Results 18,241-18,260 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 15 February 2017. The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 25 April 2017 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Enquiries by the SWI are continuing....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department has not received a request from the customer concerned in regard to the Rural Social Scheme. Officials from my Department will be contacting the customer to establish the detail of the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Penalty rates were introduced as a means of encouraging jobseekers to engage with activation measures and co-operate with efforts of the Department to assist them in securing employment. The Department is committed, under Pathways to Work, to incentivise the take-up of activation opportunities, including implementing sanctions for failure to engage. The legislation underpinning the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The latest Eurostat European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions data show that the severe material deprivation rate for lone parent households was 22.6% in Ireland in 2015. This is the second successive year the rate reduced – representing a 9.7 percentage point reduction on the 2013 rate of 32.3%. The Irish rate compares to the EU average of 17.1% in 2015 (see Table 1...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Based on Eurostat Labour Force Survey data, the Irish long-term unemployment rate was 3.6% in Q4 2016, as compared with 3.8% in the EU overall. The situation in Ireland has improved substantially both in absolute terms and relative to the EU average in the last few years. The long-term unemployment rate here peaked at 9.5% in Q1 2012 at a time when the EU average rate was 4.5%. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 April 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 January 2017. As the spouse of the applicant is self-employed in construction, the matter was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 20 March 2017 to assess the level of care being provided, assess means and confirm that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 15 May 2017 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The majority of people in receipt of a payment from my Department receive what they are entitled to. Nevertheless, my Department recognises that abuse of the welfare system is an ongoing reality and must be tackled. Anti-fraud measures are set out in the Department’s Compliance and Anti-Fraud Strategy 2014 – 2018 and are designed to prevent, deter and detect fraud and to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Community Services Programme (CSP) provides financial support to community companies and social enterprises that deliver revenue generating services of a socially inclusive nature. The provision of local social, economic and environmental services is the core aim of the CSP. I recently announced a call for proposals under strand 3 of CSP, which focuses on social enterprises that employ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person for social assistance purposes. My Department is currently drafting legislation which will result in awards from the Stardust compensation scheme being disregarded as means for social welfare purposes. Pending the passage of this legislation, it was decided in December...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 11thMay 2017, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Applications Data (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: At the end of April there were 7,421 recipients of a farm assist payment. Data on applications received and numbers of awarded or rejected claims for Farm Assist is only available in my Department’s information systems aggregated together with the corresponding data for Jobseeker’s Allowance claims, so that it is not possible to provide the requested disaggregated information...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 26 April 2017. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 10 February 2017. In order to qualify for CA where the care recipient is aged less than 16 years of age, domiciliary care allowance (DCA) must be in payment in respect of them. As DCA is not in payment in respect of this care recipient, the application for CA has been refused....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336 to 341, inclusive, together. As the deputy will be aware, the State’s Public Employment Service is managed by my Department and delivered directly by its own Intreo service as well as by contracted private companies, such as JobPath, Local Employment Service and Job Club providers. The Department has contracts in place with in excess of 60...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition), which had been available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. This is the current State pension age. It will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 February 2017. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the carer must provide full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. Social welfare legislation defines a person as requiring full time care and attention...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There are two State pensions. Firstly, the State pension (non-contributory) is a means tested pension and is funded by general taxation. Secondly, the State pension (contributory) is not means tested and is paid from the Social Insurance Fund. It is important to ensure that those qualifying for a contributory pension have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Data (23 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Family Income Supplement (FIS) Section is unable to provide any further information over and above the number of Defence Force members in receipt of a FIS payment. The information provided by the customer to the Department on a FIS application includes confirmation provided by the customer’s employer that they are in remunerative employment. The Department does not require the customer...