Results 3,041-3,060 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Division of the Health Service Executive. The Executive has advised that following a routine review of the person's entitlement, the rent supplement payable to the person concerned was reduced from EUR 95 per week to EUR 59.30 per week and that this is the appropriate maximum amount payable. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Qualification for Disability Allowance depends on an applicant passing a medical examination and a means test. An applicant must be found to have an injury, disease, illness or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year. The applicant concerned was examined by a Medical Assessor of my Department on 5th September 2006 and in the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 428 and 429 together. The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive payments with meeting the cost of their additional heating needs during the winter season. Fuel allowances are paid for 29 weeks from end-September to mid-April and are not intended to meet the full cost of heating....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 431 together. The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents", which I launched in March of this year, put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The one-parent family payment is a means tested payment intended to assist a lone parent who is bringing up a child or children without the support of a partner. There is a number of statutory conditions that must be met by a lone parent to qualify for the payment. He or she must have the main care and charge of at least one child, must not be cohabiting, must, if earning, have gross...

Leaders' Questions (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Deputy should read the full statement.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In the case of contributory pensions such as state pension (contributory), state pension (transition) and invalidity pensions, which are not means tested, a person may have a combined household income of up to EUR 51 per week over and above the maximum state pension (contributory) rate, or savings/investments of up to EUR 46,000, and still qualify for fuel allowance. The fuel allowance income...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The scheme operated by my Department provides treatment benefit (optical, dental and medical appliance) for insured workers over 16 years of age and their dependent spouses, provided they satisfy certain PRSI conditions. Children of insured workers are not covered under the scheme. The operation of the optical benefit scheme is subject to ongoing monitoring by my Department. I am always...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 to 252, inclusive, together. The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families. Entitlement to FIS is based on an applicant satisfying a means test and on certification of employment by the employer. The income limits were increased significantly in the 2006 Budget and in earlier budgets,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Social Welfare Appeals Office deals with about 14,000 appeals on an annual basis. On 30 September 2006 there were 5,565 appeals awaiting decision. A breakdown of these cases follows (Table A). A breakdown of average processing times for each scheme, based on 2005 figures, also follows (Table B). Figures regarding the longest time it takes to process an appeal for each scheme of my...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Investigations: Social Welfare Investigations (18 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In determining entitlement under any of my Department's schemes, the eligibility conditions may include PRSI contribution, means or medical conditions or household circumstances. The time taken to process individual claims varies significantly having regard to the nature of the scheme and the circumstances in each case. Straightforward means tested cases are "fast tracked" by deciding...

Written Answers — Adult Education: Adult Education (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 275 together. My Department through the back to education allowance provides support to long-term social welfare recipients who cannot take up employment because they lack education qualification. It is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. A person may qualify for payment of a back to school clothing and footwear allowance if he or she is in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment, is participating in an approved employment scheme...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The application fees to which the Deputy refers relate only to Freedom of Information requests for non personal records, and reviews of decisions on such requests. No application fees apply to requests for personal records. An application fee of €15 applies to requests for non-personal records under FOI and a reduced fee of €10 applies for Medical Card holders. For an internal review of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The relevant legislation provides for payment of child benefit to one parent for the benefit of a child or children, where the mother has priority in determining which of the two parents receives the benefit. Prior to 1974, child benefit could be paid directly to a child's mother only on the basis of the father's agreement and signature, which was the case in 80% of payments. The existing...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 to 272, inclusive, together. A special half rate old age contributory pension was introduced in 2000 to enable people with pre-1953 insurance, who could not qualify for a payment under normal qualifying conditions, to receive a pension. In order to be eligible for the payment, a person requires 260 paid contributions at the appropriate rate, which can...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive, a weekly or monthly rent or mortgage interest supplement is available to assist eligible people who are unable to meet their immediate accommodation needs through their own resources. Rent...

Citizens Information Bill 2006: Order for Second Stage (24 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage (24 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Citizens Information Bill 2006 is a key element of the Government's national disability strategy and is designed to ensure that people with disabilities are supported to enable them, as far as possible, to lead full and independent lives, reach their full potential as individuals and participate fully in society. This Bill, together with...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Division of the Health Service Executive. A person who takes up a place on a VTOS course has their entitlement to rent supplement determined in the same way as any other person applying for rent supplement. Where a person's only source of income is their VTOS allowance the rate of rent supplement...