Results 441-460 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I am satisfied that the current provisions for assessing property are legal and equitable. In assessing means for social assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person may have, along with the value of property, including capital. Property may include stocks and shares of every description, savings certificates, bonds and national instalment savings, money invested in a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Special cross-Border arrangements have been in place since 1995 under a scheme that allows southern and northern free travel pass holders to undertake cross-Border journeys free of charge. The introduction of free travel on an all-Ireland basis would enhance the existing arrangements by enabling southern pass holders to make free onward journeys within the North. Similarly, Northern Irish...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland. A variety of travel concessions are granted by most EU member states to retired...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Subject to certain conditions, including a means test, diet supplements are provided for under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. As I have outlined to the Deputy in previous questions by him on the matter, a significant overpayment of diet supplement was made to the person concerned...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The information available to the Department of Social and Family Affairs indicates that the person concerned arrived in the State in November 2002 and sought asylum. Her asylum application was refused in May 2004. As a result she is not entitled to seek employment in Ireland and the question of payment of unemployment assistance does not arise in her case. The Government has decided that the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare staff of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a weekly allowance to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their basic needs. An assessment of household means and needs is carried out to determine the amount of assistance payable. The southern regional...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The income limit for rent supplement to which the Deputy refers applies to people in full-time employment. Supplementary welfare allowance is not normally payable to people who are engaged in full-time employment. However, arrangements have been in place for a number of years which allow people to retain a portion of their rent supplement where they take up employment through approved...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Payment of carer's allowance was disallowed by a deciding officer who, having considered the medical evidence furnished in support of the claim and the views of the Department's medical adviser, decided that the care recipient was not in need of full-time care and attention as prescribed in the statutory provisions. The person appealed this decision to the social welfare appeals office. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The treatment benefit scheme operated by the Department of Social and Family Affairs provides a range of benefits in dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses. The availability of the benefits is subject to certain PRSI contribution conditions. The PRSI contribution classes which qualify for treatment benefit are classes A, E, H and P. A...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned is in receipt of her full weekly social welfare entitlements. She is in receipt of one-parent family payment in respect of herself and four dependent children who reside with her, along with monthly child benefit. She is also in receipt of half-rate unemployment benefit. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for carer's allowance in respect of two persons on 8 November 2004. Following the necessary investigations her application was refused on the grounds that full-time care and attention is not required or being provided as prescribed in regulations. She was notified of the decision, the reason for it and her right to appeal on 17 January 2005. Under social welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The conditions for receipt of the extended respite care grant will be set out in the forthcoming Social Welfare Bill and regulations. As I set out in my speech at budget time, certain employment related conditions will apply. As is the case with recipients of carer's allowance, a full-time carer must not be engaged in employment for more than ten hours per week. People on unemployment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare staff of the Health Service Executive, provides for exceptional needs payments to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of his or her weekly income. The southern region of the Health Service Executive was contacted about this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. The old age non-contributory pension scheme is one of the schemes affected. The basis for the restriction contained in the new rules is the applicant's habitual residence. The restriction is not based on citizenship,...

Written Answers — Freedom of Information: Freedom of Information (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Freedom of Information Act has been extended to public bodies on a phased basis since its introduction in April 1998. The Act will apply to all appropriate bodies by the end of 2005. The only State, semi-State, State-sponsored and statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs which has not been made subject to the Freedom of Information Acts is the Family...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs administers a number of child income support measures, including child benefit. Child benefit delivers a standard rate of payment in respect of all children in a family, regardless of income levels or employment status. Child benefit supports all children but delivers proportionately more assistance to those on low incomes and with larger families....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 6 October 2004. A deciding officer disallowed the claim on the grounds that she was not genuinely seeking employment. Based on additional information received, the deciding officer revised her decision and allowed the claim from 23 November 2004 at the maximum weekly rate of €148.80. The person concerned has appealed the decision to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs received an application from the person concerned for an old age non-contributory pension on 20 January 2005. Her entitlement to this pension will shortly be investigated and she will be notified of the outcome without delay.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person's application for a one-parent family allowance was disallowed by a deciding officer because she is co-habiting. Her appeal against the decision to the independent social welfare appeals office was considered by an appeals officer, who decided that an oral hearing is necessary. It is proposed to hold the oral hearing in the week commencing 7 February 2005. The person concerned is...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (26 Jan 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I have appointed to my office four non-established civil servants on a contract basis for my term of office — Mr. Frank Lahiffe as special adviser, Mr. Tom Rowley as press adviser, Ms Mary Browne as personal secretary and Mr. Bobby Holland as personal assistant. My personal assistant is on secondment from the Department of Education and Science. The five statutory agencies operating under...