Results 1-20 of 35 for carers speaker:Joe O'Brien

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Leave (11 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...April 2023, and introduces important entitlements for workers, including leave for medical care purposes for parents of children under 12, and the right to request flexible working for parents and carers. The Act also includes provisions to transpose Article 9 of the EU work life balance directive and provide for a right to request flexible working for parents and carers. In addition,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Pensions (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...increase to weekly rates of payment, the Government decided to front-load supports through the provision of special payments including extra fuel allowance, working family payment, child benefit, carer's allowance, disability allowance, qualified child and living alone payments. These payments are in addition not only to the €12 increase in the weekly payment rate, but to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I cannot confirm that. I do not know the status of the means test, in particular with regard to carers. There is an overall review of means testing in general, of which that may be a part. If that is the case, it will not be implemented on 1 January 2024 but I am open to correction on that. There have already been 1,000 applications in the new credits system for the State contributory...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...the State pension system is to be addressed through gradual incremental increases in social insurance rates, which has happened, the introduction of enhanced State pension provision for long-term carers of incapacitated dependants and a smoothed earnings method of calculating the benchmarking index rate of State pension payments, which is to be introduced as an input into the annual budget...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State contributory pension system provides measures including PRSI credits, home-making disregards and the home caring periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. Last...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...question is that I understand that is the case. I will read out some detail on that with regard to the evidence that people can provide to prove those 20 years. If a customer was in receipt of carer's allowance, carer's benefit, the carer's support grant or the domiciliary care allowance, he or she will have met the qualifying conditions for the pension caring support. For long-term...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...this week to over 1.3 million recipients. There will be another double payment for those recipients in January 2024 as well as one-off payments for recipients of working family payment, disability and carers' payments, living alone allowance, fuel allowance and child benefit and those in receipt of an increase for qualified children. These measures do not require primary legislation and...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...add further to the evidence base on the relationship between MESL and poverty thresholds. At this stage we do not propose to set up another commission. Senator Wall had a lot of good questions. The carer's allowance means test changed last year. Some €50,000 of capital is still allowable to get the full carer's allowance. The carer's benefit and the domiciliary care allowance...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...they get the State pension now and continue working. This measure will make their lives easier and allow them to take home more money as well. Important questions were raised around supports for carers. The Minister has been consistent over a number of budgets in her commitments to carers. The Bill will see contributory pension going to carers for the first time. I thank everyone...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Code (24 Oct 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...work in partnership with Tusla and other community-based services and agencies, including IPAS and the counselling in primary care, CIPC, service as well. Practitioners enable parents, guardians, carers and families to sustain the safe care of their children in the home setting. The plan is that there will be one of these practitioners in every Tusla area. I think there will be 17 in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2024 (24 Oct 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...2024 is progressive with higher gains for low-income households compared to high income households. The combination of once-off and ongoing measures will support vulnerable groups including pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families. For example, a lone parent with two young children, will be €2,448 better off due to Budget 2024. A pensioner couple...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I reiterate and back up what has been said about the important role played by foster carers, and also the difficult job they have at times, often with challenging young people. I have some familiarity with the system. A lot of what is being spoken about will go to the main Department with primary responsibility for foster carers' support. It is important to reiterate that between child...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...is a broad response to the specific question asked by the Deputy. Between child benefit, the homemakers scheme, the home caring periods and this new measure, I would be hopeful that all foster carers will be covered in terms of PRSI contributions. If that is not the case, it is important that we hear about it in terms of our responsibility. I suppose I also have the advantage of having...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and of Tusla. This Government acknowledges the important role played by carers, including foster carers, and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current contributory State pension system provides measures including PRSI credits,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Fuel Poverty (28 Mar 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...and people with a disability receiving the living alone allowance; a €500 lump-sum payment to families in receipt of the working family payment, disability allowance, the blind pension, the invalidity pension and the carer's support grant; a 100% Christmas bonus which was paid to all long-term social welfare recipients; and a €12 across-the-board increase on all social...

Reform of Carer's Allowance Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (22 Mar 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Throughout the term of this Government, we have sought to make sure the interests of carers and the people they care for remain a focus of our priorities. During the pandemic and the cost-of-living pressures, and notwithstanding the significant demands on the Exchequer, the Government has worked to ensure those on caring payments and the people they care for have been supported. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 85 together. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play in society and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (14 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: ...in 2021, with 189 schools, including 171 DEIS schools, receiving funding under the programme. - The allocation of €5m to the Department of Social Protection under the Dormant Accounts Action Plan 2020 to Support and Improve Employment Opportunities for Carers and Persons with a Disability, with funding in excess of €2.3 million awarded to 17 projects in December 2020. - The...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: ...been some relevant change in this area very recently. Just this week, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, announced a change in the capital disregards in the means-testing for carer's allowance. It has been increased from €20,000 to €50,000. That may or may not impact this case but if Deputy Cahill contacts me I will be glad to pass on the details of that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Sustainable Development Goals (10 Feb 2022)

Joe O'Brien: ...prepare for, secure and sustain employment. The implementation of this Strategy will make a significant contribution to achieving targets 4.4, 8.5, 8.6 and 8.b. My Department also contributes to target 5.4 through supporting carers. Recent Budgets have included: an increase in the number of hours that a carer can work or study every week outside the home and still get Carer’s...