Results 81-100 of 16,057 for speaker:Mary Coughlan

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Beidh sé faireáilte nuair a bheidh mé críochnaithe. The level of resources which are allocated under the Abridged Estimate of 2004 to social welfare is a significant part of overall total Government spending and demonstrates this Government's continuing commitment to protecting the position of people who are less well off in our society.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Last year I placed a cap on rent allowances as a measure to help reduce and control rents. At the time, this measure was howled at by members of the Opposition who even claimed that people would be made homeless by it. This has not happened. The Opposition continues to scaremonger and today is crying wolf over these prudent measures.

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: I announced the discontinuation of a supplement within the SWA scheme which was specially designated as a crèche supplement. The reason for this is that, as a result of State expenditure on crèche care and the tripling of child benefit payments since 1997, the need for the crèche supplement has been considerably reduced. In any event, this supplement was not applied uniformly across the...

Seanad: Estimates for 2004: Motion. (19 Nov 2003)

Mary Coughlan: Next year, because of this commitment, approximately one in three euro spent by the Government will be spent on social welfare, education or health. We will seek to ensure that not only will the progress in recent years not be undone but that our society and economy continue to make progress towards their goals.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The conditions for receipt of EU farm retirement pension are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food. As far as social welfare payments are concerned farm retirement pension is not generally payable in addition to social welfare payments. In the case of persons under the age of 66 the pension is assessed in the same way as other cash income for the purpose of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned was in receipt of widow's non-contributory pension at the weekly rate of €111.30 until June 2002. Payment of pension was then discontinued as her means were in excess of the weekly statutory limit of €122.60. Her means were derived from a yearly farm retirement pension of €13,515.00, equivalent to €259.90 weekly. Farm retirement pension is assessable in full for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The living alone allowance is an additional payment of €7.70 per week that is paid to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of specified social welfare payments, including widow's contributory pension. It is also available to those under 66 years of age who are receiving disability allowance, invalidity pension, blind person's pension or unemployability supplement. The person...

Written Answers — Statutory Instruments: Statutory Instruments (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 1993, as amended, provides the primary legislative basis for the social welfare code. This primary legislation is supplemented by statutory instruments which are made under powers conferred by the Act. In preparing preliminary drafts of all legislation within its remit, my Department, in line with the advice of the Attorney General, has always been...

Written Answers — EU Presidency: EU Presidency (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: My overall focus for the Irish Presidency will be to advance the EU social policy agenda generally and in particular, make progress in delivering on the ten year goals set by the Lisbon European Council in 2000. The Irish Presidency priorities for the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council formation are detailed in the booklet entitled, More and better jobs and greater...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 531 to 533, inclusive, together. The person concerned is a self-employed contributor and as such became liable for PRSI for the first time when it was extended to the self-employed in 1988. Details of PRSI payments made by the contributor since 1988 are shown in the following appendix. Appendix: Year Amount of PRSI No. of contributions Dates paid £...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: My Department has no record of a claim for disability allowance from the person concerned. An application form has been sent to him for completion. On receipt of this form, his entitlement to the allowance will be considered and he will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: Provision has been made to exempt from PRSI contributions payments made to personal retirement savings accounts, PRSAs, introduced under the Pensions (Amendment) Act 2002 and payments to other personal pensions in the form of ordinary retirement annuity contracts, which are paid through the payroll system. These arrangements were provided for in the regulations that govern the PAYE system....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The person concerned was in receipt of disability benefit from 31 July 2000. Payment was disallowed by a deciding officer from 3 October 2002 following an examination by a medical assessor who considered that she was capable of work. She appealed this decision to the social welfare appeals office and was found capable of work at a further medical examination on 11 November 2002. Following an...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: My Department provides facilities for a canteen service for staff in a number of locations. However, it is not directly involved in the provision of meals or in the running of these facilities. Arrangements for the provision of services in these facilities are put in place by voluntary committees of staff in the locations in question. As a rule this involves the appointment of a commercial...

Written Answers — Departmental Travel: Departmental Travel (3 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: There is a significant level of travel expenditure in my Department's budget, arising from the dispersed nature of my Department's services and, inter alia, the fact that a considerable level of investigative work must be carried out in the course of delivering the Department's services. The total amount paid out in 2003 by my Department in respect of home travel expenses in 2003 was...

Civil Registration Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: I am not a parliamentary counsel, I have not read any drafting manual and I have no intention of doing so. I rely on the Attorney General's office for the provision of assistance in legislative initiatives and we abide by the advice of that office and the parliamentary counsel. I am satisfied that the drafting of the provision of the section complies with the best practice as set down by that...

Civil Registration Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: I move amendment No. 3: In page 8, line 26, to delete "Region" and substitute "Regional". This corrects a typographical error.

Civil Registration Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: The interdepartmental committee on the reform of marriage law is currently examining a number of issues, including the capacity to marry. It intends to publish a discussion paper on the issue and to seek views and observations from all interested parties. I will bring the views of Members of the House to the attention of the committee. It would, therefore, be pre-emptive to accept the amendment.

Civil Registration Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: I have formally written to the committee on the issue and advised it of the Deputy's views.

Civil Registration Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (10 Feb 2004)

Mary Coughlan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 13, line 37, to delete "Shibhialta" and substitute "Sibhialta".