Results 2,961-2,980 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (13 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemakers 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 qualify...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Deserted wife's benefit is a payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. Entitlement to payment is based on social insurance contributions paid by the wife or her husband. An earnings limit was introduced for deserted wife's benefit in 1992. The limit, which applied only to new claims after August 1992, was set at €12,697.38 a year, gross earnings. Where earnings are in excess of...

Social Welfare Bill 2005: Order for Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Social Welfare Bill 2005: Second Stage. (13 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am very pleased to introduce this, the first of two Bills intended to implement the €1.12 billion social welfare package announced in the budget. This substantial investment represents a 28% increase on the 2005 package of €874 million. It brings the projected level of social welfare expenditure in 2006 to more than €13.5 billion,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The western area of the executive has advised that it has requested additional information from the person concerned regarding his application for rent supplement. When the executive receives this information...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (8 Dec 2005)

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 old age non-contributory pension scheme is one of the schemes affected. The basis for the restriction contained in the new rules is the applicant's habitual residence. The restriction is not based on citizenship,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: It is proposed to answer Questions Nos. 159 and 162 together. The supplementary welfare allowance, SWA, scheme, of which rent supplement is a component, is administered by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive on my behalf. The rent supplement scheme is designed solely to provide support to individuals who are not in a position to provide for their own accommodation...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: As announced in the budget, I have made provision to extend the fuel allowance to people in local authority accommodation with communal heating services. I am pleased to inform you that the person concerned will have her free fuel allowance restored with effect from January 2006, backdated to the start of the present heating season.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The treatment benefit scheme operated by my Department provides a range of benefits in the areas of dental, optical and aural treatment for qualified PRSI contributors who are over 16 years of age and their dependent spouses. In budget 2006, an alternative condition of 26 paid contributions was introduced which reduces the previous requirement from 39 paid contributions allowing an extra...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2005)

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. A central unit was set up to monitor the implementation of the habitual residence condition. An important function of the central unit is to make decisions on complex cases. The unit also provides advice and support,...

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed). (8 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department has a pivotal role to play in ensuring the fruits of our economic growth benefit the most vulnerable and that those who need support and encouragement get it. I have repeatedly stressed that as a country we can only really be proud of our booming economy and vibrant, modern country when it reaches down and lifts those who, for whatever reason, have been left behind or...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 168 together. The EC Council Directive 2003/41/EC on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision, IORPs, is generally referred to as the IORPs directive or the pensions directive. The directive sets out a framework for the operation and supervision of occupational pension schemes in all member states and will...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or health service executive payments with the cost of their additional heating needs during the winter season. As a long-standing policy within the scheme, fuel allowances are not payable in situations where a person has access to their own fuel supply or is benefiting from a...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department assists and encourages long-term unemployed and other welfare recipients, including lone parents, to return to work, training or further education through a range of measures administered by its social and family support service. One significant measure is the back to work allowance scheme which incentivises and encourages people to return to work by allowing them to retain part...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There are ten staff employed in my private office. These include eight administrative staff, a press adviser and a special adviser. The eight administrative staff are all established civil servants, one higher executive officer, 1.5 executive officers and 5.5 clerical officers. The higher executive officer is on a pay scale of €40,543 to €51,463 with a private secretary allowance of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person to whom the Deputy refers was paid the respite care grant on 2 November 2005.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Rent supplements are provided through the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The Dublin-mid-Leinster area of the HSE has advised that the rent supplement rate payable to the person concerned has been reviewed recently to take account of an increase in her rate of one parent family...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (6 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Widow's or widower's non-contributory pension is a means tested payment payable to a widow or widower, without dependent children, whose income falls below a certain limit and who does not satisfy the contribution conditions for contributory widow or widower's payment. In assessing means for social assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person or his or her spouse may...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (6 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The application for a respite care grant from the person to whom the Deputy refers was received in the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 24 November 2005. It is being processed and the Department of Social and Family Affairs hopes to be in a position to make a decision on it and inform the applicant of the outcome shortly.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Department of Social and Family Affairs has set out in its customer service charter the procedures for the treatment of all its customers in terms of service delivery. The customer charter is a public statement about our standards and services and the Department's customer action plan outlines how the Department of Social and Family Affairs gives effect to these commitments. There are no...