Results 1,341-1,360 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 52 independent companies nation-wide operating the service. MABS National Development Ltd was set up in 2004 to support and develop the network of services throughout the country. Many voluntary and statutory bodies such as the...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1164 and 1165 together. There are a total of six full-time administrative staff assigned to deal with matters in my constituency office. There are four established civil servants, one Executive Officer on a payscale of €28,523 to €45,262 and three Clerical Officers on a payscale of €22,766 to €36,913. I have also appointed, on a contract basis for my...

Written Answers — Waiver Schemes: Waiver Schemes (31 Jan 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 Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 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 Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The person concerned applied for carer's allowance on 10 May 2006. The case has been referred to an Investigative Officer of my Department to determine that all the conditions for receipt of the allowance are satisfied in respect of both care recipients. On completion of the necessary investigations a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There is a statutory obligation on all claimants of a one-parent family payment to satisfy the conditions for entitlement to payment. The person concerned applied for one-parent family payment on 30 March 2006. The Social Welfare Inspector tried unsuccessfully to contact her on a number of occasions. Her claim was finally investigated in October 2007. In response to the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under the Programme of Decentralisation, 220 posts in my Department are to be relocated to Carrick-on-Shannon. According to figures received from the Central Application Facility (CAF), through which all applications for decentralisation locations must be submitted, 273 applicants applied for Carrick-on-Shannon before the priority applicant date of 7 September 2004. Since this date, there...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The pensioner in this case was awarded State Pension (Non-Contributory) at the reduced rate of €102.00 weekly from 8 December 2006. In addition to her pension she was awarded Living Alone Allowance of €7.70 weekly and Fuel Allowance of €14.00 weekly from 8 December 2006. From 5 January 2007 her pension has increased to €130.00 weekly and Fuel Allowance has increased to €18.00 weekly.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Payment of disability benefit to the person concerned was discontinued from 28 August 2006 following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department on 15 August 2006 who expressed the opinion that the person was capable of work. The person appealed this decision and in that context he was examined by another Medical Assessor on 5 October 2006 who also expressed the opinion that he was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The Appeals Officer's decision was notified on 14 December 2006 and the person concerned was awarded an invalidity pension effective from 30 June 2005. Due to the range of particular administrative arrangements which apply in the run up to the Christmas holiday period, it was not possible to commence payment of the invalidity pension until 11 January 2007. Arrears totalling €14,951.75...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: There has been no change in the requirement for unemployed customers to prove their identity or in the method of doing so. A person making a claim for Job seekers Allowance must prove his/her identity by showing the following documentation: A current Passport or Driver's Licence and any of the following: His/Her Birth Certificate (which must show the name of the mother) Post Office, Bank,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: A claim for unemployment assistance (since renamed job seekers allowance) by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer on the grounds that he was not genuinely seeking work and that he was not available for full-time employment. The person appealed this decision and an Appeals Officer made a summary decision disallowing the appeal. Summary decisions may be made where the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: My Department does not make any contribution towards travel expenses in relation to customers attending at their Local or Branch Office. Besides attending the office in person at the time of making their initial claim, customers residing up to 16 km from their Social Welfare Local/Branch Office attend that Office once every 4 weeks for certification purposes and customers residing over 16 km...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: The supplementary allowance (SWA) scheme, including rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). People participating in approved courses under my Department's back-to-education allowance scheme receive a standard weekly rate of payment equivalent to the maximum rate of their previous social welfare payment and may,...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: When a claim for social welfare benefit or pension is received by my Department, whether, directly from a claimant as in the normal practice or, alternatively, from somebody acting on their behalf, any enquiries in connection with the claim would be made directly with the claimant. Enquiries or representations from public representatives on behalf of constituents are acknowledged but when the...

Written Answers — Comhfhreagras Ranna: Comhfhreagras Ranna (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Deintear gach iarracht i mo Roinnse freagra a thabhairt chomh luath agus is féidir ar gach litir a fhaightear. Braitheann an t-am a chaitear ar an bhfreagra ar cé chomh casta is atá an cheist agus ar infhaighteacht an eolais atá ag teastáil don fhreagra. Chomh maith leis na toisceanna sin, braitheann an t-am a chaitear ar fhreagra ar litir i nGaeilge ar infhaighteacht baill foirne atá...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Self-employed persons, including farmers — aged between 16 years and 66 years and with reckonable income that exceeds the current insurable limit of €3,174 per annum must pay PRSI contributions at Class S. In general, payment of class S PRSI is made through the Office of the Revenue Commissioners who act as agents in the collection of PRSI. Self-employed persons return PRSI contributions...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under the Government's Programme of Decentralisation 118 posts in my Department are to be relocated to Buncrana. According to figures received by the Department from the Central Applications Facility (CAF), through which all applications for decentralisation must be submitted, the number of first preference applicants for Buncrana is 34, of which 17 currently work in the Department. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: To qualify for PRSI treatment benefits persons under 25 years of age must have at least 39 weeks PRSI paid since starting work and 39 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year — the tax year before they claim. The requirement for persons aged 25 years and over is a minimum of 260 weeks paid contributions. In recognition of the difficulties that persons younger than 25 would have in meeting...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2007)

Séamus Brennan: Under EU regulations 1408/71, an employed person who is working in a Member State is entitled to the family benefits provided by that State even though the family may be residing in another Member State. A claim for child benefit in respect of his children residing in Poland was received from the person concerned on 30 March 2006. Due to the volume of such claims being received and the...