Results 18,981-19,000 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions is approximately €7 billion per annum. Due to demographic changes, my Department's spending on older people is increasing year on year at an approximate rate of €1 billion every 5 years. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other payments is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Expenditure (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is an in-work support, which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. FIS is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependants and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. There are currently over 57,000 families with more than 126,000 children in receipt of FIS. The estimated spend...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The household benefits package comprises the electricity/gas allowance (€35 per month) and the free television licence scheme (€160 per annum). At present, it is paid to some 425,000 customers, with expenditure estimated at €232 million for 2017. There has been no reduction in the household benefits scheme in recent budgets. However, there were considerable changes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Care Provision (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides a wide range of services for people growing older in Ireland and is committed to the protection and promotion of the rights of older people, their dignity, diversity and independence. The specific issue raised in your parliamentary question concerning services for older people and persons deemed as vulnerable would appear to be more appropriate for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: All jobseekers referred to JobPath must have been registered as unemployed and available for work for at least 12 months. Participation with the JobPath service is mandatory as is the case for the activation services provided for jobseekers by Intreo and the Local Employment Services I understand that the customer has not yet informed my Department regarding his ill health and I have asked...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Data (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Entitlement to a Carer's Allowance means that a person must be living with, or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who does not normally live in an institution and not be engaged in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. During such an absence, adequate care for the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Bereavement Grant (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In recent Budgets my Department has protected primary social welfare rates. Abolishing the bereavement grant provided a significant annual saving. This allowed my Department to protect other social welfare payments such as the State pension. There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than the grant. These include a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Mar 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) available from 65 for those who satisfied the qualifying conditions, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years, which is the current State pension age. This will increase to 67 in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Expenditure (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The fuel allowance is a payment of €22.50 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to 378,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €229 million in 2017. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. It represents a contribution towards those costs and is not intended to meet them in full. Only one allowance is paid per...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The details of the 5 members of staff of my Department currently suspended with pay pending the completion of the disciplinary investigation process are as follows. - Grade Salary Point Suspended From Reason for Suspension Date Investigation commenced Expected date of completion of investigation 1. HEO €57,246 August 2012 Alleged Fraud See below Unknown 2. HEO €57,246...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Surveys (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In August 2016, the Department of Social Protection conducted a survey of 20,022 people – largely self-employed workers including farmers, as well as certain company directors – who relied on Class S Pay-Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions to qualify for social insurance benefits in the tax year 2014. The survey was undertaken to understand how the PRSI system is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Legal advice and services are provided to the Department by Legal Advisors who are seconded to the Department from the Office of the Attorney General. That Office, together with the Chief State Solicitors Office, determines if, and procures and pays for, any external legal advice that may be required and incurs any expenditure arising.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 10 March 2017 and the first payment issued to their nominated bank account on 15 March 2017. Arrears of allowance due from 5 January 2017 to 14 March 2017 have also issued to the bank. The person concerned was notified of these details on 10 March 2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in the delivery of key local services, to tackle disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. It provides valuable resourcing for service delivery undertaken by not-for-profit companies and co-operatives in communities around the country. This group referred to by the Deputy is not currently in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Allowances (21 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There were no overnight expenses claimed by any Minister or Minister of State in my Department for staying in Dublin for the period 2011 to date. The Minister’s and the Minister of State’s expenses are available on the Department’s website at www.welfare.ie.

Questions on Promised Legislation (9 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: That is a joint project involving the Department of Finance, Revenue Commissioners and my Department. My Department has a particular interest because where bogus self-employment exists, we lose out on PRSI. This is because we do not get employer's PRSI. More significantly, the people concerned do not get the same social benefits as they would were they employed. A joint working group is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (9 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received two applications for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 2 February 2017. The applications are 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: Poverty Impact Assessment (9 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion identifies poverty impact assessment (PIA) as being an important implementing and monitoring mechanism for poverty reduction. PIA is the process by which government departments, local authorities and State agencies assess policies and programmes at design, implementation and review stages in relation to the likely impact that they will have or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (9 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 January 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: Carer's Allowance Applications (9 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to a person who is providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. CA is in payment to the person concerned since 17 April 2008. The person concerned has requested a review of her means on 11 January 2017 and forwarded a P45. Further information deemed...