Results 1,081-1,100 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The back to education allowance is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the work force. The allowance is essentially a social welfare replacement income which is paid at a standard weekly rate equivalent to the...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department provides funding to a range of groups and organisations involved in the provision of supports and information to parents and families who are in receipt of a social welfare payment. In 2006, over 400 projects or individuals were assisted through the Family Services Project (FSP) at a total cost of €2.2 million. Courses supported included family support programmes and...

Written Answers — Personal Public Service Numbers: Personal Public Service Numbers (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The personal public service number, PPSN, is the individual's unique reference number for dealings with a range of Departments and public bodies. A PPSN issues automatically to children who are born in Ireland. In all other cases an application must be made at a local office of my Department. When applying for a PPSN, individuals are asked to complete an application form and to provide...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 44 together. The PRSI exemption scheme was first introduced in 1989 at a time of high unemployment and high emigration. At the time, the scheme had a secondary focus on groups who might have difficulty entering the workforce, however its main aim was generalised job creation, rather than boosting the employment opportunities of disadvantaged groups....

Written Answers — National Carers Strategy: National Carers Strategy (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Supporting and recognising carers in our society is and has been a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have been greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have been significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the respite care grant have been introduced and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: PRSI Class D provides social insurance coverage for permanent and pensionable employees in the public service, other than those who were recruited after 6 April, 1995, doctors and dentists employed in the civil service, Gardai, commissioned army officers and members of the army nursing service. Public servants recruited on or after 6 April 1995 are liable to pay PRSI contributions at the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, also receive a free travel pass. The scheme is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There were 5,641 appeals awaiting decisions on 23 February 2006. Work is in progress in these cases at the various stages of the appeals process. 2,853 of those cases are receiving attention in the Appeals Office, 2,295 in my Department while a further 493 cases are awaiting responses from appellants. The last year for which figures are available is 2005 when the average length of time...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Since taking office this Government has made the needs of older people a priority with the inclusion of several commitments in the Programme for Government aimed specifically at the group. I am very pleased to say that we have delivered on the commitment to increase the State pension to €200 per week by 2007. In addition, the State pension (contributory) has been increased by €16 per week...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 74 together. The Construction Federation Operatives Pensions Scheme (now known as the Construction Workers Pension Scheme) operates as a registered employment agreement under the Industrial Relations Acts. There is a statutory obligation on employers to register eligible employees in the scheme and to pay the necessary contributions. Compliance with the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to the introduction of a scheme of all-Ireland free travel for pensioners resident in all parts of the island of Ireland. I have recently announced the implementation of the all-Ireland free travel scheme commencing from April 2nd which will enable pensioners resident here and in Northern Ireland to travel free of charge on all eligible...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Operation Gull is a joint control exercise undertaken periodically at Airports and Ports in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain and the operations involve personnel from the Garda National Immigration Bureau, my Department and the United Kingdom Immigration Service. A Social Welfare Inspector was assigned to the Garda National Immigration Bureau in July 2004 to assist...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under the Maternity Protection Acts 1994 and 2004, a woman may be entitled to statutory minimum maternity leave of 22 weeks. Regulations provide that this is increased to 26 weeks where maternity leave commences from 1 March 2007. Membership of an occupational pension scheme must continue while she is on statutory maternity leave. A member of a defined benefit scheme will continue to accrue...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The back to education allowance (BTEA) is designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the work force. It is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage those who have been out of education to return to education. The BTEA is essentially a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Two important pieces of work have recently been completed regarding different types of partner relationships and how they should be treated and recognised in Irish society. The first report an 'Options Paper, presented by the Working Group on Domestic Partnership' to the Tanaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, focuses on different types of cohabiting relationships, both...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 59, 182 and 183 together. My Department operates two main types of pension scheme — contributory and non-contributory payments. Contributory payments are paid on the basis of social insurance contributions made over a person's working life. Missionaries who have made sufficient social insurance contributions can qualify for the state pension (contributory)....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Payments: Social Welfare Payments (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: EU migrant workers have an entitlement to Child Benefit and other "Family benefits" including Early Childcare Supplement (ECS) under EU Regulation 1408/71. Where a national of an EU State is working in Ireland, the worker is entitled to payment of such benefits, even if the children are resident in the worker's home country. Applications for family benefits from EU migrant workers who come to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Payments: Social Welfare Payments (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68, 179 and 180 together. Pneumoconiosis is a prescribed disease for the purpose of the Occupational Injuries scheme administered by my Department. The legislation governing the Occupational Injuries Scheme provides entitlement to benefit for persons suffering from certain prescribed diseases which are listed in the legislation and where that person has...

Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department aims to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their rights and entitlements and that they are kept informed of changes and improvements in schemes and services as they occur. The provision of information in a clear and accessible manner is an essential element in the achievement of this objective. My Department takes a pro-active approach in advertising its schemes and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Homeless people have the same entitlements as any other Irish citizen under the social welfare system. If they are unemployed but capable of and genuinely seeking work, then they can apply for job seekers allowance. A person makes a claim to job seekers allowance by completing a claim form at the Department's local office. Homeless people can be paid basic allowance under the supplementary...