Results 3,001-3,020 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Poverty proofing was introduced in 1998 on foot of a commitment in the first National Anti-Poverty Strategy. Since then it has been a requirement for significant policy proposals to indicate clearly the impact of the proposal on people in poverty or at risk of falling into poverty. Following a review of the poverty proofing process, the Office for Social Inclusion, which is based in my...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The living alone allowance 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 type schemes. The increase is intended as a contribution...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Diet supplements are paid under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered by the Health Service Executive on behalf of my Department. The person concerned recently applied for, and was refused a diet supplement. She has appealed the decision to the Executive's designated Appeals Officer who is examining her appeal. She will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemaker's scheme. 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 a person for a pension. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The allowance is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but only to provide assistance towards these costs. A person may qualify for payment of an allowance if they are in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Illness benefit is a social insurance payment for people who cannot work due to illness. Continuing entitlement is subject to the beneficiary conforming to certain "Rules of Behaviour" set out in legislation. One of the rules of behaviour states that a person cannot work while receiving illness benefit. However, in order to encourage claimants to take up employment or training...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Under the Government's decentralisation programme for the civil and public service, the Department's headquarter sections and the Social Welfare Appeals Office are relocating to 6 locations — Sligo, Carrick-on-Shannon, Donegal, Buncrana, Carrickmacross and Drogheda. In addition, the Combat Poverty Agency and Citizens Information Board are scheduled to relocate to Monaghan and Drogheda,...

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: They are very happy.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Absolutely. Hear, hear.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: There is less stress.

Decentralisation Programme. (17 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Well done.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 to 358, inclusive, together. The purpose of rent supplement is to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. Rent supplement is subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: It is my Department's policy to issue all customer communications through the standard postal service. Other postal services e.g. registered, express and courier are only used where there is a necessary business need. Such need is determined by management of each business area.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The purpose of rent supplement is to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. Rent supplement is subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may incur. These limits take household size into account. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007, provided for new arrangements whereby people in receipt of certain social welfare payments, who are also providing full time care and attention, would, subject to meeting means criteria, be able to retain their main welfare payment and receive another payment. It is estimated that approximately 18,000 carers will benefit from this measure at a cost...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The purpose of my Department's advertising and public awareness campaigns is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their rights and entitlements and that they are kept informed of changes and improvements in schemes and services as they occur. Each campaign is designed to meet specific requirements and is subject to a separate public procurement process. Contracts are awarded to the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's benefit on 7 September 2007. He also applied to have his claim backdated for the period 11 August 2007 to 6 September 2007. A Deciding Officer awarded him jobseeker's benefit at the weekly rate of €185.80 from 11 September 2007, but disallowed the retrospective claim on the grounds that he had not shown good reason for not making his claim on...

Written Answers — State Agencies: State Agencies (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: The State Agencies currently operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Citizens Information Board (formerly Comhairle), the Family Support Agency and the Combat Poverty Agency. In addition the Pensions Ombudsman also comes under the remit of my Department. The Chief Executive of the Pensions Board is on an annual salary of €143,194 and is a member of the...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: Workers are insured under the Social Welfare Acts as either employed or self-employed contributors. All workers, both employed and self-employed, are obliged to pay PRSI contributions as a percentage of their personal reckonable income. These contributions provide entitlement to a range of contingency-based payments under various social insurance schemes — including pensions. Employments...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Oct 2007)

Martin Cullen: 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 type schemes. The increase is intended as a contribution towards...