Results 1,161-1,180 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Flexible Work Practices (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by the end of 2025. There are currently 387 remote and co-working facilities across the country on-boarded to the platform, including nine in County Kildare. Details of all the onboarded hubs...

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

Dara Calleary: My Department has a strong commitment to developing its staff; to build appropriate skills and expertise, and also to support their efforts in the area of self-development and life-long learning. Each year, staff are offered the opportunity to receive funding to study a second or third level course through the Department's Education Support Scheme. This scheme operates in line with Circular...

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

Dara Calleary: My Department follows the guidance issued by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The NCSC guidance recommends that new AI technology should only be adopted based on a clearly defined business need following an appropriate risk assessment. My Department’s...

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

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided approximately €110 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. I am committed to delivering further iterations of the scheme in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As Senators know, in January 2024 the Supreme Court overturned the Department’s decision not to pay the widower’s contributory pension to Mr. Johnny O’Meara. At the outset of this debate, and as I have done constantly throughout all of the debates, I want to acknowledge the tremendous loss that Johnny O’Meara and his family have suffered. Johnny’s...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I apologise. I have been called to the Dáil for a vote.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I will be back.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner’s Pension and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I first apologise to the House for the suspension. There are no pairs available. I have great respect for the House and did not wish to interrupt Senator Craughwell's contribution and the business of the House. I thank all those who participated in this debate for their contributions. While there are individual differences on aspects of the Bill, it is clear there is broad support for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable to a parent / guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 who has a severe disability requiring continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the care and attention normally required by a child of the same age and where the level of the child's disability is such that the child is likely to require this level of care and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government has clearly set out a timeline which commits to significantly increasing the income disregards for Carer’s Allowance in each Budget with a view to phasing out the means test during the lifetime of the Government. This is a major change to the Carer's Allowance and to the Irish social welfare system generally.  It is important that we make progress...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-means-tested payment of €360 to a parent or guardian for a child aged up to 16 who has a severe disability. The child must require care and attention substantially greater than that required by other children of the same age. Domiciliary Care Allowance stops being paid when a child reaches 16 years of age. This aligns with the age of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. In this context, it is worth noting that there are other supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the former grant. These include the Widowed or Surviving Civil Partner grant, which is a once-off payment of €8,000 available...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes. The primary social assistance scheme for people who are blind or visually impaired is the Blind Pension, which is a means-tested payment, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Isolation (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy, with a five-year timeframe, that aims to reduce consistent poverty to 2% or less, and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. The Roadmap, published in January 2020, is an overarching statement of Government strategy, which acknowledges the range of sectoral plans already in place...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (9 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Pacáiste Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh is a language pack provided free of charge to families who currently raise their children through Irish or who wish to do so. Historically my Department distributed the packs directly to families who requested it. This initiative was then transferred to the organisation Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta in 2019. Following sanction of most...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 556 together. The Department has not incurred any Ministerial costs within these expenditure categories for the years 2015 to 2025 inclusive.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising (8 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department administers over 100 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. We are committed to ensuring that members of the public are fully aware of the welfare supports and services that are available to them, and that they are notified of any scheme changes which may affect them. Public information and advertising campaigns are an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Details of the amounts spend on media training from 2015 to 2025 is set out below. Year Company Cost (excl VAT) No of Staff Staff Grades 2019 Carr Communications €550 2 1 Principal Officer & 1 Assistant Principal Officer 2025 Drury €1,260 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has not employed or engaged any external consultants for media consultancy from 2015 to 2025. The Department's Press Office deals with all media queries and public relations matters I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (8 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who are on Maternity Leave and who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contributions. Government has provided over €295 million for the scheme in 2025. Maternity Benefit is payable at the weekly rate of €289 and was increased by €15 from 1 January 2025. If a person has...