Results 19,901-19,920 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The designated officer has contacted the person concerned, has forwarded an application form for an emergency needs payment and advised that a decision will be made on receipt of the application form. Please contact my office if you require any further assistance with this case. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There is no record of an application for a companion free travel pass from the person concerned. If and when an application is received entitlement to the companion pass will be fully assessed and the person concerned notified without delay. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be aware the Carer's Allowance (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. The department informs me that there is no recent application by the person concerned for carer’s allowance registered. If she wishes to make an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (1 Dec 2016)

Leo Varadkar: There is a requirement on all employers, including Community Employment Sponsors, to comply with all relevant statutory and legal obligations. Participants on Community Employment (CE) are obliged to work 19.5 hours per week (39 hours per fortnight) with no additional payment funded by the Department. Work patterns, particularly those outside the normal working week, must be agreed by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Data (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: At the end of October 2016 there were 56,163 families in receipt of family income supplement in respect of over 124,300 children. Of those families, the principal earners in approximately 3,720 cases are recorded as being in public service employments. Statistics are not maintained at a more detailed level which would enable a breakdown by government department as requested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Community Services Programme (CSP) is designed to address locally identified gaps in the provision of services to communities. Funding is provided to support the employment of staff to deliver these services. Pobal is contracted by my Department to undertake the financial and contract management for the CSP. To date, in 2016, 10 new social enterprise proposals were selected for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Applications (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Further to my response to PQ ref. 35336 of Wednesday 16 November, I am pleased to confirm that my department will review the eligibility to FIS of the lady in question upon receipt of the additional information referred to in the details attached to this question. Depending on the specific circumstances, my department advises that it may be necessary to refer the case to a local social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (30 Nov 2016)

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 8thDecember 2016. 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: State Pension (Contributory) (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The State Pension Contributory (SPC) is a social insurance payment. Entitlement is based on 520 PRSI contributions having being paid since first starting work and the rate payable is based on the average yearly number of PRSI contributions made over a working life. A person who does not qualify for the full rate of SPC would generally qualify for a reduced rate of payment of SPC. It should...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Home-makers Scheme (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid or credited over their working...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The person mentioned made enquiries about accessing the back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) at her local Intreo Centre. She was given an application form and subsequently returned the completed form. Her application was examined by a deciding officer and she was refused a back to education allowance because she did not meet a basic qualification of the scheme, i.e., that a person must...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: 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. Two companies, Seetec and Turas Nua, have been contracted to deliver the service. These companies have established over 80 service locations around the country and employ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The first EU Directive 2003/41/EC on the Activities and Supervision of Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP I) established the basic EU requirements for occupational pension funds and their supervision, including rules obliging schemes to invest their assets prudently. It is anticipated that the revised IORP directive (IORP II) will be published in the Official Journal of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: As the Deputy will be fully aware RSS provides opportunities for farmers and fishermen and women who are currently in receipt of specified social welfare payments to work to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. As part of the social welfare budget package for 2017, I announced an increase of €5 a week in the personal rate of payment for rural social scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Legislative Reviews (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The precise format of the review, under Section 7 of the Gender Recognition Act 2015 has not, as yet, been decided. However since the commencement of the Act my Department has been working with other relevant Departments, particularly the Departments of Education and Skills and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the implementation of the legislation. I am aware that both of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (30 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13thSeptember 2016. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The Social Welfare Bill provides the legislative framework for the implementation of the measures announced in budget 2017. It also contains a number of largely technical changes which aim to resolve minor deficiencies identified within the welfare code. Overall, the Bill represents a prudent approach with modest increases to all weekly payments, alongside more targeted measures, an...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Section 10 also relates to self-employment, in this case by providing that city and county councillors will in future be brought into social insurance cover as self-employed people. They will be treated in the same manner as other self-employed people insofar as entitlement to the wider range of benefits is concerned. Councillors currently pay class K contributions, which were introduced at...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Would the Senator care to nominate which ones?

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: He can send it to me in writing.