Results 6,941-6,960 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: People in full-time education are normally excluded from receipt of rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. However, people participating in approved courses under the back-to-education allowance scheme may apply for rent supplement in respect of private rented accommodation if they have not been previously getting a supplement. A person who has been receiving rent...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that the rent supplement claim has been re-instated in this case with effect from 1st June 2007 and that arrears of €3614 has issued to this person this week for the period June 2007 to September 2007.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of a rent supplement at the maximum rate payable appropriate to her circumstances. The Executive has further advised that the person concerned should contact her Community Welfare Officer concerning any difficulties she may have concerning payment of rent arrears.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: In assessing means for social assistance purposes account is taken of any cash income the person may have, together with the value of capital and property (except the home). Cash income may be derived from a wide variety of sources including earnings from employment, income from self-employment including farming, income from foreign social security pensions and income from occupational...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: Improvements in welfare rates of payment are announced on Budget day in early December each year. Local authorities are responsible for determining rents payable under the differential rents scheme including the income to be assessed for this purpose, subject to broad principles laid down by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I understand that these guidelines...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Sep 2007)

Martin Cullen: Rent supplements are subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may incur. Rent supplement is not normally paid where the rent is in excess of the limits. Notwithstanding these limits, under existing arrangements the Health Service Executive may, in certain circumstances, exceed the rent levels as an exceptional measure, for example: where there are special...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The expenditure on Rent Supplement for 1997 to 2007 is shown in the following tabular statement. Expenditure up to the end of August 2007 was €262 million. Total expenditure in 2007 will be of the order of €400 million The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity/gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence schemes, is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. People aged over 70 years of age can qualify for the household benefits package regardless of their...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Under the terms of the free travel scheme, certain incapacitated people can qualify for a free travel companion pass if they are medically assessed as unfit to travel alone. Where the applicant is under 70 years they must submit a medical certificate completed by their general practitioner providing details of their incapacity. The application for a companion pass by the person concerned...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: 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 as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The back to education allowance (BTEA) facilitates people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The scheme enables qualified people who have been getting a social welfare payment to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course. To qualify for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Under the terms of the scheme, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential once-off cost, such as a rent deposit, which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 339 and 340 together. I am advised by the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office that oral hearings are held on a regular basis Ballina, Castlebar, Claremorris, Swinford and Westport Co. Mayo. I am further advised that the Appeals Office's policy is to hold hearings at venues as convenient as possible to the appellant. However, in exceptional...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Lone parents are not barred from receiving back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA). 40% of all BSCFA payments are made to lone parents, benefiting more than 30,000 lone parent households. The 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The five Statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, at present, are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, the Citizens Information Board (formerly Comhairle), the Family Support Agency and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department. No statutory boards, agencies or other such authorities, under the remit...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The five Statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, at present, are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, the Citizens Information Board (formerly Comhairle), the Family Support Agency and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department. There was one appointment to the Pensions Board, with effect from 1st...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (2 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Combating poverty and building an inclusive society are key priorities for the Government. The National Action Plan for Social Inclusion (NAPinclusion) 2007-2016 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 process with other stakeholders. The NAPinclusion adopts a lifecycle...

Written Answers — Ministerial Expenses: Ministerial Expenses (3 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: There has been no Minister of State formally assigned to my Department during the period in question. However, Minister of State Ms. Máire Hoctor, who is Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, with special responsibility for older people, areas of which fall within the remit of my Department. Remuneration is dealt with by the Department of Health and Children.