Results 23,061-23,080 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Social Welfare Benefits (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As I have said, a great deal of work has been done on the global scheme to deal with delays. I agree that we have to keep working with a particular focus on areas where there are unacceptable delays in processing claims.

Social Welfare Benefits (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy can be absolutely sure-----

Social Welfare Benefits (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I cannot give the Deputy chapter and verse for each individual office. I will work with my officials. I will continue to stress that we need to take action on a range of fronts, as outlined in the answer, to deal with the delays that exist. That can involve the use of technology and staff, etc. I agree with Deputies that it is important for people to get a speedy service from the...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 44 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. The role of money advisors is to help clients to assess their financial situation, make a budget plan and deal with creditors. MABS is now dealing with increasingly complex debt situations in respect...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Social Insurance Fund comprises a current account and an investment account. To the extent that annual income is not required for benefit payments, this finance, together with the accumulated surplus from previous years is transferred to the investment account. Annual surpluses were a feature of the fund between 1996 and 2007. The highest annual surplus was realised in 2006. The...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: All recipients of the one-parent family payment are asked to complete, an annual review form (OFP 40) to certify that they continue to fulfil the conditions for payment. The form is generated automatically and the customer is allowed two weeks to return it to the Department. If the form is not returned or not returned in time, the payment is automatically suspended by the computer system....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 69 together. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there were 26,000 appeals received in 2009 and it is estimated the number in 2010 could reach 30,000 compared to the average number received over the previous 4 years of 15,000. This represents a near 50% increase in the number of appeals received. At the end of 2009 there were...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Facilitators work closely with FÁS and other agencies, at national and local level, to identify appropriate training and developmental programmes for social welfare recipients of working age to enhance the skills those individuals have and, ultimately, improve their employment chances as well as helping them to develop personally. The facilitator service is available to social welfare...

Written Answers — Public Service Cards: Public Service Cards (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, the specifications for a Public Service Card (PSC) under the Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE, programme. The specification provides for identification features, including a photograph. The aim is to develop a card that acts as a key for access to public services in general,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 60 and 67 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short-term assistance, and not to act...

Written Answers — National Carers Strategy: National Carers Strategy (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: During 2008, an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, with secretariat support provided by my Department, undertook work, including a public consultation process, to develop a National Carers' Strategy. However, because of the prevailing economic situation, it was not possible to set targets or time limits which could be achieved. In that context, rather than...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Social welfare expenditure for 2011, including expenditure on State pensions, will be considered in the context of next year's Budget preparations, having regard both to needs and to the resources available to meet those needs. As stated, in identifying possible savings I will seek to protect the vulnerable irrespective of age.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Department's facilitators work with social welfare recipients of working age, including people in receipt of jobseekers payments, people parenting alone, people in receipt of disability welfare payments and people providing care, to promote participation and social inclusion. Facilitators help people to identify appropriate training or development programmes which will enhance the skills...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53, 72, 77, 80 and 81 together. The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. A key objective of the Department's control strategy is to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time. A four-pronged control strategy has been adopted by the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 76 together. The Department of Social Protection already assists low income households with heating costs through their basic payments, through the fuel allowance scheme and through the household benefits package of electricity and gas allowances. These schemes have been improved significantly in recent years. The fuel allowance is paid for 32 weeks...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 58 and 73 together. The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents", was published in 2006 and can be viewed at http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Policy/PolicyPublications/Families/ Documents/prop_lp.pdf. It put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents, the extension...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme will be commenced in June and will be administered by the Department of Social Protection. Regulation pertaining to the scheme is in the final stages of preparation, as are details of scheme administration. The scheme will run for the calendar year 2010 only. However, any qualifying employment created in 2010 will be eligible for the scheme, which...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The money advisers throughout the country focus on providing assistance, advice and intense support to people who have financial difficulties. The money adviser works out a budget and negotiates on behalf of the client with all creditors, including financial institutions and sub-prime lenders, to secure better terms for the client in managing the repayment of their debts. Where required by...

Written Answers — Civil Registration Act: Civil Registration Act (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I appreciate that registration here of the deaths abroad of Irish citizens would be very significant to the relatives of the deceased and it is in this context that I have undertaken to review the existing provisions of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, in relation to this issue. There is a range of issues to be considered in relation to the scope and implementation of any proposed amendment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 May 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 64 and 68 together. There are currently just over 16,500 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement, compared to 8,091 recipients in 2008. Expenditure for the year ending December 2009 was €60.7m; the estimate for 2010 is €63.9m. The mortgage interest supplement scheme is currently under review. The main purpose of this review is to examine how...