Results 3,181-3,200 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Fuel allowances are not payable in situations where a person has access to their own fuel supply or benefits from a subsidised or low cost heating service, such as those provided by Dublin City Council at a number of its housing complexes. The basis for this condition is that the contribution that local authority tenants in communal heating situations make towards their heating costs is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned has been awarded electricity and telephone allowances with effect from 29 September 2004. The relevant service providers have been notified to apply the allowances to the customer's account with effect from 30 September 2005. An arrears payment covering the period 29 September 2004 to 29 September 2005 will be issued to the customer's home address shortly. A free lifetime...

Written Answers — : (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned has been in receipt of unemployment assistance since 30 September 2003. Following a review, a deciding officer assessed the person concerned with means of €276 from 2 November 2005 which were derived from income from her spouse's earnings. As her spouse is working and earning more than €220 per week, she is not entitled to an adult dependant allowance in respect of...

Written Answers — Public Transport: Public Transport (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I have used various methods of public transport in recent years where it was practical to do so. Living within the catchment area of the Luas, I use it from time to time as a most efficient means of travelling, using the green line. In my last post as Minister for Transport, I used mainline and commuter trains on several occasions to go to functions in Louth, Galway and Tipperary, and I used...

Written Answers — National Spatial Strategy: National Spatial Strategy (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Government published the national spatial strategy, in November 2002. The strategy is a 20 year strategic planning framework for more balanced regional development. My Department was involved in the development of the strategy and is represented on the interdepartmental committee established in May 2003 by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to oversee its...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The normal retirement age allowed by an individual occupational pension scheme, approved by the Revenue Commissioners for tax relief purposes, may be any age within the range 60 to 70 years. However, Revenue rules also allow for early retirement from age 50 and for retirement due to ill health at any age. Section 31(e) of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2005 provides that trustees of a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment which provides income support to people who are providing certain elderly or incapacitated persons with full-time care and attention and whose incomes fall below a certain limit. Under current arrangements, which were introduced in 1999 in recognition of the economic and therapeutic value of work, carers may work for up to ten hours per...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The current position in my Department is that 155, or 3.29% of the total staff of my Department are persons with disabilities. The main natures of disabilities in the Department are visual and hearing impairments, physical disabilities and emotional health difficulties. The following table shows the grade breakdown of persons with disabilities in the Department of Social and Family Affairs; ...

Written Answers — North-South Co-operation: North-South Co-operation (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The North-South unit of my Department continuously seeks opportunities for strengthening links with Northern Ireland and pursues a number of issues with the Northern Ireland administration with the objective of promoting effective protection of the social security rights and other forms of social protection of cross-border workers and their families. Contacts include exchanges on the main...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Fuel allowances are paid for 29 weeks from the end of September to mid-April each year. Some 274,000 customers, 151,000 with basic fuel allowance and 123,000 with smokeless fuel supplement, benefit under the scheme at a cost of €85.4 million in 2005. Under the scheme a fuel allowance of €9 per week is paid to eligible households during this 29 week winter heating period. An additional...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: It is Government policy to encourage people, through significant tax relief, to participate in private or occupational pension schemes because of the very positive impact the accrued savings can make to a person's overall income in retirement. Obviously, the earlier someone starts contributing to a pension scheme the better the chance that they will have accumulated a significant retirement...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Diet 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. Statistics on the number of diet supplement applications and the number of diet supplements refused are not maintained by the HSE or on my Department's computer systems. Expenditure on diet supplement in 2005 to...

Leaders' Questions. (15 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: So did the Deputy.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: As I stated previously in reply to a question tabled by the Deputy on 25 October 2005, the Health Service Executive has advised that its designated area appeals officer has upheld the decision not to award rent supplement to the person concerned. It remains open to her to appeal this decision further to the social welfare appeals office.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There are three social welfare schemes providing pensions for older people old age contributory pension, retirement pension and old age non-contributory pension. In the case of the first two, these are contributory schemes payable at 66 and 65, respectively. People who receive old age contributory pension can work without restriction while those applying for retirement pension at age 65 must...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. It is also available to carers and to people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It applies to travel within the State and cross-Border journeys between here and Northern Ireland. There have been a number of requests and inquiries in relation to the extension of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department's policy is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers and that the service is continually improved by providing access to the wide range of payment options and new services and facilities now available. Customers opt for a particular payment method having regard to their own circumstances and particular need. My Department does not promote the use of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has a function in determining entitlement in individual cases. As I stated in my reply to a question tabled by the Deputy on 11 October 2005, the Dublin mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that, following a review of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned claimed farm assist on 18 April 2005. The claim has been disallowed on the grounds that the person concerned failed to prove to the satisfaction of the deciding officer how he supported himself and his wife since February 2003 given that he has no recorded income. Decision and notification of his right to appeal issued to the person concerned on 9 November 2005.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Nov 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered my behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Neither I nor my Department has any function in decisions on individual claims. Since 1 May 2004, this scheme and other social assistance payments are subject to a statutory habitual residence test. The Dublin-mid-Leinster region of the...