Results 23,521-23,540 of 28,255 for speaker:Éamon Ó Cuív

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: With regard to the means testing for people on jobseeker's allowance and so on, I am more than willing to engage in a detailed debate on all of these issues in committee. I would look forward to invitations from the committee and we can spend afternoons going through this in detail. Members will find me very open to ideas and suggestions as to how we can improve all of these schemes. There...

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am.

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: It is difficult but, if it is possible to get the information I will do so. I have no problem giving information but there are many difficulties in accessing it accurately. There always seems to be a perception that there is an under-claiming of FIS. Again, I do not know the exact explanation for that and whether we can get to the bottom of it. Huge improvements have been made in the...

Social Welfare Benefits. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As a new Minister, it would be rather strange if I did not come to the House with the view that there were issues which I thought were wrong in the past but on which I did not manage to get my way, and which I would like to tackle now that I have the responsibility. It is about collective Government; it is not about one-person Government. There have been huge improvements, particularly in...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Under the recently announced changes in ministerial responsibility, the employment and community services programmes of FÁS are being transferred to my Department, the community services programme and the rural social scheme are transferring from the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and responsibility for the payment of redundancy and insolvency payments is transferring...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Currently, a person who signs on as unemployed signs up for a payment and then visits his or her local FÁS office seeking activation placements and so forth. The Department's aim, which makes a great deal of sense, is to ensure that when a person visits his or her local social welfare office, the officials who deal with placement will be working side by side with those dealing with...

Ministerial Responsibilities. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Deputy previously asked who was in charge as long as FÁS exists. The best analogy on how this can work is with Pobail. The responsibility for this body was with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, which I served in a previous administrative role. However, many different Departments use Pobail to deliver schemes on their behalf under service level agreements....

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The Government has announced its intention to introduce a carbon tax, which will come into effect on heating products from May 2010 and on solid fuels at a date to be set by commencement order. Before the tax is applied to fuels for home heating, arrangements are being made to assist those most at risk of fuel poverty. In his carbon budget statement, the Minister for Environment, Heritage...

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As I said, a group is working on this issue and it is intended that it will come forward with recommendations. I am more than aware of the time constraints we face, and I will try to see if we can implement something fast for those who face challenges. However, I have not been given the proposals yet. The fuel issue becomes much more critical during the cold winter months than it does just...

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I can assure the Deputy that I am not out of touch with what is happening with poor families, both in urban and rural areas.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As I said, the interdepartmental agency group has been asked to draw up an energy affordability strategy. The strategy will set out existing and future approaches to addressing energy affordability, and will have regard both to the impact of the carbon tax on low-income households and the range of supports outlined above in making its recommendations.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I am going to answer the question.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: As part of its work the group will make recommendations as to the precise package of measures, including in the area of income support, that should be put in place to assist those at risk of fuel poverty, in advance of the implementation of the carbon tax on home heating products.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: Yes.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I do not. I said that the group will make recommendations as to the precise package of measures, including in the area of income support, that should be put in place to assist those at risk of fuel poverty, in advance of the implementation of the carbon tax on home heating products.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The group will make recommendations as to the precise package of measures, including in the area of income support, that should be put in place to assist those at risk of fuel poverty, in advance of the implementation of the carbon tax.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: I have answered the question.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: What I can say to the Deputy is what I have been advised about the situation. I have not got-----

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: The simple answer is that the recommendations are to be made available before the implementation of the carbon tax. Since I do not have the recommendations, I cannot go beyond that today.

Tax and Social Welfare Codes. (20 Apr 2010)

Éamon Ó Cuív: That is correct.