Results 2,421-2,440 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive (HSE) payments with meeting the cost of their heating needs during the winter season. Fuel allowances which are paid from end-September to end-April represent a contribution towards a person's normal heating expenses. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. In Budget 2008...

Written Answers — Departmental Computer Systems: Departmental Computer Systems (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: All overpayments are recorded on the new Overpayment & Debt Management (ODM) computer system. The overpayment amounts relating to the headquarter buildings in question are: Dublin: €4,194,749. Letterkenny: €4,442,884 Longford: €14,894,223 Sligo: €69,255,373

Written Answers — Asylum Support Services: Asylum Support Services (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Direct Provision accommodation system is the responsibility of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and of the Reception and Integration Agency (RIA) of that Department.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The person concerned applied for a State Pension (Transition) on 4th May 2006. According to the records of my Department, he has a total of 1,768 contributions in the period from 1956 to 2005 of which 936 are self-employed contributions which are not reckonable for State Pension (Transition). The remaining 832 contribution equate to a yearly average of 17, which is insufficient to qualify...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: As I have often said, deadlines sometimes create a false sense of focus that is not always helpful. The focus should be to achieve a good outcome. So be it if that takes some additional months to achieve, as in this case. I am open to having discussions with the spokespersons directly. If they prefer to feed into the process in some other way, I will structure it such that anybody who...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: That will wash out of the system quickly. It is a new programme with new processes in place and there have been delays because of the sheer volume of applications. It is unfortunate but the officials in the Department are dealing with the matter as quickly as possible. The Deputy correctly indicated the allowance is backdated. We need a focus but the timeframe is not the be all and end all...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I do.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Of course, I accept the principle and it would be a fool who would not. Clearly, it is more expensive for one person to live on his or her own as many of the overheads undoubtedly remain the same. My essential point on this matter is that it was in recognition of this fact that so much emphasis was put on increasing the rates of different pensions in recent years. The rates have been...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The way we are going, the female side of the partnership is living longer; therefore, women will last longer than their male counterparts. The bad news for males in the House is that it will continue this way, according to all projections. The bottom line is that I do not deny it is an issue which can be very difficult to deal with. I am not dismissive but the Government has tried to lift...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: No, that is not true.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Of course people will be worse off living alone than living with others. There is no disputing that — why would I say something different?

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is a fact regardless of one's age. A person does not need to be old for the costs to be different. Throughout life the costs are greater for someone living alone than sharing with others.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The difference between us is either a policy difference or we are involved in semantics and optics. I will try to put it this way. Either the Opposition Deputies believe we should not have raised old age pensions to the level we have——

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is not a cheap shot.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is not. It is the opposite side——

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy is the one playing the games, not me.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I deal with pensioners at clinics, as does the Deputy. The general view among them is that the approach taken of substantially increasing pension rates across the system has been right. The Deputy is suggesting that for the optics we should not have increased them by as much.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I did not interrupt the Deputy.

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy is being disingenuous. The correct approach in this regard adopted by Fianna Fáil-led Governments since 1997 has been to look after all pensioners in a very substantive way, which has been of considerable benefit to people living alone. The increase has been far greater by addressing the overall pension position than simply concentrating on the living alone allowance. The...

Social Welfare Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The figures are blindingly obvious.