Results 22,121-22,140 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the EU, publishes comparisons of social protection expenditure as a percentage of GDP across the EU. This encompasses not only social welfare expenditure but also expenditure in areas such as health care, social housing, employment support programmes and other social inclusion programmes. The latest such statistics were released on September 2nd 2010 and...

Written Answers — Death Certificates: Death Certificates (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The administration of the Civil Registration Service is statutorily a matter for the Registrar General. I have had enquiries made with the Registrar General and he has informed me that the position is as follows: When a person dies, it is the duty of a relative of the deceased to act as qualified informant. This means that the relative must give to a registrar of births, deaths and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Programme for Government included a commitment to expand the current free telephone rental scheme by providing for free broadband for older people. My Department has agreed that where people access the internet using a landline, the telephone allowance can be used to cover the cost of calls or internet usage up to the level of their allowance. In addition if a person wishes to subscribe...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Preventing long-term unemployment is important from both economic and social perspectives, especially because long-term unemployment tends to lead to erosion of skills and self-confidence, and damages future employment prospects. Effective prevention depends on being able to identify those at risk of becoming long-term unemployed at an early stage, and referring them to appropriate labour...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos: 1231 and 1232 together. The projected PRSI forgone from the above measures, on a full year basis, is detailed in the following table: €m 2% reduction in 10.75% rate to €40,000 429 Reduce 8.5% rate to 4.25% 232

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Constituency staff salary and expenses details, in respect of the Minister's constituency office staff during my term, to date, and those of my predecessors, since 14th June 2007, are shown in the following tabular statement. No premises or utility costs were incurred by the Department in relation to the constituency office of former Minister, Martin Cullen, in Waterford City, nor in...

Written Answers — Departmental Properties: Departmental Properties (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 1234 and 1289 together. The Department is currently renting two premises — Office Suites 1-3, Bridgewater Business Centre, Islandbridge, Dublin 8; and the Community Social Services Centre Bishopsgate, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. The Community Social Services Centre is the operational location for the Department's Disability Activation Project which is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: In order to qualify for rent supplement a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). Apart from a number of excluded categories, anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residency condition (HRC) and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The person concerned was in receipt of disability allowance from 14 August 1996 to 26 May 2010. It came to the department's attention that the person was in receipt of farm payments from the Department of Agriculture which she had not disclosed. The weekly rate of disability allowance depends on the amount of means assessed. The legislative provisions regarding disability allowance state...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) require the applicant to have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years have at least 260 paid contribution weeks, from employment or self-employment, since entry into insurance satisfy the yearly average condition. The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) in 2010. Her claim was disallowed...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Any of the following people may attend with the patient at in-person assessments including appeals assessments: the patient's GP, an interpreter (if deemed necessary) or an approved advocate by prior arrangement. Attendance of anyone else who wishes to attend along with the patient, is at the discretion of the Medical Assessor. The nurses present at medical in-person assessments, are all...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The person concerned was awarded disability allowance at a weekly rate of €326.10 (personal rate of €196.00 plus a qualified adult rate of €130.10) with effect from 20 January 2010. His first payment was made at Limerick Post Office on 4 August 2010. Arrears due from 20 January 2010 to 3 August 2010 were issued by cheque on 19 August 2010.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Cases such as those described are processed in compliance with Article 68 of EU Regulation 883/2004 and its Implementing Regulation EU 987/09. Where parents are employed in separate member states, Child Benefit is paid by the Member State in which the children are resident. If the rate of Child Benefit in the other Member State is higher, then that Member State is competent to pay a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The estimated cost of a 100% bonus payment, in December 2010, would be approximately €226 million.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, following receipt of the relevant Departmental papers including comments on the grounds of appeal, the appeal from the person concerned will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in the case. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements have been made. There was a 46% increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2009 when compared to 2008, which in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned was refused mortgage interest supplement as her income from her widows (contributory) pension and her illness benefit is sufficient to meet her mortgage interest costs. If the person concerned is not satisfied with the decision of the HSE she can appeal the decision to the HSE Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Departmental Responsibilities: Departmental Responsibilities (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1248 and 1255 together. In February 2006 the Government decided that the Community Welfare Service (CWS) would transfer to this Department. The Social Welfare and Pensions Acts 2007 and 2008 provided for the transfer of the administration of the SWA scheme from the HSE to the Department. These provisions are subject to a Commencement Order. A considerable...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (29 Sep 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The most pressing requirement is to get the public finances back on track. As part of a range of cost saving measures, the range of treatments available under the Dental Benefit Scheme was reduced in Budget 2010. The free examination is still available to customers to encourage them to continue attending for regular checkups. No decision has yet been made on the future of the Treatment...