Results 661-680 of 15,374 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 May 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 17 February 2025. It is a condition for receipt of CA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit is a new social insurance income support which has replaced the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for people who are fully unemployed, who have become unemployed since 31 March 2025 and who meet the statutory conditions of the scheme. The legislation provides that those whose employment involves a recurring pattern of employment and unemployment reflecting the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Currently entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership. As the Deputy is aware, on 22nd January 2024, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the entitlement of an unmarried cohabitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State pension (contributory) or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. Earnings from employment, self employment, occupational pensions, and foreign pensions are assessed as means....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Revenue Commissioners operate the Disabled Drivers & Disabled Passengers Scheme for vehicles purchased for use by people with disabilities. This scheme provides VRT and VAT relief, an exemption from motor tax and an annual fuel grant to drivers and passengers with a severe and permanent disability, who qualify under the relevant criteria set out in governing regulations made by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department’s Blended Working Policy, developed in line with the Blended Working Policy Framework for Civil Service Organizations, offers a varied attendance model, depending on the staff role and business needs. 50% of staff work from home for at least two days per week.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: To qualify for the Fuel Allowance payment, a person aged under 66 must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including being in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and the household composition criteria. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty, including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Equipment (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department uses the software programmes - Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. However, to ensure the integrity and security of its systems and data, the Department does not publish specific details on software versions in use within the Department which could potentially be of benefit to threat actors.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Equipment (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department uses the software programme- Microsoft Teams. However to ensure the integrity and security of its systems and data, the Department does not publish specific details on software versions in use within the Department which could potentially be of benefit to threat actors.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Equipment (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department uses two Cloud Service Providers, Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, to deliver ICT services. The Department consumes Software As A Service applications, to deliver business services to our wide ranging customer base. To ensure the integrity and security of its systems and data, the Department does not publish specific details on software versions in use within the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Equipment (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The software programme referred to is not currently used in the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department uses no commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP) to provide its internet services.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State pension (contributory) or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. Earnings from employment, self employment, occupational pensions, and foreign pensions are assessed as means. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a State pension (contributory) or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. Earnings from employment, self employment, occupational pensions, and foreign pensions are included in the means...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Supporting volunteering in our society is a central element of my Department's work to develop vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities. In furtherance of this, my Department oversees a national framework of support for the community and voluntary sector, as part of which €7.3 million will be provided in 2025 to support volunteering. This funding supports the network of 29...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is responsible for a range of initiatives tackling deprivation and revitalising communities in both rural and urban areas. Key programmes include the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Empowering Communities Programme and providing funding for the Dublin North East Inner City initiative. My Department is making significant progress in revitalising...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: In line with its remit, the Department operates a Rural Development Investment Programme delivering a range of capital schemes which are targeted at rural areas outside of our metropolitan locations. Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Freedom of Information (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am fully cognisant of the statutory obligations that apply under the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and I am fully satisfied that records relating to government or official departmental business are retained in line with the requirements of the Act.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Sports Funding (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The main source of state funding for sporting organisations is through Sport Ireland and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. That Department administers the Sports Capital Programme which is the primary vehicle for government support for the development of sports and physical recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under my Department's blended working policy, staff are required to attend the office a minimum of two fixed days per week, with the option of working from home on the other three days. Currently 96.5% of staff in my Department work from home at least two days per week.