Results 921-940 of 14,473 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I regret to inform the Deputy that is is not possible to compile the requested figures in the timeframe available.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public transport services and and on private transport services operating the Free Travel scheme. There are over 1.1 million customers with direct eligibility for Free Travel. As part of Budget 2024, Free Travel was extended to people who are medically certified as unfit to drive. From 29th July 2024, the measure extended access...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office 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: Departmental Correspondence (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The main income supports for Carers provided by the Department of Social Protection are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.9 billion in 2025. Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (4 Mar 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: Departmental Policies (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department does not have a role in relation to the setting of retirement ages or policies in respect of any profession. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has responsibility for information provision, workplace advice, mediation, conciliation, adjudication, inspection and enforcement in relation to employment rights, equality and equal status matters and industrial relations....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Funeral Services (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 790 and 791 together. My Department has responsibility for policy and legislation in relation to local authority burial grounds while the actual operation of burial grounds is the responsibility of the local authority concerned. Under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects. The scheme targets funding primarily at towns and villages outside of city metropolitan areas, and with populations of less...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 794 and 805 together. The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities for LIS. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. Under the 2024 fund, applicants such as schools, sports...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The 2023-2027 LEADER Programme supports a broad range of private enterprises and community groups who improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. The Programme is delivered by a network of Local Action Groups (LAGs) selected to implement Local Development Strategies for their respective geographical areas. The LEADER programme is co-financed by the European...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: 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 of depopulation over a defined period. The school referred to by the Deputy is not located in an area eligible to apply for CLÁR funding. The Deputy will be aware that the Programme for Government...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Government has been working to ensure that we take on board the lessons of recent weeks, and that comprehensive preparations are put in place in anticipation of similar weather events in the future. In the aftermath of the storm, communities were able to get some relief through local community buildings, many of which were repurposed as Community Emergency Response Hubs. I believe...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Empowering Communities Programme (ECP) is funded by my Department. It commenced in 2022, initially providing funding for 14 projects. At present there are 17 projects supported under the programme, with annual funding of €2.3 million. The areas selected for funding under the ECP are ones that are experiencing significant disadvantage identified using the Pobal HP deprivation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am advised that Cork City Council submitted a Stage 1 Application for Approval in Principle for the Blackrock/Mahon library project, to my Department in Q4 2024, for technical assessment. This requirement is to ensure that proposed projects comply with the Public Library Standards and Benchmarks, which is standard practice for all new public library projects. The assessment process is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I recognise the importance of ensuring that there are good child play facilities located in communities throughout Ireland. My department has provided funding for the delivery and upgrade of a large number of playgrounds through schemes such as the CLÁR Programme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Community Recognition Fund and the LEADER programme. These are typically outdoor...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In June last year, a new round of funding was announced to support community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding of between €10,000 and €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. In November, just over €7.8 million was approved...