Results 1,281-1,300 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Carers allowance was awarded to the person concerned from 5 April 2001. Following a review of her claim she was notified by the Deciding Officer in December 2005 that she was not entitled to carers allowance for the period from 12 June 2003 to 8 December 2004 on the grounds that she is employed outside the home for more than ten hours per week. The person appealed this decision on 8 February...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: In assessing means deriving from payments received from non-EMU European states, my Department uses the conversion mechanism provided for under Article 107 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 574/72 on Social Security for Migrant Workers. The exchange rates for converting Sterling and other non-EMU currencies are published quarterly in the Official Journal of the European Union. Under this...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (8 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: A total of 5,083 Parliamentary Questions were tabled for my Department in 2006. This is an increase of 10% on the number tabled in 2005. Of these, 3,315 (65%) were withdrawn by the deputies and the remaining 1,768 (35%) were answered. The bulk of the 3,315 questions withdrawn related to problems that claimants were experiencing which could be resolved immediately or where the problem had...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 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. The Executive has advised that the amount of rent supplement payable to the person concerned...

Order of Business (8 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: It is not the Government's fault.

Order of Business (8 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: It is a political football.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The position is that there are no special income tax reliefs for unmarried couples living together. In this context, tax law follows the general law relating to marriage. Generally speaking, the basis for the current taxation of married couples derives from the Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. the Attorney General (1980) which held that it was contrary to the Constitution for a married...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Allowances: Social Welfare Allowances (7 Feb 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 postgraduate option of the back to education allowance is payable to persons who wish to pursue a postgraduate course of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 291 and 294 together. The primary objective of the social welfare system is to provide income support and as a general rule only one weekly social welfare payment is payable to an individual. Persons qualifying for two social welfare payments receive the higher payment to which they are entitled. I am aware that this has been a cause of particular concern to...

Written Answers — National Development Plan: National Development Plan (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Family Services Project (FSP) provides funding to programmes run by third parties to assist welfare recipients and members of their families improve their personal and family circumstances through training, educational and development courses. The programmes are generally of a short duration and take place over a number of weeks. A total of 17 Family Services Projects have been funded...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: For jobseeker's allowance (JA) purposes, the assessment of means for non-householders resident in the parental home has always taken into account the yearly value of any benefit and privilege enjoyed by him or her by virtue of residing with a parent or step-parent. In practice, this is taken to mean the value of free board and lodging to a claimant and such value is ascribed having regard to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The Community Welfare Officer (CWO) of the Executive has advised that it has received an incomplete application on 1st February 2007 for SWA from the person concerned. The CWO contacted the person concerned on 6th February to arrange...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together. Appeals statistics requested by the Deputy in respect of 2006 are currently being processed for inclusion in the annual report of the Chief Appeals Officer which will be published shortly. There were 5,851 appeals awaiting decision on 5 February 2007 of which 1,698 were awaiting an oral hearing. A breakdown of those cases by scheme type...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Senators on all sides for their contributions on this proposed legislation. I listened very carefully to the points made. As the Bill goes through the different Stages in the House, I will try to respond to the points made. Senator John Paul Phelan asked a number of questions. In the initial phase of the service, it is planned that the director of the personal advocacy service and...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Senator should not worry as this provides me with an opportunity to state clearly the admiration felt by all in these Houses and in Ireland for such marvellous organisations, including Inclusion Ireland, the Brothers of Charity in Limerick, the Bray Partnership, the County Monaghan Partnership, the Galway advocacy service, the Longford advocacy forum, the Mayo partnerships, the centres in...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: We are not exactly rushing it. We are in 2007. The Bill is the Citizens Information Bill 2006. Senator Mansergh spoke about the role of public representatives. As a Member of the Cabinet, I have regular opportunities to visit other countries and speak to my opposite numbers. Increasingly, I find they are not elected. In Belgium, France, Italy, the United States and sometimes in Spain,...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Citizens Information Bill 2006 is a key element of the Government's national disability strategy and is designed to ensure that people with disabilities are supported to enable them, as far as possible, to lead full and independent lives, to reach their full potential as individuals and to participate fully in society. The Bill provides for a number of important changes to the Comhairle...

Leaders' Questions (7 Feb 2007)

Séamus Brennan: That would depend on when the election will be.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Feb 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. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Feb 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....