Results 22,621-22,640 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív
- Social Welfare Payments (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Good. I am glad.
- Social Welfare Payments (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The simple answer is that we are dealing with it. However, many issues must be examined and that is why the Cooney group and the mortgage interest supplement review were established.
- Social Welfare Payments (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Both of these will be brought to a conclusion in the next few weeks, or in other words, in the next month, and we will then make decisions. It is better to tackle a problem by doing a comprehensive review, examining practices in other jurisdictions, making comprehensive proposals-----
- Social Welfare Payments (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: -----and making decisions. One can rest assured that those decisions will be made because this is a top priority.
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 67 together. I am informed by the social welfare appeals office that 26,000 appeals were received in 2009. This compares to the average number received over the previous four years of 15,000. At the end of 2009, 16,000 appeals were on hand and that figure has now risen to 20,300. In previous years, that number would have been in the region of 5,000...
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: I have a lot of information here but unfortunately I do not have information on that aspect. It is available in the appeals office report, a copy of which I am sure the Deputy has seen. I have examined this a few times. Off the top of my head, means tested cases tend to be a large number and are protracted. Medical cases apply to carers allowance, illness benefit and so on. It is fair to...
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: If one considers payment types one probably finds that those with the largest case load are assistance payments, carers allowance, unemployment assistance and so on, and illness cases. One could be eligible for illness benefit as well as disability allowance but means testing always applies to assistance cases.
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: That is not necessarily true.
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: No.
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: It is not just a question of the number of appeals officers; a lot of other issues and fronts are involved. We have appointed extra appeals officers and are taking on temporary ones. Medical officers are an issue because in some case medical examinations are involved.
- Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: That is only a small part of the issue. For example, as the Deputy is probably aware, in a lot of cases where further information is provided there is a short circuit system which goes back to the Department. The Deputy can be assured that I will be working with the appeals office to try to address this issue on all fronts, including information technology, better work methods and so on. I...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The pension rights of scheme members are protected through trust law and by provision in the Pensions Act 1990, as amended. The downturn in financial markets has had a significant impact on pension funding and posed major challenges for the trustees of pension schemes in restoring scheme funding. In response to the significant loss in scheme funding, a range of administrative and legislative...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The Government has introduced a range of measures to protect the interests of members of defined benefit schemes. In December 2008 a number of measures were introduced to ease the funding pressures on defined benefit schemes. These measures mean the Pensions Board can now grant additional time for the preparation of funding proposals aimed at restoring pension funds; deal as flexibly as...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The role of the Pensions Board is to ensure that best practice is being followed, which is why the question arises about the plans being approved by the board. There is very strong oversight from the Pensions Board. I was asked a question at the press conference attended by the chief executive and I said it was very important that people's pension funds are protected. If there is need for...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The board has general oversight over the pension funds. Through regulation, it can ensure that the proper mix of investments are made.
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The principle of providing an adequate and secure pension is enshrined in pension policy and reinforced in the Government's policy on pensions, as set out in the national pensions framework. A key aim of the framework is to increase pension coverage, particularly among low to middle income groups, and to ensure that State support for pensions is equitable and sustainable. This will be...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy has asked many good questions. I would like to see the risk profile lowered and I will be talking to the new chairperson of the Pensions Board this week, as I believe that the pensions issue is very important. The first pension for most people is the contributory old age pension, and the objective is to maintain that at 35% of the average industrial wage. That is the first...
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes I do have confidence in the Pensions Board. We are in the midst of world turmoil and the Government has taken every step to create as much stability as possible in financial institutions here. We have not always had-----
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The issue of staff is being discussed with the Department of Finance. I will be discussing that issue with the Pensions Board and its new chairman, who was appointed yesterday.
- Pension Provisions (29 Jun 2010)
Éamon Ó Cuív: The board gets its income from a levy, and it had a surplus.