Results 2,061-2,080 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Health Levy: Health Levy (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The health levy yield for each of the years 2002 to 2005 is as set down in the following table: Year â'¬ million Notes 2002 701.4 final figure 2003 793.7 final figure 2004 822 provisional figure 2005 979 provisional figure

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years, or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. The scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The provision of information in a clear and accessible manner is an essential element in the effective delivery of social welfare services. The underlying objective of my Department's information policy is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their entitlements under social insurance, social assistance and other supports and are kept informed of changes and improvements as they...

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The issue of determining if a person is regarded as homeless is a matter for the housing authorities. Neither I nor my Department have any function in relation to the matter. Homeless persons have the same entitlements as any other Irish citizen under the social welfare system. There is no requirement that a person must spend any length of time on the street or in a hostel in order to qualify...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The PRSI yield for the year 2003 for each PRSI class collected through the PAYE system is as outlined in the following table: 2003 PRSI Class Yield €m A 5,288,168,772 B 68,961,337 C 2,534,308 D 237,333,129 E 467,180 H 43,869,294 J 11,162,240 K 21,849,605 M 1,765,524 P 4,105 S 145,209,651 Unknown 5,405,029 Total 5,826,730,174 This analysis is...

Written Answers — Local Authority Charges: Local Authority Charges (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The setting of waste management charges and the introduction of waivers in respect of waste charges is, as stated by my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, a matter for each local authority. The introduction of a national social welfare scheme to address the issue is not considered feasible given the wide range of charging regimes and cost structures...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department have any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. Under supplementary welfare allowance rules, rent supplement is not normally payable to couples where either of them is engaged in...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: At the end of December 2005 there were just under 124,000 people in receipt of a widow's or widower's pension. More than 109,000 of these were getting a contributory pension based on social insurance contributions. There is no means test in such cases and therefore the question of earnings or income disregards does not arise. Of approximately 14,700 persons who get a non-contributory...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am considering the extension of the €100 which we introduced in the budget for non-contributory old age pensioners. That is currently not available to widows on non-contributory pensions. It obviously does not apply to widows on contributory pensions because there is no means test in that regard. On the numbers I gave the Deputy in my reply, he can see that there is quite a small number...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Is the Deputy talking about the CDA being added on to the contributory pension and being part of the contributory pension?

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The contributory pension is not taxed as such but if it is added to other income which takes one above the threshold of tax allowances, then it is taxed. Perhaps that is what is happening in this case. CDAs are not taxed as such——

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: ——but if it is added on to other income, I could see how it would fall into the income net. I will take a look at it but I suspect the answer is as I stated, that if the total income from whatever sources — one's welfare and non-welfare income added together — brings one over the limit, then one pays tax on the combined figure.

Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The one-parent family payment is the income support scheme for separated, unmarried and widowed persons and also for prisoners' spouses bringing up a child or children without the support of a partner. At the end of December 2005, the total number of one-parent family recipients being paid by my Department was 83,066, including 906 widowed persons. Under the scheme, lone parents are...

Social Welfare Benefits. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: This new arrangement is a result of the localisation of the payment of one-parent family allowances which has reduced the processing time from 16 weeks to seven weeks. When preparing my response to the Deputy's question I read the background material, including the circular that issued about this change. It states that payments will be in the post office on Thursday and must be collected by...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: One of the most important policy challenges facing this country and this generation is the foundation for the future retirement in security and with dignity of all of our people. There is no quick fix for the problem that almost half the country's workforce of 2 million people do not have personal pensions. Ireland is not unique in having a future pensions problem. All around the world,...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have said many times that these are major inter-generational questions and I do not believe there is any quick fix for them. We are trying to begin a process that will allow for decisions to be made as quickly as possible. I have not delayed on this and I brought forward the national pensions review by a year. The review produced a raft of proposals within a few months, many of which are...

Pension Provisions. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The budget decision was very practical because the SSIAs are coming to maturity so the Government needed to move quickly to make it clear there was an alternative for those taking money out of an SSIA. The alternative is that if €7,500 of SSIA money is invested in a pension fund for retirement purposes, the State will donate €2,500 on top of that, being a cash payment to top up the...

National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Since its establishment, the National Economic and Social Forum gave considerable time and consideration to labour market issues. I welcome this latest report by the NESF which provides a significant and timely contribution to consideration of labour market strategies. The report covers a breadth of issues and the implications extend way beyond the social welfare system to include local...

National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have begun to implement the report's recommendations by substantially increasing the family income supplement payment——

National Economic and Social Forum Report. (9 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: ——in the recent budget. I will announce within the next weeks a major media campaign on radio and television and in the newspapers to promote the family income supplement. I have recently agreed a departmental budget to promote the family income supplement which provides quite an assistance top-up to family income. It is aimed at those on low incomes and I acknowledge the take-up is not...