Results 1,961-1,980 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The EU rules on the co-ordination of social security schemes are contained in Regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71 and its implementing Regulation (EEC) No. 574/72. The EU rules on the co-ordination of social security schemes are binding in nature and ensure that people who have worked in a number of member states do not lose entitlement to benefits because they have exercised their right of movement...

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (14 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I understand the Deputy's question refers to the Safe Home programme which is based in Mulranny, County Mayo. The Safe Home programme is core funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, through the DION fund and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The main objective of the Safe Home programme is to help elderly Irish emigrants wishing to return to Ireland to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person's application for carer's allowance was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that he is working, on his holding, for more than ten hours per week. The person appealed that decision to the social welfare appeals office. In accordance with the statutory requirements, the relevant departmental papers, including a report from a social welfare inspector and a submission from...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Widow's or widower's non-contributory pension is a means tested payment payable to a widow or widower, without dependent children, whose income falls below a certain level and who does not satisfy the contribution conditions for a contributory widow's or widower's payment. In assessing means for social assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person or his or her spouse...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Family income supplement, FIS, is designed to provide an incentive for low-paid workers with families to take up or remain in full-time employment. An integral feature of the scheme is that, once the level of the FIS payment is determined, it continues to be payable at that level for a period of 52 weeks, provided that the claimant remains in employment. However, the rate of payment can be...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 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. Neither I nor my Department have a function in determining entitlement in individual cases. The southern area of the executive has advised that the person concerned originally applied for a rent supplement in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: A fuel allowance of €9.00 per week is payable to eligible households during a 29 week winter heating period from the end of September to the middle of April each year. An additional €3.90 per week is payable in the designated urban smokeless fuel zones. As announced in the recent budget, the rate of fuel allowance will be increased by €5 with effect from January 2006. That increase will...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: A fuel allowance of €9 per week is payable to eligible households during a 29-week winter heating period from end-September to mid-April each year. An additional €3.90 per week is payable in the designated urban smokeless fuel zones. As announced in the recent budget, the rate of fuel allowance will be increased by €5 with effect from January 2006. This increase will bring the basic...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. The statutory rules of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme provide that, where it is determined that an applicant has...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: In order to qualify for a contributory pension a person must satisfy a number of conditions in relation to social insurance contributions. However, only contributions made to the end of the contribution year before a person reaches pension age may be counted towards satisfying these qualifying conditions. An increase in workforce participation of older people is one of the more important...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: In assessing means for non-contributory pension purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person or his or her spouse may have, together with the value of capital and property, except the home. Weekly means of €7.60 per week are disregarded and all means in excess of that figure, including those from earnings from employment, are assessed in full. The recent budget made provision...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: In assessing means for non-contributory pension purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person or his or her spouse may have, together with the value of capital and property, except the home. Weekly means of €7.60 per week are disregarded and all means in excess of that figure, including those from earnings from employment, are assessed in full. The recent budget made provision...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225 and 226 together. The social welfare pensions system comprises both social insurance and non-contributory payments. Payment of the former depends on a person achieving a minimum level of social insurance contributions over their working lives while the latter is subject to a means test. Within that basic structure every effort is made to ensure that as a...

Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Opposition's bluff has been called.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: People on social welfare or Health Service Executive payments who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a medical condition, and whose means are insufficient to meet their needs, may qualify for a diet supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. This scheme and related supplements are administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 778, 779, 780, 785 and 793 together. My Department pays maternity benefit to women who have accumulated the required number of PRSI contributions on their social insurance record and who are on maternity leave from work. Entitlement to maternity benefit for employees is contingent on entitlement to maternity leave, legislation for which is the responsibility...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The old age, contributory, pension was first introduced in 1961 and social insurance contributions were increased at the time to reflect the additional coverage being provided under the social welfare system from then. The retirement pension was introduced in 1970. In general, all contributions paid or credited at the appropriate rate on a person's record are assessed when their entitlement...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Unemployment benefit provides for periods of involuntary unemployment and is not payable in respect of any day during which a person is engaged in insurable employment or self-employment. In certain circumstances, however, a self-employed person may be entitled to claim unemployment benefit for part of a week. For example, if engaged under a contract for service, that is, self-employed, for...

Written Answers — School Meals Programme: School Meals Programme (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The school meals programme operated by my Department gives funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes. The first is the long-standing statutory urban school meals scheme, currently operated by 36 local authorities. The Department jointly funds the food costs with these local authorities, who also manage and fund the administration of the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity or gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers in receipt of a carer's allowance and to people...