Results 18,461-18,480 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (4 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 138 together. The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in a tabular statement. Recipients of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit and signing for Jobseeker’s Credits by age and specified durations at the end of March 2017 Jobseeker's Allowance Age > 12 months > 36 Months Totals 18 0 0 0 19 967 1 968 20 1,502...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (4 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Since 1961, when the State Pension Contributory (SPC) was introduced, the average contributions test has been used in calculating the rate of pension entitlement. Entitlement is banded, with the maximum rate payable to those with a yearly average of 48-52 contributions, and the minimum rate payable to those with a yearly average in the range of 10-14 contributions per year. Although the rate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (4 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18thApril 2017. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The person concerned is in receipt of a jobseeker’s transition payment which comprises a full personal rate and an increase in respect of 2 dependent children who qualify for payment under the provision of the scheme. It is open to the person concerned to contact her Intreo Centre in Newbridge if her circumstances have changed. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Data (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together. It is not possible to quantify the specific number of journeys undertaken annually under the free travel scheme. All transport companies participating in the free travel scheme are paid on the basis of fares foregone and payments are not made on a specific per journey basis. This method of payment to travel operators for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 623,000 families in respect of some 1.2 million children, with an estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 2 March 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. If you require any further assistance with this query please do not hesitate to contact...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 20 January 2017. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department provides a wide range employment supports including employer incentives, income support and activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These schemes provide work experience and training but also benefit communities across Ireland by supporting community services in childcare, health and social care, outdoor...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 24 February 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. If you require any further assistance with this query please do not hesitate to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The one-parent family payment (OFP) is a payment for both men and women aged under 66 years who are bringing up a child or children without the support of a partner. To qualify for an OFP payment a person must meet the conditions of the scheme as set down in legislation and they must satisfy a means test. The OFP overpayment in this instance occurred due to an increase in the means of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Poverty Data (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The latest CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) results for 2015 show that the consistent poverty rate, for people in households headed by a person who was unable to work due to illness or a disability, was 22.4% in 2015. This compared to 14.4% the year before. The at-risk-of-poverty rate increased from 25.2% to 34.8% and basic deprivation rose from 51.3% to 53.2% for this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 to 201, inclusive, together. The Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services, which affect the lives of almost every person in the State. In 2016, some 1.7 million applications for benefit, assistance and access to schemes were received and processed and over 82 million individual payments were made to people across all age groups and to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Social welfare legislation provides that, for means testing purposes, rental income received by a claimant and his or her spouse/partner where it derived from a property other than the family home is not assessed. However, the yearly value of such a second property is assessed on a notional basis based on the market value of the property less any outstanding mortgage. This reflects the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Deputy will be aware that I discussed this matter at the meeting with the local Oireachtas Members and Councillors from the Ballybay - Clones Municipal District on Wednesday 5thOctober 2016.It is not proposed to open an Intreo Centre or government building in Ballybay, or to relocate one of the Department’s agencies there. I continue, however, to be fully supportive of any...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my Department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 22 November 2016. The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 23 January 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. Once the SWI has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (3 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There have been no payments made by my Department, or by any public body under the aegis of my Department, to the person during the period in question.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Administrative Arrangements (2 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: It was control and fraud.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mining Industry (2 May 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Current or former miners who have suffered an occupational injury or prescribed occupational disease are entitled to apply for disablement benefit. Disablement benefit is one of the benefits payable under the occupational injuries benefit scheme, to an insured person who suffers a loss of physical or mental faculty as a result of an occupational accident or a prescribed occupational disease...