Results 961-980 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

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

Séamus Brennan: The existing cross-border free travel scheme, introduced in July 1995, applies to all free travel pass holders, to enable them make journeys from a point in the Republic to a destination in Northern Ireland. A spouse/partner or companion (in the case of a companion pass holder) may travel with the pass holder for free on point to point cross-border journeys. I have recently announced the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: In February 2006 as part of its reform of the Health Sector, the Government decided to transfer certain functions from the Health Service Executive to my Department. Arising from that decision, administration of the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, as well as certain other functions, will be transferred to my Department. The SWA scheme is currently administered by some 700...

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

Séamus Brennan: Carer's allowance is a means tested social welfare payment for people providing full time care and attention to people who need it. In line with social assistance payments generally, one of the eligibility requirements for carer's allowance is that the applicant be habitually resident in the State. This requirement was introduced in the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004....

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

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's benefit on the 7 March 2007. A Deciding Officer disallowed his claim on the grounds that he is not available for full-time work. It is open to him to appeal this decision and a form for this purpose has been issued to him. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These...

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

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 460 and 461 together. 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 the 1st of May 2004. In the majority of cases, decisions as to whether applicants for social assistance or child benefit satisfy the habitual residence condition are made...

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

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemaker's scheme which was introduced in and took effect from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will...

Written Answers — Social Insurance Fund: Social Insurance Fund (27 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Details of the surplus amount in the social insurance fund in each of the years since 2000 and the amount paid out of the fund in each of those years are as follows: Year Cumulative Surplus SIF Payments â'¬ 000 â'¬ 000 2000 854,920 3,138,668 2001 1,486,143 3,675,678 2002 1,273,463 4,375,924 2003 1,528,798 4,833,197 2004 1,905,875 5,272,543 2005 2,400,284 5,664,609 2006...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support, in the form of a weekly or monthly payment, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Most free travel passes currently in circulation contain a client number which is an internal reference number used by my Department's computer systems. Passes issued since May 2006, however, use the PPS number as the reference number. This change was introduced in the context of my Department updating its computer systems as part of a programme of modernizing service delivery. This new...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the home-maker's scheme which was introduced in and took effect from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned has been employed on a temporary basis at various times to cover various staff absences in the location concerned. Under current agreements, however, all permanent clerical posts in this location must be filled from a central transfer list under arrangements agreed at Civil Service General Council. The names of civil servants wishing to relocate are noted in order of...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (22 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: An examination of national legislation by officials of my Department has found no laws or statutory instruments introduced on foot of EU legislative provisions which, if breached, would attract penalties at the level outlined.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: In the past many company pension plans only catered for full-time employees. However, following the introduction of The Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act, 2001, this is generally no longer the case. Employers must now provide pro-rata benefits for part-time employees who work at least 20% of the time worked by a comparable full-time employee, unless there are special circumstances...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: In February 2006 as part of its reform of the Health Sector, the Government decided to transfer certain functions from the Health Service Executive to my Department. Administration of the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, as well as certain other functions, will be transferred to my Department. The SWA scheme is currently administered by some 700 Community Welfare Officers...

Written Answers — Public Service Contracts: Public Service Contracts (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The detailed information on the number and identity of contracts and procurements in the past 12 months is currently being drafted and will issue to the Deputy as soon as possible. My Department follows procurement procedures as required under EU Legislation and National Guidelines. Procurements are advertised on www.etenders.gov.ie in line with these guidelines. Tenders are considered...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I am happy to commit the Department to prepare some statement for the House within six months providing up-to-date information on this issue. I take Deputy Stanton's point. However, I am satisfied there is adequate provision to prevent any instance of hardship. Children who arrive here are dealt with either through direct provision or, alternatively, are in receipt of child benefit or...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There is always next Sunday.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There are no figures available for the total numbers who left the general public service as a result of the marriage bar. According to the Department of Finance 1,240 marriage gratuities were paid between 1962 and 1973. There is no information on periods before that so the total affected across the whole public service is multiples of that figure. The National Women's Council has announced...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: They may be back in pensions.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (21 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Some 59,000 households are in receipt of rent supplement. In July 2004 the Government introduced the new rental assistance arrangements. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has indicated that, at the end of January, over 3,000 tenants had been accommodated under the RAS and a further 2,300 persons in social housing. When implemented fully, the RAS will enable...