Results 6,841-6,860 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents, 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 child care; improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a social assistance...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: We have moved on some of the income areas which have made a considerable difference. We all agree that the measure that led to the greatest level of stability and the greatest number of options for many families was the removal of the cohabitation issue, whereby the partner was not supposed to be living in the property. This issue led to considerable instability, particularly for young...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The pilot system will work in Coolock in Dublin and Kilkenny. The test due to commence in October will focus on identifying and resolving the practical and administrative issues that may arise in advance of the scheme being introduced. They will work with all those who will benefit from the scheme. In the past we introduced new ideas which of themselves seemed beneficial only to find that...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111, 117, 119, 133, 134, 172 and 569 together. Supporting and recognising carers in our society is, and has been, a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I am glad the Deputy agrees. We have come a long way in a relatively short period, and rightly so. There is no doubt those who provide care deliver a great service. If the State had to provide this, the cost would probably far exceed the current cost. Nevertheless we have grown the budget in this area very substantially. Nobody has unlimited resources, so we must continue to ensure we...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: They would not.

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I would like to have full information on this, although I know the area being spoken about by the Deputy and some of my own colleagues have pointed out these facts to me. We must look at how we can achieve results on the issue. At this stage I cannot pre-empt what the Minister for Finance might decide to do with the budget. We will have our own discussions — as do all Departments — in...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I welcome the support offered by the Deputy and Members on all sides for the new half rate carer's allowance that comes into effect from tomorrow. This payment will be enormously beneficial to many people. There is no doubt that when a change of this magnitude is introduced, anomalies will arise in the system. The latter is particularly true in the case of a Department such as mine, which...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I should have answered the question raised by Deputy Shortall about people in receipt of the qualified adult allowance. My understanding is that the arrangements do apply and include people on the qualified adult allowance, if I am reading my note correctly. That is certainly my understanding of it. It also applies to people on social welfare payments generally. That goes across the...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: Disability allowance was one of the payments which formed part of the expenditure review of illness and disability payment schemes that was carried out by my Department in 2003 and subsequently published in 2004. The review examined and reported on the trend and level of expenditure and found that disability allowance is well targeted in addressing income maintenance requirements of...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The final point, with which I would agree, is that they may be looking at this in the wrong way to some degree by concentrating on the disability rather than on everybody having ability, irrespective of whether there are some areas where they are unable to work. We want to identify what the ability spectrum is with regard to many of these people and see whether we can get them into the...

Social Welfare Benefits. (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: Yes, it is, but we can reverse how we look at it. The numbers in this area have grown substantially in the past several years. We would all like to know the reason for the jump from 36,000 people in receipt of this allowance some years ago to 82,000 this year. That will form part of a broad-ranging review regarding what we will do in the future.

Written Answers — Debt Issues: Debt Issues (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 126, 140, 157 and 173 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 53 independent companies nationwide employing some 230 money advice staff who deliver the service at a local level. Many local voluntary and statutory bodies,...

Written Answers — Advocacy Services: Advocacy Services (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 137. The introduction of a personal advocacy service is provided for in the Citizens Information Act, 2007. The Act has as its primary purpose the amendment of the Comhairle Act, 2000, to assign additional and enhanced functions to the Citizens Information Board, formerly Comhairle, which operates under the aegis of my Department, to enable it to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 132 and 153 together. The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive (HSE) payments with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. Fuel allowances are paid for 29 weeks from end-September to mid-April. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116, 118, 145, 148, 154, 164, 169 and 571 together. As the House is aware, the Government is committed to producing a Green Paper on pensions policy in accordance with the partnership agreement " Towards 2016". The preparation of the Green Paper follows a period of increased activity in the development of pensions policy, which has seen the publication of two...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The allowance is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but only to provide assistance towards these costs. A person may qualify for payment of an allowance if they are in...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 121, 124, 128, 156, 161, 165 and 179 together. Combating poverty and building an inclusive society are key priorities for the Government. The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion) and the social inclusion commitments in the National Development Plan were drawn up in consultation with the social partners and after a wide ranging consultation...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: Where a person has social insurance contributions from another EEA country, or a country with which Ireland has a bilateral agreement, these can be combined with Irish social insurance contributions to qualify a person for a pro-rata contributory state pension. The manner in which contributions from EEA countries are to be used is laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 1408/ 71 and the same general...

Written Answers — Community Welfare Service: Community Welfare Service (26 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 123, 142, 565 and 566 together. In February 2006 as part of its reform of the Health Sector, the Government decided that the administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA), as well as certain other functions, would be transferred to my Department. The SWA scheme is currently administered by the Community Welfare Service division of the...