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

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There is never any difficulty with reports. I am not sure what legislative section could be inserted in that regard. A report on the progress of the legislation can be laid before the House at any stage. I can repeat what I said earlier which is that it is fully intended that this would receive the closest scrutiny, measurement and monitoring. I expect that reports on the monitoring of...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: A number of issues, including the provision of information, have been raised. The Pensions Board provides an extensive information service through the provision of a range of free information booklets on occupational pensions and through its website, www.pensionsboard.ie. The pensions booklets and website cover a range of topics, such as pension options, what happens to a pension if one...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: As the Senator is probably aware, last year's Government discussion paper, which I think we discussed in this House, was entitled Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents. It contained proposals for an expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents. It recommended the extension of the national employment action plan to focus on lone parents, focusing...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Senators for their comments on the section. I read carefully Senator Ormonde's contribution on the Second Stage debate and noted her emphasis on the need to put in place integrated education and training programmes. The purpose of the reforms is to ensure people have a choice because until now many lone parents have not had choices. This has left bright young people trapped and...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Discussions are taking place between Departments to progress the national carer's strategy. One of the key Government commitments in the national partnership agreement, Towards 2016, is the development of a national carer's strategy which will focus on supporting informal and family carers in the community. While social welfare support is a key element of the strategy, other issues also...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: It is 300. The report found that of an estimated 3,000 young carers who were providing some care, there were over 300 between the ages of 15 and 17 who were providing full-time care. It is obviously a bit of both. In terms of income support for young carers, the respite care grant is payable from the age of 16 and the carer's allowance is payable from the age of 18. Deputy Stanton and I...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I thank both Senators for their comments. The means test has been eased significantly in the past few years, particularly with the introduction of the disregard of the spouse's earnings. Provision was made in the recent budget to increase the income disregard on the carer's allowance means test to €320 per week for a single person and €640 per week for a couple from April 2007. This...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Senator Moylan's point is at the heart of this issue because the payments for rent supplement in 2000 were €150 million. This year they will probably exceed €400 million covering 59,000 households. Arguably the scheme has gone beyond its original intention which was to help young people. It also helps many who are not young who might otherwise not be able to provide accommodation for...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The directive commenced in 2004 and, on the basis of legal advice, we are giving it statutory effect. The Bill, including the section in question, has been cleared legally. This does not stop anybody challenging legislation in the courts. The Government operates according to the best legal advice available to it and it is satisfied that section 25 and the other relevant sections are...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: As the Senator knows, child benefit is paid to the qualified person with whom the child resides. Since 1 May 2004 the qualified person must satisfy the habitual residence condition. The requirement was introduced in the context of the Government's decision to open the labour market to workers from the ten EU member states that acceded at that time without the transitional limitations. As...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I thank the Senator for raising this issue. If even one child in this country lives in any kind of poverty, it shames us all. Progress must be made to ensure this cannot continue. I have said many times that it is unacceptable in the 21st century that even one child should live in any kind of poverty in a country whose economy grew last year by 7%, the highest rate in almost any developed...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I thank the Senator for those kind comments. I suppose that in everything one does, one would prefer to go further but I acknowledge the generosity of her remarks. I have announced significant improvements in the rate of State pensions for qualified adults as well as important changes in the way these payments will be made. I am also committed to improving the rate for qualified adults to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: From September, new applicants will automatically be paid separately.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: If they come forward together and demand a joint payment, I do not think we could refuse that. Under the default system, two payments will normally be made. If somebody officially contacts us and says they want to continue joint payments, we would have to facilitate such a request.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Committee Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Yes.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 Mar 2007)

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 Environment, Heritage and Local Government, a matter for each local authority. The introduction of a national social welfare scheme to address the issue would be complex given the wide range of charging regimes and cost structures that exist in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). SWA provides a safety net against poverty in that it gives a statutory entitlement to a minimum weekly income, based on criteria set out in legislation. Apart from a number of excluded categories, anyone in the State whose means are...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Any person who is receiving a Social Welfare or Health Service Executive payment who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition, and whose means are insufficient to meet their needs, may qualify for a diet supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. In April, 2006 revised regulations on diet supplements came into effect. These regulations...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned appealed against the decision to award her a reduced rate of State Pension (Non Contributory). In accordance with the statutory requirements, the relevant departmental papers and comments of my Department were sought. These have now been provided and I am informed that the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing. The person...