Results 4,101-4,120 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Carer's allowance is not a qualifying payment type for fuel allowance entitlement purposes and for that reason, fuel allowance is not paid to people on carer's allowance under the national fuel scheme. People in receipt of carer's allowance qualify for the Christmas bonus each year. The fact that fuel allowance is not payable to these recipients is not related to the fact that the Christmas...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I travelled to Estonia to represent the Government at various ceremonies which celebrated St. Patrick's Day. I also had bilateral meetings with the Estonian Social Affairs Minister and the Vice-Chairman of the Estonian Parliament Social Affairs committee and gave a number of press interviews. My official party travelled by Government jet to Tallinn on Wednesday night, 16 March and returned on...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for an electricity allowance and a free television licence on 3 March 2005. He has been awarded an electricity allowance with effect from 15 December 2004. He has also been awarded a free lifetime television licence with effect from his next renewal licence after 15 December 2004. If he has purchased a licence since that date he should forward proof of purchase of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for an electricity allowance and a free television licence on 29 November 2004. He was requested to provide further details to assist in dealing with his claim. Following receipt of these details, he was awarded an electricity allowance with effect from 29 September 2004. He was also awarded a free lifetime television licence with effect from the next renewal...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for carer's allowance on 3 December 2004. The principal conditions for receipt of the allowance are that full-time care and attention is required and being provided and that the means test that applies is satisfied. Her application was refused on the grounds that full-time care and attention as prescribed in regulations was not required in this case. She submitted...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 16 March 2005. His claim is currently being examined. A decision will be made as soon as possible and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome. Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to claims must be made by deciding officers and appeals officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 14 February 2005. A deciding officer disallowed his claim on 7 March 2005, on the grounds that he was not unemployed and not available for full-time work. Evidence provided by the Health Service Executive western region confirmed that he continues to be employed by the executive for five days, Monday to Friday each week. It is open to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for unemployment benefit on 14 March 2005. He did not make an application for an increase for a child dependant. The person concerned has been awarded unemployment benefit at the maximum weekly rate of €247.50 which includes a full increase in respect of his spouse. Child dependant allowance is payable to unemployment benefit customers in respect of children...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I have met several groups representing carers, older people and people with disabilities, since I have become Minister for Social and Family Affairs. I have also given careful consideration to the recommendations of the report on carers prepared by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social and Family Affairs. This report is based on verbal and written submissions to the committee from family...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: It is understood the Deputy is referring to the arrangements agreed voluntarily between the schools and the part-time teachers concerned, whereby an increased hourly rate is paid to encompass pay in respect of holiday entitlements. Entitlement to holiday pay for part-time workers is governed by the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, which is the responsibility of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: : Under the Government decentralisation programme announced as part of budget 2004, my Department and its agencies are required to relocate to seven provincial locations, i.e., Drogheda, Buncrana, Donegal, Carrick-on-Shannon, Sligo, Monaghan and Carrickmacross. At present, my Department has decentralised offices in Sligo, Letterkenny, Longford, Waterford and Dundalk. There are no plans to...

Written Answers — Fairtrade Products: Fairtrade Products (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: My Department provides facilities for a canteen service for staff in a number of locations but is not directly involved in the provision of meals or in the running of these facilities. Arrangements for the provision of services in these facilities are put in place by voluntary committees of staff in the locations in question. I will ensure that the issue of using Fairtrade products is brought...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Employment in the Civil Service is governed by a particular legal framework with well defined procedures and practices which reflect the special position of permanent and pensionable, established, staff. Staff are appointed to a permanent position following a competition held by the public appointments service, or under recruitment licence, in accordance with the terms of the Public Service...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 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 southern area of the executive has advised that the person concerned applied for a rent supplement in November 2004. Based on her income at that time, which comprised one-parent family payment and community...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533 and 534 together. The person concerned is in receipt of farm assist. His means from farming were assessed at €5.08 per week when, following a review of the case by a social welfare inspector, the deciding officer increased the amount assessed as means to €81.00 per week. Details of the assessment are as follows: € Gross annual income from...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: In budget 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 benefit, prescribed relative allowance, constant attendance allowance...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 536 and 537 together. Due to the large number of organisations funded by a number of different areas within my Department in the last three years, it has not been possible in the time available to collate all of the relevant information for the Deputy. A complete list of all relevant groups with details of funding available will be forwarded to the Deputy as...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The grandmother of the children concerned made a claim for orphan's (non-contributory) pension on 7 November 2001. The claim was disallowed by a deciding officer on the grounds that the children were not orphans within the meaning of the relevant social welfare legislation. Following the death of the grandmother the person concerned made an application for orphan's (non-contributory) pension...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Social welfare programmes aim to be responsive to the needs of those who depend on income maintenance support while providing incentives to assist people to become more independent financially, particularly through employment. A number of measures have been introduced in recent years to remove disincentives to taking up employment and to assist in the transition from welfare to work. These...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Question Nos. 540 and 541 together. Responsibility for the disabled person's maintenance allowance, DPMA, scheme was transferred from the Department of Health and Children and the health boards to the Department of Social and Family Affairs in October 1996. On the transfer of the scheme the existing qualifying conditions were retained and the scheme was renamed disability...