Results 2,841-2,860 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The total number of persons on the live register as of end January 2006 is 160,100. The live register comprises 64,100 people receiving unemployment benefit, 86,100 receiving unemployment assistance and 9,900 signing for credits. Based on the seasonally adjusted live register of 157,400 and using CSO methodology, the estimated standardised unemployment rate for end January 2006 is 4.3%. A...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The scheme is open to applications from June to end-September each year. The statistics requested by the Deputy in relation to allowances awarded for the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 respectively are set out in the following table. Statistics...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The statistics are not available in the format requested by the Deputy but I am providing details of the average payment under the scheme at the end of each of the last two years. The details have been compiled from data that is maintained on a local office catchment area basis and these do not correspond exactly with county boundaries. 31/12/2004 30/12/2005 â'¬ â'¬ National...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The administration of the early child care supplement scheme will be undertaken by this Department on an agency basis on behalf of the Office of the Minister for Children. An assessment of the administrative implications for the department is in train. The assessment covers areas such as the development of the computer system, definition of administrative and control procedures, office space...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 349 together. Under the Government decentralisation programme announced in budget 2004, my Department is to relocate 230 posts to Donegal town and 120 posts to Buncrana. The decentralisation implementation group, DIG, report to the Minister for Finance on 19 November 2004, recommended those locations and organisations to be included in the first phase...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (7 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Disability allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment which is paid to people with a disability who are substantially handicapped in undertaking work which would otherwise be suitable for a person of their age, experience and qualifications. The right of a person to retain a social security payment when moving to another member state is governed by national legislation and EU...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned appealed a decision to disallow his claim for unemployment assistance. The case was referred to an appeals officer who, following an oral hearing and having considered all the evidence, including that adduced at the hearing, allowed the appeal. My Department has been advised of the decision and is making arrangements to put the claim into payment. Relevant notes of the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (2 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The national pensions review was completed by the Pensions Board in November 2005 and published on 17 January 2006. In the context of the issues raised by the Deputy in Question No. 742, the Pensions Board has recommended that retirees should be offered the option of deferring drawing their social welfare pension in exchange for a larger pension starting at a later date. A very approximate...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such as disability allowance, invalidity pension and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to decisions on individual claims. The Dublin-mid-Leinster area of the Health Service Executive has advised that no decision has been made yet in relation to the rent...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (2 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: In my role as Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I have not sought advice from public relations consultancy firms or individuals. I have appointed a press adviser, who has previous experience in a Department, on a contract basis for my term of office. The salary for this position is €95,003 together with a private pension contribution of 10% of salary. In addition to his salary, the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 257 and 258 together. To qualify for a social insurance payment a person must satisfy contribution conditions which vary from scheme to scheme. In the case of widow's or widower's entitlement to a contributory pension this may be based on the social insurance record of either the widowed person or the late spouse. As few as three years' contributions may be...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. The basis for the restriction contained in the new rules is the applicant's habitual residence. The restriction is not based on citizenship, nationality, immigration status or any other factor. The question of what...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (1 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs has not initiated, continued or completed any contracts for public relations projects in 2005.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The retirement pension was introduced in 1970 and was intended to provide income support for people who had to retire aged 65 years until they became eligible for the normal social welfare pension, which at the time was payable from 70 years of age. The qualifying age for old age pension was subsequently reduced over time to 66 years of age which means the requirement to retire before...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Feb 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The processing of one-parent family claims has heretofore been carried out in the social welfare services office in Sligo. Following a review of the arrangements for administering the scheme, it was decided that services should in future be provided through my Department's local offices. The primary aim of providing services at local level is to improve customer service by reducing claim...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Dublin and mid-Leinster area of the Health Service Executive has confirmed that the person concerned has been awarded a rent supplement with effect from 5 January 2006 and has advised that the first payment for €882.80 will issue early in the week commencing on 30 January 2006.

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (31 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned is in receipt of a farm assist payment at the weekly rate €152.80 with means of €13 assessed since 10 August 2005, derived from income from capital and income from a holding. If her circumstances have changed since the last means assessment, it is open to the person concerned to apply for a review and a form for this purpose has now been issued to her.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Unemployment benefit is a short-term, contribution-based payment which is payable for up to 15 months, after which a person may apply for unemployment assistance, a means tested payment. Alternatively, one of a couple may receive credited contributions only, in order to maintain an insurance record while qualifying as an adult dependant on a spouse and partner's or on a partner's claim....