Results 1,141-1,160 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a key support for rural communities in improving non-public roads and laneways that are not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its reintroduction in 2017, the government has provided almost €170 million to local authorities under the Scheme. This has resulted in the completion of over 4,800 roads, benefitting over 20,000 landowners and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Men's Sheds (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I believe that the emergence of Men’s Sheds and Women's Sheds has been a very positive development for communities across Ireland and I am fully committed to supporting Men's Sheds and Women's Sheds in the valuable work they do. My Department provides funding to Men's Sheds and Women’s (Sister) Sheds under various funding supports, including: The €7 million Local...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Under the fund a total of €100 million has been provided to local authorities to support cities, towns and villages nationwide. Under the initial €50 million allocation in 2023, some 906 projects were...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Regeneration Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025, presents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the sustainable development of rural Ireland. It sets out a vision for a thriving rural Ireland, and establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. Town centre regeneration is a...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: National Planning Framework (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Balanced regional development is a central priority for this Government. It is a commitment we have enshrined in our Programme for Government and embedded through the revised National Planning Framework. The National Planning Framework allows us to sustainably plan for future growth and achieve a more even distribution of population, housing, jobs and infrastructure across all regions. ...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, the Government has provided local authorities with almost €170 million under the scheme. Since 2017, Louth has been allocated a total of €3.27 million in LIS funding. This figure...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The teaching of Irish abroad has been a very important link for the Irish diaspora and those with Irish heritage to Ireland and Irish culture. In 2006, a dedicated fund was established to support the development of Irish language courses in third-level institutions overseas. The objectives of the fund are to promote the Irish language and Irish culture overseas and to provide a platform...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Regeneration Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and has to date allocated over €177 million to almost 1,800 projects nationally. The scheme, which sees local authorities work with communities throughout the country, primarily targets funding at rural towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000, although towns with a population of up to 15,000 may be...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Harbours and Piers (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is responsible for the maintenance and development of the piers on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin. In relation to the Deputy's query, my Department granted Galway County Council permission in December 2024 to proceed with the appointment of consulting engineers to develop the Business Case, including a Strategic Assessment, for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Men's Sheds (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I am very aware of the growing interest in Women's Sheds in Ireland, and of the great work they do all over the country. They provide a space for women of all ages to come together on a regular basis in a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment. However, as Women’s Sheds do not currently operate under an overall national organisation, my department is unable to provide funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Since the establishment of the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) in 2022, my Department has provided approximately €110 million for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. I understand an application has not been received under the fund in respect of a facility in Fairhill. I would encourage community groups in...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The Programme for Government makes a commitment to carry out a comprehensive review of the eligibility criteria for CLÁR within 6 months with a view to expanding the programme to rural areas which are currently ineligible. This review is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Social Protection provides a comprehensive range of income supports to carers, including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined expenditure on these payments is estimated at €1.9 billion in 2025. Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: This Government acknowledges the important role that carers, including foster carers, play and remains fully committed to supporting them. That is why I was really pleased to announce that Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance eligibility is being extended to include children for whom Foster Care Allowance is being paid. The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Leave (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My colleague the Minister for Health has responsibility for the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024. This complex and far-reaching legislation encompasses the regulation for the first time of a wide range of practices undertaken in this jurisdiction, including domestic altruistic surrogacy, but also provides for the regulation of future surrogacy arrangements undertaken by Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Working Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them and be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment. A WFP application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to medical assessment, a means test, and habitual residency conditions. I can confirm the Department received an application for DA from the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer's Benefit is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention, and show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention. An...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to carers in the community. Carer’s Allowance is a means tested social assistance payment awarded to those who are caring for people who need full-time care and attention. Like other income supports the payment is intended to provide an income support for people who cannot earn income through...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Artificial Intelligence (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is currently examining the potential future use of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) technologies. This has involved active participation in several stakeholder groups, such as, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's working group on the implementation of EU AI Act. An A.I. Chatbot on the MyGovID platform is currently in use, providing real-time advice to customers...