Results 2,561-2,580 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (6 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The current system of mixed rate pro-rata pensions was introduced in 1991 and was designed to ensure that people who have contributed to the social insurance system at different rates receive a pension which reflects the proportion of full rate contributions which exists in their overall insurance record. The pension is calculated by taking the total number of contributions (modified and full...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The person concerned is in receipt of maximum rate Widow's (Contributory) Pension of €191.30 plus € 21.90 fuel allowance, per week. As her spouse had worked in England, the relevant information was referred to the Department of Social Security in Newcastle upon Tyne (DHSS) to assess her eligibility for a widow's pension. It is a matter for that Department to advise the person concerned of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The supplementary allowance (SWA) scheme, including rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The Executive has advised that following a review of the persons rent supplement assessment, it has awarded a rent supplement of €470.60 per month to the person concerned with effect from November. The Executive has...

Written Answers — Video Conferencing Facilities: Video Conferencing Facilities (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Department does not currently use video conferencing facilities other than in a test environment. Effective video conferencing technology requires considerable network bandwidth and bandwidth of this capacity has only become generally economically available in recent times. Video conferencing facilities also require development of the underlying Information and Communications Technology...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Some 433 staff of my Department availed of tax saver commuter tickets during 2007. Of these, 249 are renewed in January and the remainder on a monthly basis throughout the year.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 182 together. The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the amount of waste in weight produced by my Department for these years is not available. However, following the introduction of a new waste management contract for 2007, figures are available for the 29 offices in the greater Dublin area for the period 1st January 2007 to 31st October...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Supporting and recognising carers in our society is, and has been, a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and extended....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The primary objective of the back to education scheme is to remove the barriers to participation in third level education faced by people in receipt of long term social welfare payments thereby, providing an incentive for them to improve their employment prospects. On the basis that customers in possession of a primary degree have already achieved a high level of academic attainment which...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Under the terms of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Eligible people would...

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Shame on the local authority.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: Local authority councillors should do their job.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: There is no excuse for somebody being on the housing list for 15 years.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I am only trying to help.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is outrageous for a local authority to behave like that.

Budget Statement 2008 (5 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Deputy should hold back. He might get carried away.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 69 and 72 together. Supporting and recognising carers in our society is, and has been, a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) provides income support for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments. There are currently some 21,000 people in receipt of FIS. My Department undertakes a number of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: All contributory payments include, where appropriate, an increase for a dependent spouse or partner. This increase is means-tested with a full increase payable where a spouse's income is less than €100 per week, and reduced rates payable until income exceeds €280 per week. Unlike the means test for non-contributory payments, a household means test does not apply, i.e. a decision is made...

Written Answers — Personal Indebtedness: Personal Indebtedness (4 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70, 95, 125 and 135 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is the main Government funded service which provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 53 independent companies nationwide with over 240 money advice staff operating the service. Many voluntary and statutory...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Dec 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 140 and 146 together. 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 are paid for 29 weeks from end-September to mid-April. The allowance represents a contribution towards a person's normal...