Results 8,001-8,020 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: I said to the Deputy that I would address the matter and I will do so in the context of the changes I will make in respect of the one-parent family payment. The Deputy's point is fair but I cannot make the change in isolation.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy said she would be brief and I will be equally so. We have had long debates on this issue. I will simply not grant an entitlement to child benefit to those who are not habitually resident in the country. It would be extraordinary to do so and I could not countenance it. As the Deputy rightly stated, I made the point that one could not deal with child benefit in isolation. The...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: We discussed this at length. As Deputy Enright stated, there is a review and we will wait for the results of it. There has been a substantial increase, from a static position, in recent times. The FIS is a good payment. It emphasises people working and those are the type of payments I think are important in terms of the poverty trap. I cannot accept the amendment. If the Deputy is...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: As I stated to Deputy Enright on Committee Stage, there are 180,000 children in over 88,000 households benefiting from this. The scheme involves a not insignificant amount of money. We have provided over €43 million for the scheme in 2008, but particularly in budget 2007 we increased the rates from the base of €180 for children between the ages of two and 11 to €200 and for those...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: We strive to facilitate all of our customers in the shortest time possible. There can be specific factors in individual cases that can delay this process. The Department and my officials are keen to ensure that we apply best practice in dealing with our customers.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: I would never fly a kite.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: As I stated, that is my intention. I am in no doubt about that. I want to bring this matter to a conclusion. I want to set it out before the end of this year and then bring legislative proposals in the next available Bill thereafter.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: I suspect it will probably be in this Bill's successor next year. I am not sure if it will be the one immediately after the budget. It will be in either one or the other. It depends on how quickly I can do it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The working group has been established under the chairmanship of the Department of the Taoiseach. All the different agencies and stakeholders are involved in the process and it is intended to publish the strategy later this year. That is important work and was well rehearsed in Towards 2016 and in the social partnership arena. On amendment No. 25, the issue of dealing with young carers is a...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: It will look at the issue of caring generally. I will talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for children with regard to that matter to ensure any necessary inputs are included.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: I thank colleagues for their thorough examination of this Bill and for their support for many aspects of it. I have taken on board a number of the points the Deputies have made, some in the context of ongoing discussions to make substantial changes. Hopefully, we will see those changes. I appreciate the general welcome for the Bill through all Stages and the formidable efforts of...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: We have had a good discussion on the matters raised. Between both Deputies Shortall and Enright there was——

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: In fairness, I have. There are a number of stakeholders involved in the social and family affairs area. The delivery of policy in the social economy area approaches a budget of some €17 billion. We forget, as a result of the transformation over the past ten or 15 years, that less than 9% of that budget now deals directly with unemployment. The significant policy area that has emerged...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The position in Kilkenny and Coolock where the two studies are under way is very interesting. Those lone parents who have come in to meet staff and officials have found it extremely beneficial and have encouraged some of their friends and colleagues that this is a non-threatening approach to dealing with their individual needs. We all understand it is not just about financial payments, but...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the current programme of decentralisation, 85 posts in the Department are to be relocated to Carrickmacross. According to figures received from the Central Application Facility (CAF), through which all applications for decentralisation locations must be submitted, 64 applicants applied for Carrickmacross before the priority application date of 7 September 2004. Since this date, there...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the current programme of decentralisation, the Combat Poverty Agency is designated to relocate to Monaghan town. The Office of Public works is charged with securing accommodation in Monaghan for this Department and have advised that they are currently exploring a number of property options. These include the proposed refurbishment of an existing office and the construction of a new...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The provision of civil registration services at local and regional level is a matter for the Health Service Executive. My Department has asked the Chief Executive of the Health Service Executive to investigate the matters raised and to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The expenditure on rent supplement and number of recipients for the administrative areas, as listed by the Deputy, are shown in the following tabular statement. Rent supplement is administered on my behalf by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. In order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must satisfy a means test and be habitually...

Written Answers — Civil Registrations: Civil Registrations (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 relating to marriage were commenced with effect from 5 November, 2007. New processes and procedures which are based on these provisions were put in place from that date to ensure that marriages which take place are legally valid. Section 46 of the Act requires that, save in exceptional circumstances, couples intending to marry in the State...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Mar 2008)

Martin Cullen: The person concerned, who is self-employed in the construction industry, applied for jobseeker's allowance on 21 January 2008. A Deciding Officer assessed his weekly means at €385 and awarded the allowance to him at the weekly rate of €40.10 from 21 January 2008. A first payment, including arrears, issued to him on 25 February 2008. The means assessment in this case is based on...