Results 3,101-3,120 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Supporting and recognising carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: To qualify for a payment under the national fuel scheme, the income of a person over age 80 must not exceed a weekly threshold of €254.30. The weekly threshold comprises the maximum weekly rate of Social Welfare Contributory Pension of €203.30 (in this person's case) plus €51. The person concerned reapplied for Fuel Allowance on 27 October 2006. She has not disclosed the amount of...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 470 and 471 together. Moneylending is regulated under the Consumer Credit Act 1995. The licensing of moneylenders is a matter for the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority. I am concerned about the cost and availability of credit for people on low incomes. In June 2005, I met the Financial Regulator to discuss this issue. As a result, the Financial...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Widows and widowers can qualify for one of a number of different schemes depending on their circumstances. The contributory widow(er)'s pension is available to those who satisfy the necessary PRSI contribution conditions, either on their own record or that of the deceased spouse. Those qualifying for this benefit are not subject to a means test. Those without the necessary PRSI...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department provides child income support in a number of ways. The principal support is child benefit, (CB) a universal payment which is neutral vis-À-vis the employment status of the child's parents and does not contribute to poverty traps. In addition to CB, child dependant allowances (CDAs) are paid to social welfare recipients in respect of qualified child dependants. A third...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned was in receipt of the maximum rate of one-parent family payment from the introduction of the scheme in 1997, having been previously in receipt of lone parent allowance from September 1995. Customers receiving one-parent family payment can earn up to €146.50 per week without it affecting the rate of payment. In the case of a person in employment, half of his or her...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Payment of disability benefit (now called Illness Benefit) to the person concerned was discontinued from 26 April 2006 following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. He was advised of this decision and of his right to appeal. The person did not appeal and submitted a final certificate from his own doctor dated 25/4/06,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Statutory Instrument 198 of 1974 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. This provision was introduced on foot of a recommendation of the first Commission on the Status of Women (1972). This approach has subsequently been supported in a number of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In 2006, in the case of contributory pensions which are not means tested, a person may have a combined household income of up to €51 per week over and above the maximum rate of state pension (contributory), or savings/investments of up to €46,000, and still qualify for fuel allowance. This additional income amount was increased to €51 per week with effect from 1 June 2005. Prior to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Capital owned by an applicant for a social assistance payment is assessed, with a disregard of the first €20,000 of the amount held. Any change to this disregard would have to be considered in the context of the budget. In the case of inheritance, some persons making a will give consideration to the creation of a discretionary trust for people with a disability and this has somewhat...

Order of Business (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: That is not what I said.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 174 and 176 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, in the form of a weekly or monthly payment, to eligible people living in private rented...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Spouses of an employed or self-employed contributor are specifically excepted from social insurance contributions. This exclusion recognises the practical difficulties in establishing the nature of a genuine employment relationship in circumstances such as when a person employed under a contract of service (i.e. as an employee) by his or her spouse is classed as an "excepted" contributor...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 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. Under standard SWA rules rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that a person, after the payment of rent, has an income equal to the rate of SWA appropriate to their family circumstances less a minimum...

Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The primary purpose of the Irish social welfare system is to provide income support for people who, for whatever reason, experience a loss of income or whose existing income is regarded as insufficient. The Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 defines "couple" as meaning "a married couple who are living together or a man and woman who are not married to each other but are cohabiting as...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Family members who work together are generally not insurable under the Social Welfare Acts. Spouses of employed or self-employed contributors are specifically excepted from PRSI liability in respect of their working activity with their spouse. However, there is scope within the provisions of social welfare legislation to enable spouses who are partners in an enterprise, or who work together...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In April 2006, as part of the introduction of the early childcare supplement (ECS) scheme, a letter issued to qualifying customers i.e. those in receipt of child benefit for children under the age of 6 years, informing them of the new payment including the method and frequency of payment and the approximate date of the first payment. In August, a further letter issued confirming the date of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Entitlement to fuel allowance is subject to a means test. People who are in receipt of relevant non-contributory payments automatically satisfy the fuel allowance means test and do not have to undergo a further means test to qualify for fuel allowance. The majority of people who receive fuel allowances qualify because they satisfy the relevant means test for their primary weekly payment. In...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (7 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemaker's scheme which was introduced from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. The scheme will not of itself qualify a person...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (7 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Revised Estimates Volume for 2006 provides for Appropriations-in-Aid of €1.203 billion in respect of health contributions. The latest available forecast suggests that the outturn will be €1.243 billion giving a surplus of €40 million.