Results 981-1,000 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There is one directive which falls within the responsibility of my Department which has not yet been fully implemented. This is EC Council Directive 2003/41/EC on the activities and supervision of Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision — more generally known as the IORPs directive. This sets out a framework for the operation and supervision of occupational pension schemes in all...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department currently issues approximately 1.1 million weekly payments of which 58% are paid through An Post. My Department's policy is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers and that the service is continually improved by providing access to the wide range of payment options and new services and facilities now available. Where possible, my Department provides a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. My Department is in regular contact with the community welfare staff of the executive regarding the various elements of the scheme. In the course of these ongoing contacts, the upper limitation on rent levels...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The DIG or decentralisation implementation group's report to the Minister for Finance on 19 November 2004, recommended the locations and organisations to be included in the first phase of moves under the decentralisation programme and those to be regarded as potential early movers. While Carrickmacross was not included in the first phase of moves or as a potential early mover, the DIG is due...

Written Answers — Vetting Procedures: Vetting Procedures (5 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The five statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, Comhairle, the Family Support Agency and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition, the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department. The Pensions Board was established in December 1990 under the Pensions Act 1990 and comprises 17 members, including the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Diet supplements are available through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Diet supplements are subject to a means test. The amount of supplement payable in individual cases depends on which of two categories of diet, low-cost or high-cost, has been prescribed by the applicant's...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The primary objective of the orphans payments administered by my Department is to provide income support in respect of children whose parents are deceased or who are unable and have failed to provide for them. The weekly rate of payment is €121 per week. That is a substantially higher rate of payment compared with other payments made by my Department in respect of children. Foster carers,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The respite care grant is an annual payment for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention. The receipt of a payment from my Department by the carer or the person being cared for, including invalidity pension, does not affect eligibility for the grant. However, both the carer and the person in receipt of care must satisfy certain conditions as follows. The...

Written Answers — Public Service Card: Public Service Card (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Following approval from the Government in June 2004 to begin work on a standards-based framework for a public services card, an interdepartmental steering group was established in September 2004. The proposed framework was agreed in principle by the steering group in March 2005, and detailed drafting is under way. That will accompany a memorandum to the Government which will also address...

Written Answers — Public Service Card: Public Service Card (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 to 265, inclusive, together. On 21 December 1993 the Government approved, in principle, the development of an integrated social services system, or ISSS, which would provide a more integrated approach to the administration, delivery, management and control of statutory income support services. An interdepartmental committee was set up to consult the...

Written Answers — Criminal Prosecutions: Criminal Prosecutions (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: No directors, managers, secretaries or other officers of bodies corporate have been charged with offences under section 213(7) of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act in the past five years. However, in the same period one employer was prosecuted under section 213(2) of the same Act for similar offences.

Written Answers — Crime Prevention: Crime Prevention (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department's policy is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers, including electronic funds transfers to customers' accounts. That type of payment arrangement is not compulsory, and there are no plans to make it so. It is Government policy to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy generally as they become available, and my...

Written Answers — Child Support: Child Support (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Currently the births of all children born in the Republic of Ireland are registered electronically. The Department receives this information from the General Registrar's Office and allocates a PPSN to the child and also commences a child benefit application for them. If the mother already has other children, the new baby is added automatically to the existing claim, and payment issues to the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or health board payments and who are unable to provide for their extra heating needs during the winter season. To qualify for an allowance under the national fuel scheme, an applicant must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, live alone or only with a dependant spouse or partner,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: One of the components of the household benefits package is the electricity allowance. That allowance was introduced in 1967 to ensure a basic standard of heat and light for specific targeted groups of people. The electricity allowance covers normal standing charges and up to 1,800 units of electricity each year. Over time, the options of claiming bottled gas allowance or electricity — group...

Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Irish social welfare system is primarily a flat-rate system, and rates of payment under the various schemes are set by reference to the objective of ensuring an income for recipients sufficient to live life with dignity. The policy followed by successive Governments has been to increase the basic levels of payment up to a benchmark level of €150 per week in 2002 terms by 2007. The...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: As previously advised, applications for exemption certificates from the company were examined to ensure the qualifying conditions were met. A declaration was obtained from the company that the employees continued to be subject to social insurance in their home country. A request has issued to the relevant social insurance authority to confirm that social insurance contributions were paid in...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The information sought by the Deputy involves an amount of detail, and I am arranging for it to be forwarded to her at the earliest possible date.

Written Answers — Tax Collection: Tax Collection (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department does not hold information regarding the tax affairs of individual staff members.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (10 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Risk analysis is a key element of my Department's control strategy. That entails the identification of areas at high risk of fraud and abuse in the various schemes and putting in place appropriate measures to address them systematically. Any risks associated with each claim or payment type are addressed in that context. Social welfare payments made by direct payment, or EFT, are paid directly...