Results 7,921-7,940 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: A cheque for €850.00 in respect of the Bereavement Grant, was issued to the individual's home address on 8th February 2008 in respect of his late mother's death.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that a rent supplement of €117 per week has been awarded to the person concerned with effect from 10 December 2007. The Executive has also advised that all payments due will issue to the person concerned shortly.

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (19 Feb 2008)

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 childcare; improved information services for lone parents and the introduction of a new social...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: It is government policy to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world-class payments environment in Ireland. In this context, the National Payments Implementation Program Advisory Group, under the aegis of the Department of An Taoiseach, monitors the growth in electronic payments, the reduction in cash transactions and any...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: Social Welfare cheques are collected from a central area in my Department at agreed times daily by An Post for delivery to the Dublin Mail Centre for sorting and ongoing delivery to our customers. These cheques are given priority treatment. No complaints of delays of receipt of payments have been received in my Department in respect of the areas mentioned. The post office network, and the...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 420 and 421 together. Section 25 of the Disability Act, 2005 requires that all public buildings be fully accessible by 2015 and that they at least meet the minimum standard as set out in Part M of the Building Regulations, 1997 — 2006. The Department's Sectoral Plan (as required by section 31 of the Act) sets out an Action Plan in this regard. This Plan...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the Disability Act 2005, the Department is required to have Access Officers in place to support the provision of assistance and guidance for people with disabilities in accessing our services. In compliance with this requirement, the Secretary General appointed Access Officers to cover the Department's various offices across the Country. An Access Officer is in place in the Western...

Written Answers — Disability Sectoral Plan: Disability Sectoral Plan (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: As required under the Disability Act 2005, the Department of Social and Family Affairs prepared and published its Disability Sectoral Plan in December 2006. A copy of this Plan has been sent to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Equity Stake: Equity Stake (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: My Department does not hold an equity stake in any company.

Written Answers — Mortgage Interest Supplements: Mortgage Interest Supplements (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The table shows the number of recipients and expenditure on mortgage interest supplement in 2005 and 2006. Recipients and Expenditure — Private Mortgage Interest Supplement and Local Authority Mortgage Interest Supplement in 2005 and 2006 Private Mortgage Interest Supplement Local Authority Mortgage Interest Supplement Year Recipients €000 Recipients €000 2005 2,741 5,834 479 505...

Written Answers — Translation Services: Translation Services (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: Translation services are provided for all languages and the majority of requests relate to supporting documentation for use in claims processing. The Department of Foreign Affairs provides a translation service for a number of EU languages. Requests for all other languages are sent to translation companies. In 2007 over 1,100 documents required translation into a number of different...

Written Answers — Regulatory Authorities: Regulatory Authorities (19 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Pensions Board is the only regulatory body operating under the aegis of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The statutory role of the Board is to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act 1990. This involves the regulation of occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts and the provision of advice to the Minister for Social and Family...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (20 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the HSE, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is determined by the Executive based...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: Credited contributions, or credits as they are termed, are social insurance contributions which are awarded to an insured person without a Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) payment being received from that person. Credits are awarded in circumstances such as unemployment or illness, and their purpose is to help protect the social insurance entitlement of insured persons during periods when...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Department is implementing a three year strategy to change paper based payment instruments to electronic payments at post offices and financial institutions. The programme is being implemented on a phased basis to coincide with book renewal production schedules and as personalised payable order books expire. Concerns have been raised about the position of customers who use "agents" to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that no application for rent supplement has been received from the person concerned. If the person wishes to make an application, she should contact her local community welfare officer. A Child Benefit application from the person concerned was received in March 2006. The habitual residency condition was not met as the applicant was in the asylum...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that it contacted the person concerned requesting clarification of his financial circumstances. The person concerned should contact his local community welfare office with the financial details requested. Any ongoing entitlement he may have to rent supplement can then be determined.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: My Department operates the free travel scheme which provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. Airlink Services are not...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have...

Written Answers — General Register Office: General Register Office (26 Feb 2008)

Martin Cullen: I presume that the Deputy is referring to the clearance of foreign divorces in respect of persons who are proposing to remarry in this country. Statistics of the kind referred to by the Deputy are not routinely maintained. However, the statistics sought are currently being compiled in the General Register Office and these will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.