Results 4,121-4,140 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

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 western area of the executive has advised that it is awaiting details of a housing needs assessment being undertaken by Galway City Council in respect of the person concerned. When the outcome of this...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (12 Apr 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The five statutory agencies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Pensions Board, the Combat Poverty Agency, Comhairle, the Social Welfare Tribunal, and the Family Support Agency. In addition, the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of my Department. Pensions Board fees, paid to Pensions Board members, excluding civil servants, are governed by the First Schedule to the...

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

Séamus Brennan: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. Claims awarded and expenditure on maternity benefit, 2000 to 2004. Year Claims awarded Expenditure â'¬m 2000 23,851 58.04 2001 27,142 78.93 2002 29,042 99.20 2003 30,211 107.34 2004 33,495 121.57

Written Answers — Social Welfare Payments: Social Welfare Payments (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together. My Department's payment delivery policy is to ensure that the most modern range of payment options is available to our customers. This approach is adopted to ensure that customer service is continually improved by providing access to a wide range of payment options and new services and facilities in the money transmission market. The...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together. The number of recipients of farm assist in County Longford was 120 in 2000, 112 in 2001, 113 in 2002, 113 in 2003 and 108 in 2004. The number of recipients of farm assist in County Westmeath was 85 in 2000, 89 in 2001, 96 in 2002, 89 in 2003 and 87 in 2004.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel companion pass scheme was introduced in 1990 for persons who qualify for free travel and who, because of their disability, are unable to travel alone. Those who are eligible for a companion free travel pass include recipients of disability allowance or invalidity pension who are medically assessed as being unfit to travel unaccompanied; people who are blind or severely...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Dublin and mid-Leinster area of the Health Service Executive has advised that the person in question had been accommodated in a direct provision centre provided by the Reception and Integration Agency after she applied for asylum in the State. When she was in the centre she was entitled to a direct provision allowance of €19.10 for herself and €9.60 for her child. The person...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The Dublin and mid-Leinster area of the Health Service Executive has advised that it has carried out a routine review of the amount of rent supplement payable to the person concerned. The review was one of a number carried out in line with HSE procedures. The review uncovered a change in family circumstances which necessitated a reduction in the amount of rent supplement payable. If a person...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Since 1 May 2004, all applicants for social welfare assistance and child benefit are subject to the habitual residence condition. The person in question made a claim for child benefit on 8 June 2004 and was deemed not to satisfy the habitual residence condition. When she appealed the decision, the appeals officer, having reviewed the evidence, upheld the decision.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for carer's allowance on 12 January 2005. 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 was...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (23 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 198 together. The roles and functions carried out by the special advisers attached to my Department are as set out in section 11 of the Public Service Management Act 1997, that is, to assist the Minister by providing advice, by monitoring, facilitating and securing the achievement of Government objectives that relate to my Department and by performing...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: People who enter public sector employment with effect from 6 April 1995 are insured at the full class A rate of PRSI, which covers all benefits and pensions. Where a person is employed on 5 April 1995 in the public sector in a capacity which is not permanent and pensionable and, subsequently, ceases to be so employed, but immediately upon such cessation, becomes employed in a permanent and...

Written Answers — Ministerial Responsibilities: Ministerial Responsibilities (23 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: Under section 3 of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, a Minister having charge of a Department shall, in accordance with the Ministers and Secretaries Acts, 1924 to 1995, be responsible for the performance of functions that are assigned to the Department pursuant to any of those Acts. Accordingly, I am responsible for the performance of functions assigned to my Department pursuant to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned was interviewed by a local officer of my Department on 7 March 2005. In the local officer's presence, she signed a statement admitting to cohabiting since April 2004 and surrendered her lone parent's allowance book to the officer. On foot of this statement, her payment was subsequently suspended and her case has been forwarded to a deciding officer for formal decision....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: One of the conditions for receiving a carer's allowance is that the person must satisfy a means test. All income is assessable as means but in the case of carer's allowance a weekly income disregard of €250 for a single person and €500 for a married or cohabiting couple apply. Any means in excess of the disregards are assessable. The means of the person concerned were established...

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There is a significant level of travel expenditure in my Department's budget, arising from the dispersed nature of my Department's services and, inter alia, the fact that a considerable level of investigative work must be carried out in the course of delivering the Department's services. The total amount paid out in 2004 by my Department in respect of home travel expenses was €2,142,217.85....

Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. Under the treatment benefits scheme administered by my Department, persons insured under the Social Welfare Acts and their dependent spouses can avail of benefit in respect of a certain range of dental, optical and aural services subject to satisfying certain contribution conditions. The recommended staffing level in 1997 was 89.5 posts...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for the household benefits package on 3 February 2005. On 11 March, following confirmation that both the electricity and telephone accounts were in the customer's name, she was awarded an electricity allowance and a telephone allowance on 11 March 2005, effective from 11 November 2004. Both the ESB and SMART telecom will be notified as soon as possible to apply...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: There are some 73,270 people on reduced rate old age contributory pensions and 20,620 on reduced rate retirement pensions. These include pro-rata and mixed rate pensions where entitlement is based on a combination of Irish contributions and contributions made in other countries or at different rates of insurance. Reduced rate or pro-rata pensions are paid at a fixed percentage of the full...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2005)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for Carer's Allowance on 5 October 2004. The principal conditions for receipt of the allowance are that full-time care and attention are required and being provided and that the means test that applies is satisfied. An investigation by an investigative officer of my Department established that the person concerned satisfies the means test. The person concerned...