Results 2,861-2,880 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Combat Poverty Agency: Combat Poverty Agency (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: At this time, there are a number of reviews, in relation to the work of the Combat Poverty Agency which are at different stages of progression. A review of the Agency's Research Programme was initiated in May 2007, by the Agency and the Office for Social Inclusion of my Department. The review is being carried out by Goodbody Economic Consultants and it will inter alia Assess the activities,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The purpose of the review of the social welfare code, which is currently being undertaken in my Department, is to examine its compatibility with the Equal Status Act, 2000 (as amended). The review will examine all the schemes and services provided for both in social welfare legislation and the administrative schemes operated by the Department. It will identify any instances of direct or...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91, 102 and 132 together. The living alone increase is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and who receive payments under one of a number of invalidity...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Programme for Government commits the Government to implementing significant improvements in both the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance and to the School Meals scheme. I consider the back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme to be an important support for parents at a time of particular financial strain. It provides a major boost to those who most need assistance...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Spouses working for self-employed contributors are specifically excepted from social insurance contributions. This exclusion recognises the practical difficulties in establishing the nature of a genuine employment relationship in circumstances such as when a person employed under a contract of service by his or her spouse is classed as an "excepted" contributor under social welfare law. As a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 354 together. The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity/gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence schemes, is generally available to people living 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The overall goal of my Department's new Debt Management Strategy is to actively pursue the recovery of debt to maximise recovery levels, with due regard to value for money and with particular emphasis on recovery from people no longer dependant on welfare payments. The objectives of the strategy are To maximise the recovery of overpayments To efficiently record, report and monitor the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 100, 106 and 123 together. The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of childcare; improved information...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: My Department operates the following non statutory schemes: Household Benefits Package Free Travel Back to Work Allowance Back to Education Allowance National Fuel Allowance Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Household Benefits Package The household benefits package, which comprises the electricity, natural gas allowance, telephone allowance and free television licence is...

Written Answers — PPS Numbers: PPS Numbers (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 126 together. The Personal Public Service Number is an individual's unique reference number for dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. My Department assumed sole responsibility for the registration of customers and subsequent allocation of PPS Numbers in June 2000. At that time and to facilitate customer service, all Local and Branch...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of my Department. A key objective of my Department's control strategy is to ensure that we pay the right person the right amount of money at the right time. This applies to all customers regardless of nationality. A four pronged approach has been adopted by the Department to meet this...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: My department has a range of illness and disability payments. The two largest schemes in terms of the numbers of recipients are illness benefit and disability allowance. Illness benefit is a social insurance payment for people who cannot work due to illness. Recipients must comply with certain rules of behaviour that are set out in legislation. One of the rules of behaviour states that a...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 122 together. Blind Pension is paid to blind people and certain people with low vision, between the ages of 18 and 66 who are habitually resident in the State, and satisfy a means test. Items which are assessed as means include: Cash income of claimant and or spouse partner The value of savings, investments, shares, land etc. Any property they may...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) 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 230 money advice staff operating the service. Last year, MABS provided services to almost 12,500 new clients throughout the country. To date, in 2007, some 9,300 new clients have...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: All contributory payments include, where appropriate, an increase for a dependent spouse or partner. However, this increase is means-tested with a full increase payable where a spouse's income is less than €100 per week, with reduced rates payable until income exceeds €250 per week. Unlike the means test for non-contributory payments, a household means test does not apply, i.e. a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The appropriateness of benchmarking social welfare rates has been actively considered from time to time. In 2001 the Social Welfare Benchmarking and Indexation Group was established to examine the issues involved in developing a benchmark for adequacy of adult and child social welfare payments. The Group published its final report in September 2001 but did not achieve a consensus position...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Contributions due to the Social Insurance Fund are collected in the main by the Revenue Commissioners, together with income tax due. My Department's Inspectorate, appointed under Section 250 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 is responsible, inter alia, for ensuring that employers and the self employed comply with the Act in relation to Pay Related Social Insurance contributions....

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is a fundamental principle of our social insurance system that those qualifying for benefits must satisfy a range of contribution and other conditions. In the case of contributory pensions this involves commencing payment of contributions 10 years before pension age, payment of a minimum number of contributions at an appropriate rate and reaching a minimum average annual contribution...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: 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, also receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: 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...