Results 2,161-2,180 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 416 together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: Under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Health Service Executive may make a single payment, known as an exceptional needs payment, ENP, to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of his or her weekly income. Eligible people would normally be in receipt of a social welfare or Health Service...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: Since April 2000 the needs of asylum seekers are catered for under the direct provision system operated by the reception and integration agency of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Under the system asylum seekers are provided with full board accommodation and other facilities such as laundry services and access to leisure areas. To take account of the services provided, a...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I understand that the Deputy is referring to the disqualification period that applies on an unemployment benefit claim when a person receives a redundancy payment. Under social welfare legislation a person under the age of 55 who receives a redundancy payment in excess of â¬19,046.07, may be disqualified for receiving unemployment benefit for a period of up to nine weeks from the last date...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 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. My Department does not have any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. The community welfare division of the Health Service Executive has advised that it has no record of an application for rent supplement...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 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. My Department does not have any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. The executive has advised that it recently reviewed the rent supplement claim of the person concerned and it has decided to increase...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (14 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: The social insurance or PRSI system is based on payment of compulsory contributions to the social insurance fund, in return for which, and subject to meeting the conditions prescribed, contributors become eligible for a range of income replacement benefits such as old age contributory pension. The rationale underlines the general principle that there should be a reasonable link between...
- Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (15 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: The Office of Public Works, which has responsibility for the acquisition of all property for my Department, has obtained a site in Ballymun as part of the regeneration of the area for the building of a new social welfare office. I understand planning permission has been received and construction is to begin by end of 2006 with an 18 month building programme.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: Entitlement to unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance is subject to satisfying certain conditions provided for in law which require, among others, that the person is capable of work, is available for work and is genuinely seeking work. Being available for work means that a person is free to take up employment immediately and is not placing restrictions on the type of work or the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: Homeless persons have the same entitlements under the social welfare system as other persons and are subject to the same qualifying conditions. If homeless persons are unemployed but capable of and genuinely seeking work, then they can apply for unemployment assistance providing they can provide an address, such as a hostel, at which they can be contacted if necessary. They can be paid basic...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: The person concerned was scheduled to attend an oral hearing on 13 December 2005 and telephoned in advance to say that he could not attend. In accordance with normal procedures, he was requested to write to the appeals officer with an explanation why he could not attend. As no written explanation was received, the appeals officer considered the case on the evidence available and disallowed...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150, 151, 160 and 161 together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: To qualify for an unemployment payment, a person must be available for and genuinely seeking employment. An unemployed person is required to provide information regarding his or her availability and efforts in securing full-time employment. On request, a recipient must demonstrate that he or she is making all reasonable efforts to find work and is not being unduly restrictive in terms of the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: It is generally accepted that for all people in working age households, the main route out of poverty is through employment. In the case of lone parents, the income disregards put in place in 1997 allowed for income up to â¬146.50 to be disregarded as means, with lone parents with income between â¬146.50 and â¬293 per week still being eligible for a reduced rate of OFP. I believe that...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: Financial support paid to lone parents is made through my Department's one parent family payment, which was established in 1997 to provide income for lone parents, while allowing substantial income disregards for those lone parents in a position to return to employment. The income disregards currently allow for income up to â¬146.50 to be disregarded as means, with lone parents having income...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 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 has any function in decisions on individual claims. The executive has advised that it received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned on 9 February 2006 and that it has...
- Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: The staffing of the Garda information service centre in Castlebar, County Mayo, is a matter for the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. My Department is liaising with that Department regarding the release of staff who are interested in transferring to the offices in Castlebar. To date, no formal offers of transfer have been received for Dublin based staff.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 159, inclusive, together. The couple involved is in receipt of two separate payments from my Department. The husband is in receipt of a full-rate invalidity pension of â¬193.30 per week while the wife is in receipt of an old age non-contributory pension, which is payable at a reduced rate of â¬157 per week. For the purposes of determining entitlement...
- Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Order for Second Stage. (21 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."
- Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Second Stage. (21 Feb 2006)
Séamus Brennan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to introduce this, the second of two Bills intended to implement the â¬1.12 billion social welfare package announced last December in the budget for 2006. This substantial investment represents a â¬246 million, or almost 28%, increase on the 2005 package of â¬874 million. It brings the projected level of social welfare...