Results 3,941-3,960 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The regulatory basis for granting PRSI exemptions is contained in Article 97 of SI 312/1996. Similar provisions apply in respect of posted workers under EU Regulation 1408/71 and various bilateral agreements. These exemptions are granted for a period not exceeding 52 weeks and are subject, inter alia, to the employees having valid work permits. All applications for exemption certificates made...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The full year cost of increasing the disability allowance to the level of the contributory old age pension in 2005 would be of the order of €136 million. Further increases will be examined in the context of budget 2006.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The 34% rate derives from the national pensions policy initiative published by the Pensions Board in 1998. The board proposed a rate of 34% of gross average industrial earnings for contributory pensions based on average earnings for the previous year. On that basis, the current rate of pension is equivalent to almost 32%. The rate of old age pension has increased substantially since this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 211 together. The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and, as a general rule, only one weekly social welfare payment is payable to an individual. This ensures that resources are not used to make two income support payments to any one person. Of course, persons qualifying for two social welfare payments always...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Allowances: Social Welfare Allowances (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The setting of waste management charges and the introduction of waivers in respect of waste charges is, as stated by my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, a matter for each local authority. The introduction of a national social welfare scheme to address the issue is not considered feasible given the wide range of charging regimes and cost levels that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There are currently three different weekly rates of child dependant allowances payable to social welfare recipients, €16.80, €19.30 and €21.60. To standardise the three main rates of allowances at the highest rate of €21.60 would mean that approximately 243,000 full rate payments and 93,000 half rate payments would be increased at a cost of approximately of €59 million annually. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Special cross-Border arrangements have been in place since 1995 which allow southern and northern free travel pass holders to undertake point to point cross-Border journeys free of charge. The introduction of free travel on an all-Ireland basis would enhance these existing arrangements by enabling southern pass holders to make free journeys within the North. Similarly, Northern Ireland pass...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together. 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. To qualify for a rent supplement an eligible person must satisfy a means test. Rent supplements are normally calculated to ensure that an eligible person,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 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 and mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that during a routine review of this rent supplement case, it came to the attention of the executive that the person in question had been in receipt...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Apr 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 and mid-Leinster area of the executive has advised that the level of rent being paid in this particular case is within the prescribed rent limits. The issue in this case arose when it came to the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 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 and mid Leinster area of the executive has advised that a rent supplement has been awarded in this case backdated to the date of application, 22 March 2005. The first payment of the supplement will...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 304 together. All service grades, that is, cleaners, service attendants and service officers in my Department are appointed in an unestablished capacity. Competitions are held by the Public Appointments Service from time to time to allow them compete for establishment. An interdepartmental competition for established appointment to certain positions...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned has been awarded the household benefits package with effect from 9 September 2004. Eircom and the ESB will be notified as soon as possible to apply the allowances to his accounts. He has also been awarded a free lifetime television licence with effect from the expiry date of his current TV licence. If the person concerned has purchased a television licence since 9...

Written Answers — Community Law Centres: Community Law Centres (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The northside community law centre is one of a number of organisations which are funded under my Department's scheme of grants for the development and promotion of information and welfare rights. Since its establishment in 1975, the centre has been funded exclusively by State agencies with my Department taking over direct funding in 1995. Annual funding has increased progressively over the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There is no record in the Department of an application for farm assist from the person concerned. An application form has been issued to him. On receipt of the completed application form, his entitlement will be considered and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 290 and 291 together. In the budget for 2005, I announced the extension of the respite care grant scheme to all carers providing full-time care to an older person or a person with a disability, regardless of means and subject to certain qualifying conditions. The respite care grant will continue to be payable to recipients of carer's allowance, carer's...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, a heating supplement may be paid to recipients of social welfare or Health Service Executive payments who have exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity and who are unable to provide for these costs from within their own...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 295 together. My Department's policy is to ensure that a range of payment options is available to customers and that service is continually improved by providing access to the wide range of payment options and new services and facilities now available. Customers opting for a particular payment method do so on an entirely voluntary basis having regard...

Written Answers — Post Office Closures: Post Office Closures (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department is notified in advance by An Post of the closure of any post office. On receipt of the notification, my Department's customers who are affected are redirected to the nearest post office or, alternatively, to a post office designated by the customer. Where these arrangements do not suit a customer, my Department provides alternative payment arrangements either by cheque or by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (26 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned has been in receipt of disablement benefit from injuries he received in a motor accident which he sustained in the course of his work in May 2001. His claim was reviewed in April 2004 and, following an examination by a medical assessor of my Department, his loss of faculty was provisionally assessed at 20% for a further six months period. The person appealed this decision...