Results 1,101-1,120 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

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

Séamus Brennan: In the case of a separated person who makes an enforceable maintenance payment, PRSI is levied at the point at which it is earned as part of the person's earnings/income and also as income in the hands of the receiving spouse. To prevent a double payment of PRSI in such cases, Section 37 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provides for the return of any employment contribution,...

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

Séamus Brennan: A person who is in receipt of a social welfare payment may claim an increase in respect of a dependent spouse or partner. This increase, known as the Qualified Adult Allowance (QAA), is normally paid as a single amount with the primary payment to the claimant. In recent years the question of paying the QAA direct to the adult dependant has been raised in a number of reports, the intention...

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

Séamus Brennan: The purpose of the review of the social welfare code, which is currently being undertaken in my Department, is to examine its compatibility with the Equal Status Act, 2000 (as amended). The review will examine the schemes and services provided for both in social welfare legislation and the administrative schemes operated by the Department. It will identify any instances of direct or indirect...

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

Séamus Brennan: Comparisons with pensioner incomes in other countries can be difficult because of the different ways in which Governments provide for older people and because of different demographic, economic and social situations in each country. The following table, prepared by the EU Commission, compares the median equivalised income of people aged 65 and over with the general population under 65 in each...

Written Answers — Public Service Cards: Public Service Cards (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department, together with the Department of Finance, is managing a programme of work to develop a Public Service Card framework. The programme of work is known as SAFE — Standard Authentication Framework Environment. The term "framework" is being used to emphasise that a single Public Service Card is not envisaged but rather a branded standard within which individual initiatives can...

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

Séamus Brennan: Family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide cash support for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were unemployed and claiming other social welfare payments. FIS is paid on a weekly basis over a period of 52 weeks, taking into account a...

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

Séamus Brennan: Child benefit can be paid in respect of every child under the age of 16 years, who is ordinarily resident in the State. Payment can be extended to the 19th birthday if the child is in education, or disabled and incapable of self-support. The benefit is paid to the qualified person with whom the child resides and since 1 May 2004, the qualified person must satisfy the Habitual Residence...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 93 together. In keeping with the approach taken in the original 1997 National Anti-Poverty Strategy, the new National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPinclusion) adopts a coordinated approach across a range of policy areas. This reflects the complex nature of poverty and social exclusion, which is multi-faceted in both its causes and...

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

Séamus Brennan: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) provides income support for employees on low earnings with families. This preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments. There are currently 21,971 people in receipt of FIS. In Budget 2007, I have continued the re-focusing...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: In keeping with the approach taken in the original 1997 National Anti-Poverty Strategy, the new National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-2016 (NAPinclusion) adopts a coordinated approach across a range of policy areas, reflecting the complex nature of poverty and social exclusion, which is multi-faceted in its causes and effects. The Plan, building on the lifecycle approach adopted in...

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

Séamus Brennan: The purpose of rent supplement under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. In recent years the numbers claiming the supplement have grown considerably...

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 this group. These included a commitment to raise the qualified adult increase for the spouses and partners (age 66 or over) of contributory pensioners to the level of the State pension (non-contributory). Spouses and...

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

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on my behalf by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. Rent...

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

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 163 together. I am informed by the Pensions Board that no case involving loss of pension scheme members' benefits, as a result of major fraud, have come to light. Ireland has a strong regulatory regime for financial services, involving the Pensions Board and the Financial Regulator, to control the sale and security of pensions and other financial...

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

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 184 together. Child benefit can be paid in respect of every child under the age of 16 years, who is ordinarily resident in the State. Payment can be extended to the 19th birthday if the child is in education, or disabled and incapable of self-support. The benefit is paid to the qualified person with whom the child resides and since 1 May 2004, the...

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

Séamus Brennan: Child benefit is a universal payment, paid in respect of children up to the age of 16 years. It continues to be paid in respect of children up to age 19 who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. The policy of the Government over the past number of years has been to substantially increase the amount spent on child benefit for all families. Commitment to...

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

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of my Department by the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of rent to eligible persons in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation needs. While the administration of the scheme is subject to my general direction and control and my...

Written Answers — Voluntary Sector Funding: Voluntary Sector Funding (1 Mar 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Family Support Agency administers the scheme of grants for voluntary organisations providing marriage, child and bereavement counselling services. This is a non-statutory scheme of once-off grants to voluntary organisations providing a range of family counselling services aimed at enhancing stability in family life, and assisting families and their members to deal with difficult periods...

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

Séamus Brennan: The Community Employment (CE) scheme is a programme administered by FÁS which is designed to assist long-term unemployed and others who are distant from the labour force by offering them part-time and temporary work positions in jobs based within local communities. Following the placement, participants are actively encouraged to capitalise on the skills and experience that they have obtained...

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

Séamus Brennan: Compulsory social insurance for self-employed workers was introduced in 1988. In the legislation providing for Class S contributions, a general exclusion for people whose total income is below a certain threshold was put in place, similar to that which already existed for employees. The level at which a self-employed person becomes eligible for Class S contributions has remained unchanged...