Results 2,001-2,020 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department is conscious of the need to control and prevent abuse of the free travel scheme. In the first instance, any abuse of the scheme is a matter for direct control by the transport operators concerned. However the Department co-operates to the greatest extent possible with transport operators in dealing with fraud and abuse of the system. Transport operators are continually updated...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In the last budget, I announced a wide range of important measures for non-contributory pensioners, including farmers. These included: an increase of €16 per week (9.6%) for all non-contributory pensions, which means that significant progress has been made towards the achievement of the government's commitment to bring the basic state pension to over €200 per week by 2007; an increase in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Supporting and recognising carers in our society has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to education allowance or BTEA is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. The purpose of the allowance is to replace the weekly social welfare payment that the applicant will have been...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In the current year, I have met with one group representing unmarried fathers. The group in question, the Unmarried Fathers of Ireland, received funding in 2005 from the Agency. The Unmarried Fathers of Ireland received a grant of €3,000 towards the provision of counselling. Another group, the Unmarried and Separated Fathers of Ireland, received a grant for €4,000 towards the provision...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Qualification for Disability Allowance depends on an applicant passing a medical examination and a means test. An applicant must be found to have an injury, disease, illness or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year. The applicant concerned was examined by a Medical Assessor of my Department on 5/9/2006 and found to be not...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. A person may qualify for payment of a back to school clothing and footwear allowance if he or she is in receipt of a social welfare or health service executive payment, is participating in an approved employment scheme...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme (BSCFA) operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year and is administered on behalf of my Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Applications for the allowance may be made between the beginning of June and the end of September each year. The BSCFA scheme provides a one-off...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for unemployment assistance on 4 July 2006. His claim is currently being examined. Upon completion of enquiries a decision will be made and he will be notified of the outcome. He is currently in receipt of supplementary welfare allowance at the weekly rate of €165.80. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive on my behalf. The establishment of the Health Service Executive prompted a fresh consideration of the role and structure of the Community Welfare Service, and of the most appropriate location for the service in the future. The Commission on Financial Management and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The social security rights of people living and working in the EU are governed by EU Regulations 1408/71 and 574/72. The Regulations co-ordinate social security systems and are designed to ensure that people are not disadvantaged by moving within the EU to take up work. This is achieved primarily by setting out rules as to which State's social security system a person will pay contributions...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 410 and 411 together. On the 28th of September 2006 I was pleased to introduce a new enhanced standard State Non-Contributory pension. The changes announced take effect from Friday, 29th September for those over 66 years and include significant increases in the means disregard from €7.60 per week to €20 per week. Over 30,000 pensioners who were in receipt...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 413 together. In the last Budget, I announced a wide range of important measures for non-contributory pensioners. These included a significant increase in the means disregard from €7.60 per week to €20 per week. Consequent on the increase in the means disregard to €20 per week a single person, with no other means, can have up to €36,000 in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned is awarded Carer's Allowance with effect from 1 June 2006. He had previously been refused carer's allowance on the grounds that he was engaged in employment for more than ten hours per week. The limit on the number of hours of employment was raised to fifteen hours with effect from 1st June 2006, enabling the person concerned to qualify from that date. As he is assessed...

Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The total sum allocated to my Department in 2006 as between Vote 38 for Social and Family Affairs and the Social Insurance Fund is €13,540 million. Demand-led schemes account for the vast bulk of social welfare expenditure and the determinants of such expenditure can change significantly even in the short to medium term. However, the indications at this stage of the year are that the Vote...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I understand that the Deputy is concerned about the impact on entitlement to disability allowance where an existing single recipient marries or cohabits with a partner who is employed, particularly where the couple wish to take out a mortgage to purchase a property. In the case of all social assistance schemes, including disability allowance, account is taken, for means testing purposes, of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Social Welfare legislation provides that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking work in order to be entitled to an unemployment payment or to sign for credits. Any person who fails to satisfy these conditions on an on-going basis is not entitled to an unemployment payment or credits. Persons who participate in part-time courses of education may retain their unemployment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The unemployment assistance claim of the person concerned was disallowed with effect from 27 January 2006 on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work. He appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Appeals Officer upheld the Deciding Officer's decision and the person concerned was notified accordingly on 6 June 2006. If his circumstances have changed, it is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Sep 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Pneumoconiosis is a prescribed disease for the purpose of the occupational injuries benefit scheme administered by my Department. Occupational injuries benefit is payable to people with pneumoconiosis on the same basis as to people with other prescribed conditions. Disablement benefit, payable under the occupational injuries scheme, is a compensation payment for loss of faculty arising out...