Results 2,401-2,420 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive on my behalf. The scheme is provided for under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act. That legislation currently provides that the scheme is administered by the Health Service Executive, under my general direction and control. The positive attributes of the service, to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together. The one-parent family payment is a means tested payment that is intended to assist a lone parent who is bringing up a child or children without the support of a partner. In order to qualify for the one-parent family payment, an applicant must satisfy a number of statutory conditions. He or she must have the main care and charge of at least...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary allowance (SWA) scheme is the "safety net" within the overall social welfare system in that, subject to qualifying conditions, it provides assistance to any persons in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. SWA provides a minimum weekly allowance to eligible people who have insufficient means. The supplementary welfare...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the home-maker's scheme which was introduced from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will not of itself...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Question Nos. 123 and 133 together. The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit. In Budget 2006, I provided for a significant increase in the rate of carer's allowance. From January this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities programme 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 qualification requirements for access to the back to education are the same throughout the State. At present, to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Credited contributions (credits) form an integral part of the social insurance system. The primary purpose of credits is to protect the social insurance entitlement record of insured workers who, for reasons relating either to incapacity, ill-health, unemployment or the provision of care are not in a position to make PRSI payments. In order to qualify for credits, a person must be an employed...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity/gas allowance, telephone allowance and television licence schemes, is generally available to people living permanently in the State, aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Widows and widowers can qualify for one of a number of different schemes depending on their particular circumstances. The contributory widow(er)s pension is available to those who satisfy the necessary PRSI contribution conditions, either on their own record or that of the deceased spouse. Those qualifying for this benefit are not subject to any means test. Those without the necessary PRSI...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Child poverty is a complex area requiring coordinated action across a range of government services and income support payments. The development of income supports which can make the most effective contribution to child poverty lies within my Department's responsibilities and a series of budgets have increased considerably in real terms the level of resources which are going to families with...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department is committed to delivering a high quality customer service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are issued as expeditiously as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply. These conditions vary from scheme to scheme and may include establishment of a customer's social insurance record,...

Social Welfare Code. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare system is designed to provide income supports and access to relevant services in a timely manner to all our customers. The system is neutral with regard to how it treats men and women; receipt of payment is dependent on contingency and other conditions being met. Levels of payment and how they apply are exactly the same for men and women. However, while there is equity in...

Social Welfare Code. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: There are 40 questions there. The main thrust of what the Deputy is saying, under these different headings, is that we need to take more action as regards the position women find themselves in under the social welfare code, and I accept that. It is mainly women who are in receipt of qualified adult allowances. The issue of paying that directly is under examination. I have met representatives...

Family Support Services. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Government acknowledges that the risk of poverty, especially child poverty, tends to be higher among one parent families, larger families and those faced by long-term unemployment. This is due mainly to the direct costs of rearing children, including child care costs, and the opportunity costs related to the reduced earnings capacity of parents, arising from their care responsibilities....

Family Support Services. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: We are having a national debate on this matter. We have had a number of fora and public discussions. As he is Chairman of the Joint Committee on Social and Family Affairs, I have listened carefully to what the Deputy said and I will take it on board as part of the discussion we are having. As soon as I am satisfied that we have reached some conclusions that are sensible and workable, then I...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 May 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 as...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I compliment the Deputy on his great work in this area. He does a great deal of work with our emigrants in the UK and elsewhere and he is genuine about this issue, like everybody else. The legal position is that it would not be possible under EU legislation to extend free travel to all Irish citizens in the UK because that would mean discriminating in favour of our own nationality. That...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have examined the research in question by Barnardos and the Children's Research Centre, which was published in September 2004. I was struck that of the estimated 3,000 young carers providing care, more than 300 aged between 15 and 17 provide full-time care. It is clear this group needs appropriate supports. The Barnardos report recommended that further research should be undertaken on...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Deputy published a document on this issue recently, which I will continue to examine. I pointed out the last time we discussed this matter that we need to be careful. The figures indicate 300 carers are aged between 15 and 17, none of whom is in receipt of the carer's allowance because one must be 18 years to be eligible. However, eligibility for the respite care grant was fixed at 16...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 May 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Social Welfare legislation provides that a person must satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work in order to be entitled to unemployment benefit or assistance. In order to satisfy these conditions, a person must demonstrate that he or she is making reasonable efforts to secure full-time employment or self- employment. In applying the legislation Deciding...