Results 19,921-19,940 of 40,330 for speaker:Leo Varadkar

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

Leo Varadkar: How long do I have?

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

Leo Varadkar: I did not think I would have as much time, but I will probably not have to use it all. I welcome the broad support for the Bill from the House. Senators have welcomed most, if not all, of the measures. They have asked why other things were not included. The nature of budgets, as everyone understands, is that they are always limited. Every line Minister always seeks more things than he or...

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

Leo Varadkar: As to whether the measure will be retrospective to 2011, I will take advice on the matter. Many other people would like to have things done retrospectively and I do not want to set a precedent that may expose the taxpayer to further charges. I have not provided for councillors to opt in or out of paying PRSI contributions because nobody else has such an option.

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

Leo Varadkar: I took the correct approach to local authority members by providing that they will receive fair and equal treatment as compared with other people who are self-employed or in employment. They will not receive special treatment or privileges. For this reason, they will not receive a refund as no one else is being given refunds, nor will they be allowed to opt in or out of paying PRSI because...

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

Leo Varadkar: Senator Máire Devine raised the issues of youth employment and lone parents. I welcome her recognition that the Bill constitutes progress in some areas and that Sinn Féin will not oppose it. It is worth noting that youth employment has more than halved from approximately 30% to roughly 15% since my party came to office. It is falling faster than unemployment for other adults....

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

Leo Varadkar: If I was a lone parent or young unemployed person in Northern Ireland, I would choose the centrist parties in this State any day before I would choose the Sinn Féin-DUP coalition.

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

Leo Varadkar: The Christmas bonus has increased from 70% to 85% of a person's social welfare payment. A couple of Senators expressed a desire to increase the rate to 100%. While I share that desire, it is important again to point out that these increases must be paid for from other people's taxes and PRSI contributions. I do not know many people who are not pensioners or on other social welfare payments...

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

Leo Varadkar: I will come to that issue in a moment. I am happy to answer as many questions as I manage to note. To finish the point I was making, we need to bear in mind that all these things cost money and all are paid for by other people who do not receive a bonus or may receive a much smaller bonus. The cost of the Christmas bonus is €220 million per annum and will be funded through a...

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

Leo Varadkar: Similarly, policy decisions around direct provision are a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality under her legislation. I admire Senator Craughwell for his very brave advocacy on behalf of Oireachtas Members and judges who, of course, are among the most vulnerable groups in our society.

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

Leo Varadkar: There are no proposals in this Bill to change the PRSI treatment of Oireachtas Members and judges but Senator Craughwell's point is well made. If the contributory principle applies, it should apply to everyone - even judges and Oireachtas Members. I would point out, and I know people in the House would be aware of this, that Oireachtas Members and judges already have very generous pension...

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

Leo Varadkar: There are different arrangements for different people depending on when they enter these Houses and there are severance arrangements as well. The point is taken. One gap is around long-term illness and invalidity. If somebody has to leave either of these Houses due to illness or loses their seat and subsequently becomes ill, which is a bit more common, they are quite badly exposed so I am...

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

Leo Varadkar: The redundancy payment was 60% at one stage. It used to be 20%. Employers pay a lot of PRSI. I totally see the case for restoring that but, again, I had to prioritise within the allocation I had. If I had an extra €10 million, there would have been a 25% increase in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance. There would not have been redundancy payments but I would not...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Artists' Remuneration (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseekers’ schemes of €2.8 billion. It is accepted that periods of unemployment are a normal feature of the acting and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The objective of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is to assist those who are distant from the labour market acquire the necessary education to improve their chances of becoming independent of the social welfare system. The BTEA scheme is aligned with the student support schemes under the Department of Education and Skills. The Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant payable by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Carer’s allowance (CA) is in payment to the person concerned since 13 May 2010 in respect of one care recipient. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from him on the 15 September 2016 in respect of a 2ndcare recipient resident at a different location from the first. The application was referred to a local social welfare inspector (SWI) on 12 November 2016 to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (29 Nov 2016)

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 €42 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 providing breakfasts and lunches. Of these, some 35,000 extra breakfasts will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 338 together. The 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. Deputies on all sides of the House are fully aware of the positive benefits derived from schemes like the Rural Social Scheme. While...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: I confirm that my department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 28 July 2016. The application was refused on the grounds that the person concerned was not providing full-time care and attention as required. She was notified on 10 October 2016 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. The person concerned has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Data (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €30.3 million for exceptional and urgent needs payments in 2016. SWA legislation also provides...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (29 Nov 2016)

Leo Varadkar: The number of staff from my Department currently seconded to other Departments or Agencies, including staff seconded to wholly funded state bodies delivering public services, each year from 2010 to date is outlined in the table: Year Number of Officers seconded to other Depts. or Agencies 2010 7 2011 13 2012 17 2013 17 2014 20 2015 21 2016 24