report published by my Department in November 2023 concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the statutory criteria for recognition as an occupational illness. Specifically, it found that presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable as it is not possible to establish with confidence that the disease has been contracted through a person’s occupation and not...