Results 2,361-2,380 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Waste Management Charges: Waste Management Charges (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The setting of waste management charges and the introduction of waivers in respect of waste charges is, as has been stated in this House on many occasions, a matter for each local authority. Local authorities operate under the auspices of the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The introduction of a national social welfare scheme to address the issue would not be...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to external media monitoring services. The cost of external media monitoring services to the Department of Social and Family Affairs for the years 2002 to 2007 is as follows: Year Cost € 2002 — 2003 510.31 2004 276.72 2005 11,601.34 2006 25,933.46 2007 26,360.81 Most of the task of monitoring media coverage of social welfare issues was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has confirmed that it has received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned in January 2008 in respect of a new residence. The Executive has advised that a decision on the claim requires an assessment of a housing need, provided by the relevant local housing authority, in respect of the person concerned. In order to qualify for a rent...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: This Department administers some fifty schemes and makes payments to one million people each week. Because of the nature, scale and diversity of its work, the Department holds extensive and detailed personal information about its customers and takes its responsibilities to safeguard this data extremely seriously. Every effort is made by the Department and the agencies under its aegis to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on my behalf 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 means test, has applied for any other benefit or allowances, has registered for work with FÁS, if they are of working age, and satisfies a habitual residency test...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together. In general there is no limit or restriction on the proportion or number of people that may receive rent supplement in an area. However Section 25 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007 provides that a payment of rent supplement can be refused in respect of accommodation which is situated in an area notified to the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that it has refused payment of a rent supplement in this case on the grounds that the person concerned is engaged in full-time education and is not in receipt of a back to education allowance. People in full-time education are normally excluded from receipt of rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. However, people...

Written Answers — Civil Registration Service: Civil Registration Service (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: I have been advised by the Registrar General that the position is as set out below. As a general rule, for a marriage to be valid in the state, under the law that pertained at the time the parties celebrated the marriage, they must: Have had the capacity to marry each other; Freely consent to the marriage: and Observe the necessary formalities as required by the laws of the State.The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that it has no record of an application for supplementary welfare allowance from the person concerned. It is open to the person concerned to make an application for supplementary welfare allowance to his local community welfare officer. If he is unhappy with the outcome of this decision, it is open to him to appeal the decision to the Executive's...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned was refused mortgage interest supplement in November 2007. If the person concerned is not satisfied with the decision, it is open to her to appeal this decision to the Appeals Office of the Health Service Executive. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme which includes mortgage interest supplements is administered on my...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that while no formal application for assistance has been received, under the supplementary allowance scheme, the person concerned was advised informally that she is not eligible for payment of rent supplement as she is in full-time education and is not in receipt of a back to education allowance. It is open to the person concerned to make a formal...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: This Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as expeditiously as possible. The staff and other resources available to the Department are regularly reviewed having regard to the workload arising and other competing demands. The available resources are then...

Written Answers — Counselling Services: Counselling Services (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The scheme of grants to voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling and related supports is administered by the Family Support Agency. The focus of the scheme of grants is on the development of support services in the community for families, to enhance stability in family life and to assist families and their members deal with difficult periods which they may...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: Carer's allowance is a means tested social welfare payment for people providing full time care and attention to people who need it. In line with social assistance payments generally, one of the eligibility requirements for carer's allowance is that the applicant be habitually resident in the State. All applicants, regardless of nationality, are required to be habitually resident in the State...

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Department is committed to meeting the 3% target in accordance with its obligations under the Disability Act 2005. According to its records, the current number of staff with a disability serving in the Department in January 2008 was 141 or 2.92% of total serving staff. This figure can fluctuate from time to time due to staff churn. Under the self-disclosure survey, "Count Me In",...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the Government's decentralisation programme for the civil and public service, some 1,210 posts comprising the Department's headquarter sections and the Social Welfare Appeals Office are relocating to 6 locations — Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Donegal, Buncrana, Carrickmacross and Drogheda. In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency and Citizens Information Board are scheduled to relocate...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: To date, 177 posts have relocated from the Department's Dublin Offices to Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo. These posts were filled by 65 Dublin based staff and 112 provincially based staff. In addition, a further 146 employees, of whom 111 are Dublin based and 35 are provincially based, have transferred to this Department's existing decentralised offices in Dundalk, Letterkenny, Longford, Sligo...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (30 Jan 2008)

Martin Cullen: Under the Government's decentralisation programme for the civil and public service, some 1,210 posts comprising the Department's headquarter sections and the Social Welfare Appeals Office are relocating to 6 locations — Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Donegal, Buncrana, Carrickmacross and Drogheda. In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency is scheduled to relocate 25 posts to Monaghan and the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The following tables detail the number of posts filled in my Department under various categories for the past five years. Table 1: Total Number of Posts filled in Department of Social & Family Affairs Year Number of Posts 2003 193 2004 270 2005 224 2006 369 2007 (to end Oct) 381 Table 2: Number of posts open to existing public and civil servants only Year No of posts open to...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.