Results 2,761-2,780 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy is aware, the Government has decided to transfer certain functions from the Health Service Executive (HSE) to my Department as part of the reform of the health sector. The functions being transferred to my Department include income support and maintenance schemes, together with associated resources. Over 700 Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) and some 60 Superintendent Community...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 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 relation to decisions on individual claims. Under standard SWA rules rent or mortgage interest supplements are normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: People providing full-time care who are in receipt of Carers Allowance, Carers Benefit or Prescribed Relatives Allowance receive the Respite Care Grant automatically, without having to apply for it. The same applies where a Constant Attendance Allowance is in payment in respect of the person being paid for. Payment is made on or after the first Thursday in June of the year to which the...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In 2002, my Department's Press Office engaged the services of Carr Communications for a short period to advise on a public relations strategy. The contract was for the period March 2002 to April 2002 and the cost was €6,534. My Department has not awarded any other contracts for public relations projects in the period 2002 to date.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331 to 333, inclusive, together. There are ten staff employed in my private office. These include 8 administrative staff, a Press Adviser and a Special Adviser. The 8 administrative staff are all established civil servants, one Higher Executive Officer, 1.5 Executive Officers and 5.5 Clerical Officers. The Higher Executive Officer is on a payscale of €42,180...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department uses a mix of advertising media including national and provincial newspapers, radio and television, information leaflets, fact sheets, posters and direct mailshots to ensure that people are aware of their social welfare entitlements and are notified about improvements and changes affecting their payments and services. The amount spent on advertising in any one year is determined...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The detailed information requested in relation to the percentage of payments paid by EFT in each of my Department's schemes is set out in the table. Risk analysis is a key element of my Department's control strategy. This entails the identification of areas of high risk of fraud and abuse in the various schemes and putting in place appropriate measures to address them in a systematic way. Any...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: People providing full-time care who are in receipt of Carers Allowance, Carers Benefit or Prescribed Relatives Allowance receive the Respite Care Grant automatically, without having to apply for it. The same applies where a Constant Attendance Allowance is in payment in respect of the person being paid for. Payment is made on or after the first Thursday in June of the year to which the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department welcomes the provision of transport services provided by private operators, whether alongside CIE services or otherwise, for pensioners and other groups eligible under the free travel scheme. There is a number of routes where my Department pays for independent services in respect of the free travel scheme operated by more than one operator. My Department has contract...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered my behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. Rent supplements payments are subject to a maximum amount of rent in respect of which a supplement is payable. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 385 together. The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in...

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 389 together. Prior to April 1979, each individual worker liable for social insurance deductions was given a unique social insurance number, regardless of marital status, and this was the key identifier for recording of social insurance contributions deducted in respect of their employment(s). The social insurance number was replaced by the Revenue and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 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. A detailed breakdown of rent supplement recipients is unavailable for the years prior to 2001. The number of people in Waterford in receipt of Rent Supplement rose from about 1,300 in 2001 to just over 1,800 in 2005 and has...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The rates of contribution payable in respect of various insurable employments are set out in the following table. During that period, the rates of contribution or 'stamp' payable were not calculated as a percentage of earnings, but rather paid on a fixed rate. Contributions payable under the Social Welfare Acts, the Occupational Injuries Act, the Redundancy Payments Acts and the Health...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Respite Care Grant is payable automatically to recipients of Carers Allowance, Carers Benefit and Prescribed Relatives Allowance, and in cases where a Constant Attendance Allowance is in payment in respect of the person being cared for. Budget 2005 extended entitlement to the Grant to all full-time carers irrespective of means or contribution record but subject to certain conditions...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: One of the conditions for receipt of a fuel allowance from my Department is that the claimant's heating needs are not covered under a Deed of Transfer. In October 1987, the person concerned transferred his holding to his son under such a Deed. This legally binding document obliged the son to provide for the heating needs of his parents. In April 2006, the Deputy wrote to my Department...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned had been in receipt of unemployment assistance since 1987. Following a review, a Deciding Officer disallowed his unemployment assistance claim from 28 December 2005, on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking, or available for work. The person concerned appealed this decision. However, the Appeals Officer was not satisfied that he had made sustained efforts in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The principal programme through which my Department provides funding to voluntary and community groups is the scheme of Grants for the Development and Promotion of Information and Welfare Rights. The purpose of the scheme is to enable my Department to contribute towards the funding of a number of nationally-based information organisations, including those involved with advice to emigrants. It...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (6 Jul 2006)

Séamus Brennan: An oral hearing for the person concerned was arranged for 3rd May 2006. However, the person concerned did not attend the hearing. She telephoned the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 4th May 2006 and said that she had not received the letter of notification as she had moved address. She undertook to write in giving details of her new address. As no letter was received, the Appeals Officer has...