Results 19,081-19,100 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, and 210 to 213, inclusive, together. The costings sought by the Deputy are detailed in the following series of tables. Table 1: Cost of increasing the Fuel Allowance by varying amounts Amount Cost in 2018 - €m €2.50 25.45 €5.00 50.9 €6.00 61.1 €7.00 71.25 €8.00 81.4 €9.00...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The savings arising from the initial reduction and subsequent discontinuance of the telephone allowance meant that my Department was able to retain the other valuable elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the television licence. My Department will spend approximately €232 million this year on these elements of the household benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Data (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The BSCFA is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but to provide assistance towards these costs. The Government has provided €37.4 million for the scheme in 2017. End...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Data (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The information that the Deputy has requested is currently not available in my Department. Given the complex nature of the request, my Department will provide the information directly to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward an application, to be assessed for entitlement, to the Mid-Leinster Rents Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Data (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The following table shows the number of persons who were awarded maximum rate state pension (contributory) based on a yearly average of 48 or more contributions, and the number awarded reduced rate based on a yearly average of less than 48, in each of the past five years. Year No. of max rate awards No. of reduced rate awards Total 2016 14,768 13,401 28,169 2015 14,456 12,915 27,371...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As Ireland does not have a bilateral social security agreement with the Republic of South Africa, it is not possible to take into account insurance periods completed in that country for pension eligibility purposes. Ireland has with Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Japan, the United Kingdom (covering Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), The Republic of Korea and Quebec (which...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: From the 8 August 2016 to date, 6 permanent Clerical Officers have been assigned to the Abbeycourt Intreo Office in Cork. During the same period 2 permanent staff members (1.6 posts) left the office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Payments (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: With reference to PQ No. 166 which advised that a one parent family payment was awarded in the case of the person concerned and payment was available for collection at the nominated post office on 16/2/17, all arrears were paid to the person concerned on 23/02/2017. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: On Budget Day, I announced the first general increase in the weekly rates of payment since 2009, which builds on the €3 increase which was introduced for pensioners in Budget 2016. A €5 increase in the weekly rates of payment for all social welfare recipients will come into force this month, with proportionate increases for qualified adults and those on reduced rates of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Lower weekly rates for younger jobseekers were first introduced in the Supplementary Budget in 2009 and further extended in subsequent Budgets up to 2014. The rationale for these rates is to prevent young unemployed people from entering longer term welfare dependency by providing a strong financial incentive to take up a job, or a training or education programme. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Statistics (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: In the European Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC), disability is based on the concept of global activity limitation. This is defined as a “limitation in activities people usually do because of health problems for at least the past six months”. The latest EU-SILC data available shows that severe material deprivation for people (aged 16 years and over) who are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together. My Department received an application for carer's allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 January 2016. CA is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has a disability such that they require that level of care. A person can be considered to be providing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (1 Mar 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Currently, there are 73.5 full-time equivalents (77 people) assigned to the Carers section. My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department has involved reductions in staff numbers. Within these constraints, the Department is focusing on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 28 October 2016. 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: Community Employment Schemes Operation (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides a range of activation supports catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. These supports include employment schemes such as Community Employment (CE). These schemes provide part-time temporary work in local communities, as a stepping stone back to employment. The objective of these schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments. As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears. The role of MABS was expanded in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Eligibility (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Under the provisions of the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act 1984, an employer company shall be regarded as being insolvent if the company is placed into receivership or a winding-up order has been made or a resolution for the voluntary liquidation of the company has been passed. The Act does not cover informal insolvency where employers cease trading without...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (28 Feb 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (28 Feb 2017)

Leo Varadkar: S.I. No. 301/2006 - Occupational Pension Schemes (Disclosure Of Information) Regulations, 2006, as amended, set out regulations for the disclosure of information by occupational pension schemes. Scheme trustees must make available a copy of the latest annual report of a scheme, free of charge, not later than 9 months after the end of the scheme year or such later date as may be approved...