Results 19,521-19,540 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: My Department will develop, publish and commence the implementation of an Action Plan for the reform of pensions this year. This Action Plan will include a road map for the reform of the State pension, rationalisation and reform of the Defined Benefit pension landscape, transposition of the IORP2 directive and the introduction of auto-enrolment Defined Contribution pensions for all working...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Back to Education Allowance Scheme (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables eligible persons to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain conditions. The objective of BTEA is to assist those who are distant from the labour market to acquire the necessary education...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware, CE schemes provide part-time temporary work in local communities, including opportunities for training and development as a stepping-stone back to employment, for people in receipt of a range of social welfare payments, including those on a long-term jobseeker’s payment. These schemes help to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment – including long-term unemployment – is twofold. The Action Plan for Jobs support continuing strong economic recovery and employment growth. Policies and actions to ensure that unemployed people benefit from the increase in employment are set out in the strategy paper Pathways to Work 2016-2020. To date, these...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Administration (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and recipients retain the advantages of the jobseeker’s allowance scheme such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2017 Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of almost €83 million on the farm assist scheme. I am very pleased that, with the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: A new Programme Framework for Community Employment (CE) drug rehabilitation schemes was introduced in January 2016. Before finalising the Framework, there was an important consultation process both within my Department and with the community and voluntary sector and the HSE. One of the main issues discussed in detail during this consultation was that addiction is a complex,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: We are still at an early stage of the implementation of the reforms to the one parent family payment (OFP) and it will take several years before the full impact can be assessed. This is because many lone parents, on foot of the reforms, are taking up education, training or employment support programmes, which will take time for them to complete. However, given the issues raised during...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) was introduced in 2004. It is managed by 35 Local Development Companies (LDCs) and by Údarás Na Gaeltachta. As the Deputy will be aware, many rural areas benefit from the services provided by the RSS and the positive impact the scheme has on the livelihoods of farming families and rural communities. I recently announced an additional 500 places on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: Core to the Programme for Government is improving the position of the self-employed generally, including the commitment to introduce an enhanced PRSI scheme for the self-employed. Making progress on this commitment has been one of my key priorities since becoming Minister in this Department. On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce a number of important measures which will benefit the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Programme for Government contains a number of commitments to improve the take-home pay of families on low incomes. One such commitment is the proposed “Working Family Payment” targeted at low-income families. My Department’s approach to developing the Working Family Payment will be guided by two principles. First, that it should ensure that work pays and that no...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Protection (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: No personally identifiable client information is stored outside Ireland by either company. As the Deputy will be aware, JobPath is an employment activation service that supports people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid employment. The service is delivered by two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua. Information...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The free travel scheme provides free travel for those with eligibility on the main public and private transport services which includes road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately 873,000 customers with direct...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer's benefit from the person concerned on 20 October 2016. It is a condition for receipt of carer's benefit 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 throughout...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of some €40 million in 2016. As part of Budget 2017, I announced an additional €5.7 million for school meals which will benefit over 50,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to schools and organisations benefitting over 200,000 children at a total cost of some €40 million in 2016. As part of Budget 2017, I announced an additional €5.7 million for school meals which will benefit over 50,000 extra children. Priority for new applications for funding has been given to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 8 February 2017. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Data (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The rate of youth unemployment was 14.5% in December 2016. This compares with the most recent available EU figure (from Eurostat) of 18.8% as at November 2016. Reflecting the impact of government policy, and the overall improvement in the labour market, the rate of youth unemployment has fallen sharply from a peak of over 31.1% in 2012. At that time, the EU youth unemployment rate was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The total number of Family Income Supplement (FIS) claimants and Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) recipients is as follows: BTWFD 12,920 FIS 57,257 BTWFD and FIS 9,799 Not all recipients of BTWFD would automatically qualify for FIS as there are differences in the specific qualifying conditions for each scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Paternity Leave Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: The paternity benefit scheme became operational on 1stSeptember 2016. The number of claims received and awarded in the period 1 September to 11 January 2017 is set out in the table: 01/09/2016 – 11/01/2017 Received Awarded Paternity Benefit 7,403 5,545 Based on the number of applications received to date the Department expects to receive around 20,000 applications for paternity...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (24 Jan 2017)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 284 and 319 together. The rent supplement scheme is supporting approximately 48,000 tenants at a total cost of €253 million in 2017. A breakdown of rent supplement recipients by county is provided in the attached tabular statement, this information is not maintained by local authority area. In recognition of the ongoing supply difficulties, my...