Results 3,381-3,400 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I understand the benefit can, like all schemes, be reviewed on an annual basis. With regard to the eventuality outlined by the Deputy, a claimant would remain on the scheme during the six months in question.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy noted, this is a matter of choice. I hope, however, he will accept that I am committed to using active social welfare payments to improve people's lives instead of being a passive provider of allowances. In that context, rather than being unable to afford an increase in the living alone allowance, we take the view that it is better to expand the choices available. If we spend...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputy Stanton for tabling this amendment and Deputy Penrose for his contribution. We have dealt with this issue on different occasions when dealing with Estimates and the budget. There is nobody in this House who would not put the elimination of child poverty as the number one priority in any approach to social issues. The budget and this Bill make a significant contribution...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As Deputies know, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance is being increased by 50%. Another issue is whether we can extend the date and so on. In previous years the national average number of applications made after the end of September was 1.5% of the total. Based on information received to date, the number of applications received after the end of September 2006 is...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: It opens on 1 June.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank the Deputy for tabling amendment No. 7. A working group chaired by the Department of Health and Children, which includes membership from my Department, has examined the feasibility of the introduction of a cost of disability payment. The working group recommended that steps be taken to improve the quality of data relating to disability in Ireland. For example, it suggested an...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: We had a number of meetings about this, both internally and between Departments. I acknowledge that the situation is unsatisfactory. Approximately half of the local authorities operate a waiver scheme and the others do not. I make this point not just because the three of us are here, but the position is that 14,000 households are in receipt of a waiver from South Dublin County Council and...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: ——Cork County Council grants a waiver to 6,000 households, of which approximately half are in receipt of State pensions and the other half are in receipt of other social welfare payments. Impressively, Fingal County Council grants a waiver to 8,000 households, 2,000 of which are in receipt of State pensions and the rest of which include widows, job-seekers, one parent families, people on...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: This case has been put forward many times and I accept that there is an issue. There are huge cost implications in trying to roll this out further than it currently extends. The Deputy will be aware that I recently abolished the restriction on peak times and that will be of considerable assistance to those who use free travel. The budget also contained provision for entitlement to a...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As Deputies know, while males are not entitled under Irish law to either paid or unpaid paternity leave, they may be entitled to parental leave. Parental leave entitles both qualifying parents to take a period of up to 14 weeks unpaid leave from employment in respect of children aged up to eight years of age. Paternity leave is generally understood to be the period immediately after the...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

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

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My understanding is it is universal, subject to having a child. The increase is paid from budget day. The grant was previously €2,700 and was increased by €1,300. Perhaps I did not say it correctly.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputy Stanton for tabling this amendment. In many ways, it is self-explanatory that policy has been aimed at increasing workforce participation among all groups in society, including older workers, in recent years. This policy extends to the lone parent system reforms in that we will press ahead with the disregards that will allow lone parents to participate in the workforce....

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have undertaken to keep the issue under review. This morning, I referred to a survey which I have just now noticed was carried out in 1998.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Re-examining it might be worthwhile.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputies for their consideration of the Bill, which was constructive and of benefit to the country.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Child benefit in the Irish welfare system is a universal child income support payment which is payable in respect of qualified children up to the age of 16 years or up to 19 years if the child is in full-time education. It should be noted that Irish child benefit rates compare favourably with UK child benefits. In the year 2007-2008 the rate of payment in the UK will be the equivalent of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: A claim for unemployment assistance (since renamed jobseekers allowance) by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work and that he was not available for full-time employment. Following his appeal against this decision the appeals office sought the comment of the deciding officer on the case. On receipt of this response the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am aware of the circumstances of the case to which the Deputy refers and of the complaint recently lodged with the Public Service Ombudsman and previously investigated by the Pensions Ombudsman. The case has also been discussed before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs. The case relates to a provision of section 48(3) of the Pensions Act 1990, which enables the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together. It is not possible to provide an accurate cost of an increase of €100 per week in the level of rent limits or of a 50% increase in the rent limits due to the unquantifiable impact of such increases on general market rent levels. However, as an indicative guide by reference to the number of rent supplement claims currently in payment, a...