Results 3,841-3,860 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 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 established to monitor policy in terms of the implementation of the habitual residence condition and to provide advice and support to scheme areas and social welfare local offices. Decisions to the...

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: A total of 13,776 cases were decided between 1 May 2004 and May 2005. Of these, 9,895 or 72% were found to satisfy the habitual residence condition. Of the 13,776 cases which were decided, 3,500 were Irish, 2,244 from the UK, 1,716 from the EU 13, 1,887 from new member states and 4,395 others. Affirmative answers were given in 72% of cases and 28% were refused. Approximately 10% of Irish...

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I am sorry to disappoint Deputy Stanton but, as I said in my reply, the scheme is being reviewed by the Department.

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I inform the Deputy now that the operation of the habitual residence condition is under review within the Department. That is the case.

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Does Deputy Stanton want me to conduct a review?

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I am conducting a review. I take it that the Deputy wants me to do so.

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I said earlier that five factors are taken into account when deciding whether somebody who arrives here is entitled to welfare: the length and continuity of residence in a particular country, the length and purpose of absence from Ireland, the nature and pattern of the employment, the applicant's main centre of interest and the future intention of the applicant concerned as it appears from...

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I have also received the advice of the Attorney General on this matter. These factors will be taken into account when action is being considered. We must protect Ireland's social welfare structure at the same time as being humane and fair to people who come here.

Social Welfare Code. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: It is my job to find that balance.

Social Insurance. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: A total of 1,416 PRSI exemption certificates have been issued to Gama since 2002. The certificates were granted under regulations which provide for exemptions from PRSI contributions for up to 52 weeks per year to be granted to employees not ordinarily resident in the State but who are temporarily employed here. The purpose of the legislation is to enable workers sent by their employers to...

Social Insurance. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The total number of exemptions issued since 1998 is 2,449. Of these, Gama received 1,416. The reference to a random sample was made in respect of the Department's approach in contacting authorities overseas. The Department decided to take a random sample of 40 of Gama's 1,416 employees but, disappointingly, has yet to hear from the social security ministry in the country concerned. We will...

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The report to which the Deputy refers is, I understand, Community Platform's mid-term review of the Sustaining Progress agreement. A copy of the report was made available to my Department yesterday and is being examined. As Minister with overall responsibility for the national action plan against poverty and social exclusion, I noted the platform's reported contention that national...

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Literally dozens of bodies are in receipt of Government funding in the poverty area. They are all working hard. I have met more than 30 of them in recent weeks on a one to one basis to discuss the issue with them. Through those meetings I have gained a better understanding of their concerns. It should be noted that the community platform withdrew from the national partnership process prior to...

Anti-Poverty Strategy. (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There were 25 participant organisations in the platform, including the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, the Simon Community of Ireland, the Migrants Rights Centre and the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice. I am available at all times to meet those groups and hear what they have to say. It is probably not the occasion to make a wider statement on the poverty issues raised...

Order of Business (Resumed). (24 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Bill fell off the list.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 May 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 southern area of the executive has advised that, as a result of an administrative error, the rent supplement payment due on 5 May 2005 was not issued to the person concerned. The error was rectified by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to all carers in receipt of carer's allowance and to carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance. It is also available to certain people with disabilities and people who are in receipt of certain welfare type payments. The scheme provides free travel on the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The carer's allowance is a social assistance payment that 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. From August 1999, the full-time care and attention requirements were relaxed to introduce an element of flexibility for carers, while still safeguarding the needs...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The concerns to which the Deputy refers relate to the treatment of maintenance payments. Half of any maintenance a lone parent receives can be disregarded as means for the purposes of assessing his or her entitlement to one-parent family payment. The means test for this and certain other social assistance schemes also provides for a disregard of up to € 95.23 per week of maintenance...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 May 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The aim of the national fuel scheme is to assist householders who are in receipt of long-term social welfare or certain types of Health Service Executive payments with meeting the cost of their extra heating needs during the winter season. Under the scheme an allowance of €9.00 per week, or €12.90 per week in designated smokeless fuel areas, is paid to eligible households during the 29...