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

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My department actively engages with carers and their advocacy groups. In April this year I met the two principal groups who advocate for carers at national level, including the group mentioned by the Deputy. In addition, my department hosted the Annual Carers’ Forum on 28 May. The purpose of the event is to provide carers with a voice at policy level. I was delighted to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Budget 2026 provides for €28.9 billion to be spent on social welfare in 2026. The measures contained in the Budget are designed to support the most vulnerable in our society with the increased cost of living and there is a particular focus on tackling child poverty. The wide array of measures clearly demonstrates the huge focus the Government has placed on assisting vulnerable people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: An application for Fuel Allowance was received from the person concerned on 24 June 2025. The person concerned was advised on 7 October 2025 that they were awarded the Fuel Allowance with effect from 27 June 2025. The first lump sum payment issued on 10 October 2025. The Telephone Support Allowance was also awarded with effect from 27 June 2025. The first payment, including arrears,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272, 273 and 274 together. Social welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme. Means assessments generally include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions and maintenance payments. They also include...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The European Social Fund (ESF+), is an element of the Cohesion Policy Funds, which is the European Union’s (EU) main instrument for investing in people with a budget of almost €99.3 billion for the period 2021-2027. The ESF+ fund continues to provide an important contribution to the EU’s employment, social, education and skills policies, including structural reforms...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The number of disability allowance claims that were appealed in 2022 - 2024 and the number of appeals on disability allowance claims which were disallowed in 2022 - 2024 are shown in the table below. Figures for 2022 and 2023 are taken from the Social Welfare Appeals Office annual reports for these respective years. The figures for 2024 are not yet finalised and will be published in the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a key support to rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. Since its reintroduction in 2017, almost €184 million has been allocated to the Scheme. On 7th August last, I was delighted to announce an additional €14 million in LIS funding, bringing the total...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces and has approved some €110 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. As part of Budget 2026, I was delighted to announce an increase in the annual budget for the CCIF by €3 million...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Budget 2026 has seen my Department’s allocation increase from €575 million to €611 million, an increase of 6% year on year. This provides €192 million for rural development, €260 million for community development, and €159 million for the Gaeltacht, Irish language Supports and the Islands. This will support investment in the economic and social...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Childcare Services (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund (or CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces and has provided some €110 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. As part of Budget 2026, I was delighted to announce increased funding for the programmes that are delivering on this...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Budget 2026 (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The LEADER programme is co-financed by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development. It is a multi-annual programme, with allocations being linked to a programming period set at EU level, rather than an annual basis. The total amount of funding allocated to LEADER for the period of 2021-2027 is €250...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Men's Sheds (16 Oct 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 Local Enhancement Programme...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Mental Health Services (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Loneliness and rural isolation are significant challenges, particularly for individuals living in remote and disadvantaged communities and those living alone. These issues have clear implications for physical and mental health outcomes. Addressing the issues of rural isolation and loneliness requires a range of responses across a number of Government Departments and agencies. This includes...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: EU Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department and agencies actively engage in securing and administering EU funding to support rural and community development and the Gaeltacht. A number of EU-funded programmes will be open through the Department and its agencies over the next six to twelve months. These include: PEACEPLUS programme (2021 – 2027): With a total value of €1.1 billion, this programme funds...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: For September 2025, 49,917 people were receiving Working Family Payment with 3,729 of these in households where Fuel Allowance is currently awarded on another claim. Exact numbers and breakdowns of Working Family Payment recipients who will benefit from the extension of Fuel Allowance to the Working Family Payment will be available when the measure comes into effect in 2026. The county...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. As part of Budget 2026, BSCFA was extended to children aged 2 and 3 years. It is estimated that this will support an additional 35,000 children. BSCFA is a means-tested...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. Budget 2026 included an increase in the income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Budget 2026 increased the earnings disregard for Carer’s Allowance by €375 to €1,000 for a single person and by €750 to €2,000 for a couple. This amounts to cumulative increases to the disregards of €667.50 and €1,335 respectively, since June 2022. The measure will benefit both those current recipients who are on a means-reduced rate and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: The estimated first-year cost of increasing the Carer's Allowance income disregard to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple in 2026 is €10 million. This measure will take effect in July 2026. The costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and the associated revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Oct 2025)

Dara Calleary: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly non-means tested payment 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 over and above that required by other children their age. Eligibility is not based on the disability or diagnosis, but rather on the impact of the disability in terms of the level of care and...