Results 3,061-3,080 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Social Welfare Benefits. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The allowance is means tested. It applies to a number of schemes, including the old age contributory and non-contributory pensions, widows' pensions, lone parents' allowances, allowances for the blind and so on. It covers a range of schemes and as I noted, some 274,000 people are in receipt of it. It is means tested. I will establish the precise cut-off figure for the Deputy. However, as it...

Social Welfare Benefits. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I believe in listening to such groups. I met 35 or more of them in the past year and my officials and I spent an hour or more with each. I have offered each one a second meeting, if it wishes to attend. I am fully available around the clock to talk to the groups and to politicians. As I have said many times, politicians have a special knowledge of this subject because of the clinics they hold...

Social Welfare Benefits. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: We should, and do, co-ordinate with local authorities. We have been in touch with Dublin City Council on the subject in question because we need to have joined-up administration. The aforementioned 237 people, in particular, have been dealing with me in regard to the fuel allowances and with the council in regard to their present heating arrangements.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 21, 27, 38, 60, 85 and 96 together. Reducing local authority housing waiting lists is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and neither I nor my Department has any direct role in that regard. However, under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, administered on my behalf by the community welfare...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I acknowledge that the progress has been disappointing. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government tells me it will accommodate 256 people under the rental accommodation scheme by the end of the year. It reckons that up to 33,000 households could benefit eventually under the new arrangements. This would probably cost over €120 million. I do not have a note on any...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The information I have received from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is that 56 have been accommodated, with up to 256 being accommodated by the end of the year. I do not have a breakdown of whether that is one scheme or a number of schemes. I can get that information for the Deputy. Given how small the number is, I assume it is a small number of schemes as...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The rental accommodation scheme is a new, additional housing option whereby a person can opt for either medium or long-term private rented accommodation or social housing or for both. There is a choice. A person can opt to remain in private rental type accommodation provided by the local authority if that best suits the person's needs. Obviously, providing permanent accommodation is the...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The ultimate target as of today is, presumably, 33,000 but there is no date for that. We must press ahead and do as much as we can. That number might not remain static because people come in and out of rent supplement. However, that figure is the current number in rent supplement for over 18 months so that remains the target. The number could change if large numbers were to suddenly vanish...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I do not have a breakdown of the 56. The impression I get from the file is that it is substantially rented accommodation.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Yes. I will clarify it for the Deputy but that is my impression at present.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The new arrangements are being implemented in 11 local authority areas and arrangements are due to be initiated in all local authority areas by the end of 2005. I can let the Deputy have the names of the areas. Clearly, with 56 completed, they are not widely spread. Tax reliefs are a matter for the Minister for Finance. He is reviewing the tax breaks across a range of industries, including...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: A substantial amount of taxpayers' money goes into construction in this country, through pension funds, rent allowances, capital allowances and so forth. If one adds it all together, a great deal of taxpayers' money is fuelling the construction boom we are experiencing at present. I agree we should take an overview of that.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The timeframe is such that arrangements are being put in place to ensure that all local authority areas initiate the scheme by the end of the year. Clearly it will be into next year before the process is concluded. Some months ago there was evidence that rents were decreasing or levelling off. As Deputy Stanton has stated, it is important that limits are not set that would push up rents, as...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: If we had an immediate stock of social housing, it would be the answer. As we move down the road we will have a choice for people between rental, voluntary, social and private housing etc. To have a range of options under this scheme is probably the right way to go as one option may not necessarily suit everybody.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The €19 million was designated for 2005 and we did not have an agreement on the number of houses it would supply. It is current money as well as capital in that sense. It is given to the Department of the Environment and Local Government which may use it for acquiring a supply of rented accommodation, if necessary, but can also use it for capital purposes. It is between definitions. The...

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The €19 million has not been spent.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I will not transfer any more until that is spent. It rolls into 2006. The funding was transferred to the Department of the Environment and Local Government from my Department and it will move the schemes forward. If additional funding is required, that Department will get back in touch with my Department. We will be able to go beyond that figure for 2006 and 2007 if the output is produced.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I take the Deputy's point that there may not be many prospects. I have met many of these people in my political career and many have the ambition or aspiration to do so.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Our role is to help these people realise these aspirations of getting on the ladder. Rent allowance for rental accommodation is part of this process, as is the mortgage supplement. I would not set limits to where people in that difficulty can rise.

Local Authority Housing. (1 Dec 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My approach to the entire brief is not to block or categorise people by stating that people cannot reach a certain goal. I want people to look at the stars and believe they can go there, and I look to help them on their way. This is not meant to replace social housing which is only one of the options.