Results 4,741-4,760 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am.

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It is difficult but, if it is possible to get the information I will do so. I have no problem giving information but there are many difficulties in accessing it accurately. There always seems to be a perception that there is an under-claiming of FIS. Again, I do not know the exact explanation for that and whether we can get to the bottom of it. Huge improvements have been made in the...

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As a new Minister, it would be rather strange if I did not come to the House with the view that there were issues which I thought were wrong in the past but on which I did not manage to get my way, and which I would like to tackle now that I have the responsibility. It is about collective Government; it is not about one-person Government. There have been huge improvements, particularly in...

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: There seem to be crossed wires between the Deputy and ourselves in that the subject matter of the Adjournment debate was "the humanitarian support provided to date three months after the major flooding of 2009". That was thought to refer to the humanitarian funds being administered by my Department. I do not have any details on OPW works, because it was not considered to be what the Deputy...

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: -----which was about humanitarian aid. The wording was ambiguous.

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: All I can talk about is the humanitarian aid. If the Deputy is interested I can read that. The bulk of the overall cost of repairing the damage caused to individuals' homes by last November's flooding is being met through insurance policies held by the people affected. The insurance industry is currently in the course of discharging its financial obligations to its policyholders. However,...

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The €10 million is there, if there is a legitimate case for it. The largest payment to an individual was in excess of €20,000. Most of these payments have been in respect of immediate needs, such as clothing, food, bedding and emergency accommodation. The community welfare service will continue to make these payments as long as they are needed. Such emergency payments under the...

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: A house that is not safe is not habitable. The Deputy would agree with that.

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: In conclusion, from meeting people who have been flooded, including many in my own constituency, I believe the income limits imposed are very generous and have not caused any major difficulty.

Flood Relief. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I assume so.

Schools Building Projects. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Mary Coughlan. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity of outlining to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and, in particular, the Department's position regarding the upgrading of facilities in Melview...

School Staffing. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue today and I am pleased to be able to outline the general position regarding staffing at primary level. The staffing schedule impacts on individual schools in different ways depending on whether enrolment is rising or declining. In terms of the position at individual school level, the key factor for determining the level of resources provided by the...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Social Insurance Fund operates under the terms of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005. The Fund comprises a current account and an investment account. The Minister for Social and Family Affairs manages and controls the current account from which benefit payments are made, while the Minister for Finance, through the National Treasury Management Agency, manages the investment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63, 77, 78, 90, 99 and 101 together. The national average processing times for jobseeker claims decided during March were 2.12 weeks for jobseeker's benefit and 7.10 weeks for jobseeker's allowance. These figures are a slight improvement on February 2010 when they stood at 2.32 weeks and 7.67 weeks respectively. I set out below a table showing the processing...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Facilitators work closely with FÁS and other agencies, at national and local level, to identify appropriate training and developmental programmes for social welfare recipients of working age to enhance the skills those individuals have and, ultimately, improve their employment chances as well as helping them to develop personally. The facilitator service is available to social welfare...

Written Answers — Public Service Cards: Public Service Cards (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, the specifications for a Public Service Card (PSC) under the Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE, programme. The specification provides for identification features, including a photograph. The aim is to develop a card that acts as a key for access to public services in general,...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgetary Service: Money Advice and Budgetary Service (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 114 and 658 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. The role of money advisers is to help clients to assess their financial situation, make a budget plan and deal with creditors. MABS is now dealing with increasingly complex debt situations in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The changes to the Invalidity Pension and Illness Benefit schemes referred to by the Deputy relate to ongoing work in my Department on draft proposals of a Partial Capacity scheme. As the scheme has not yet been considered by me I cannot at this stage give details in relation to it. I will in consideration of the scheme take into account the need to safeguard the interests of persons...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As Deputies will be aware, the Civil Partnership Bill is the primary responsibility of the Minster for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and is currently at Committee Stage in the Dáil. The implications of the Civil Partnership Bill for social welfare schemes are under consideration in my Department. Social welfare legislation defines a 'couple' as meaning 'a married couple who are living...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The money advisers throughout the country focus on providing assistance, advice and intense support to people who have financial difficulties. The money adviser works out a budget and negotiates on behalf of the client with all creditors, including financial institutions and sub-prime lenders, to secure better terms for the client in managing the repayment of their debts. Where required by...