Results 19,041-19,060 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: At present, entitlement to the contributory pension is determined by means of a ‘yearly average’ calculation, where the total contributions paid or credited are divided by the number of years of the working life (i.e. the period between when they first entered insurable employment and the year pension age). The yearly average test has been in existence since 1961 when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Construction Contracts (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Under the arrangements set out in Circular 1 of 2013, the OPW act as an agent for any building works carried out by the Department of Social Protection. Providing a centralised service for the provision and management of accommodation is the most economic way of protecting the State property portfolio. OPW has the relevant expertise and trained personnel both in the procurement and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register. To date, these policies have been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy is aware, I have allocated an additional 500 places on the rural social scheme (RSS) as part of the social welfare budget package for 2017. This is the first increase in places since 2006 and will expand the overall number of participants from 2,600 to 3,100. The question of further additional places will be considered in the context of future Budgets. The objective of the RSS...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Due to changes in data systems in the Department, this level of breakdown is not available before 2012. However, the Central Statistics Office publishes a breakdown of the live register by age and county on its website monthly. I have collated, for the Deputy’s convenience and information, the number of persons who were under 25 and those who were over 25 in Kerry that were recorded...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321, 322 and 323 together. The Department of Social Protection (DSP) undertakes periodic Programme & Training Monitoring visits of all Community Employment (CE) schemes (at least one per year) in accordance with standard operating procedures. There is also a separate comprehensive monitor carried out on the financial aspects of each CE project...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Data (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the impact of the Budget 2017 increase on those in receipt of diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme. Diet supplement is a means tested payment payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: From time to time situations arise where Community Employment (CE) schemes amalgamate. In general a new sponsoring body is formed and it is a decision for the new sponsoring body as to what supervision arrangements are to be put in place (within the procedural framework of CE). My Department makes funding available for supervisory support. This grant support must be applied for by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Community Employment (CE) Sponsoring Organisations are the legal employers of Community Employment Supervisors. CE supervisors have benefited from pay increases linked to all phases of Benchmarking, Sustaining Progress (Parts 1 and 2) and Towards 2016 (all 4 phases) in the past, and have experienced no reduction in pay over recent years. There have been no significant changes to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Data (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: There is no age criteria attached to the widow's, widower's and surviving civil partner’s pension, or criteria requiring such a marriage or civil partnership to have been entered into before a certain age. Provided a person was legally married or in a civil partnership at the time of the bereavement, and provided the other conditions such as PRSI are met, a person may qualify for a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 328 and 341 together. Community Employment (CE), Tús, Gateway and the Rural Social Scheme are part of the Department’s range of programmes catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. The schemes are designed to break the cycle of unemployment and maintain work readiness, thereby improving a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Transport Subsidies (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department pays the CIE Group centrally in respect of transport services provided nationwide for the free travel scheme by the Group and the apportionment of payment between the three constituent companies, Bus Eireann, Bus Atha Cliath and Iarnród Eireann is a matter for the CIE Group to determine. In this context my Department has had no role to date in determining the amount...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Data (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The over 80 allowance is an increase of €10 per week on the basic pension rate, which is automatically awarded to qualified pensioners on attaining 80 years of age. Only one such allowance is payable in respect of each pension. An Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA) is paid, generally, where a pensioner has an adult dependent (e.g., a spouse who is financially dependent upon...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Passport Applications Fees (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: State fees charged for passports are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 334 together. Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including young people. To...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Government policy to reduce unemployment is twofold. First, through policies set out in the Action Plan for Jobs, to create an environment in which business can succeed and create jobs; and second, through Pathways to Work, to ensure that as many of these new jobs and other vacancies that arise in our economy are filled by people taken from the Live Register, including young people. To...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department is fully committed to ensuring that members of the general public are fully aware of the supports and services available from my Department. This includes employment activation services and supports. The total expenditure on such activities from 2012 to 2016 was €337,000 and is detailed in the following tables. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: An application for maternity benefit was received from the person concerned on 22ndFeb 2017 and processed on 3rdMarch 2017. Further information is required in order to make a decision regarding the claim and she has been contacted in writing requesting this information. Once the required information is received, her claim will be processed, and a written decision will issue to her. I hope...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (7 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The overall concern in recent years has been to protect the value of weekly social welfare rates. Expenditure on pensions, at approximately €7 billion each year, is the largest block of expenditure in my Department in the Estimate for 2017, representing approximately 35% of overall expenditure. Due to demographic changes, my Department’s spending on older people is increasing...