Results 1,501-1,520 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My understanding is it is universal, subject to having a child. The increase is paid from budget day. The grant was previously €2,700 and was increased by €1,300. Perhaps I did not say it correctly.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputy Stanton for tabling this amendment. In many ways, it is self-explanatory that policy has been aimed at increasing workforce participation among all groups in society, including older workers, in recent years. This policy extends to the lone parent system reforms in that we will press ahead with the disregards that will allow lone parents to participate in the workforce....

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have undertaken to keep the issue under review. This morning, I referred to a survey which I have just now noticed was carried out in 1998.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Re-examining it might be worthwhile.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputies for their consideration of the Bill, which was constructive and of benefit to the country.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputy Stanton for tabling this amendment and Deputy Penrose for his contribution. We have dealt with this issue on different occasions when dealing with Estimates and the budget. There is nobody in this House who would not put the elimination of child poverty as the number one priority in any approach to social issues. The budget and this Bill make a significant contribution...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As Deputies know, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance is being increased by 50%. Another issue is whether we can extend the date and so on. In previous years the national average number of applications made after the end of September was 1.5% of the total. Based on information received to date, the number of applications received after the end of September 2006 is...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: It opens on 1 June.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank the Deputy for tabling amendment No. 7. A working group chaired by the Department of Health and Children, which includes membership from my Department, has examined the feasibility of the introduction of a cost of disability payment. The working group recommended that steps be taken to improve the quality of data relating to disability in Ireland. For example, it suggested an...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: We had a number of meetings about this, both internally and between Departments. I acknowledge that the situation is unsatisfactory. Approximately half of the local authorities operate a waiver scheme and the others do not. I make this point not just because the three of us are here, but the position is that 14,000 households are in receipt of a waiver from South Dublin County Council and...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: ——Cork County Council grants a waiver to 6,000 households, of which approximately half are in receipt of State pensions and the other half are in receipt of other social welfare payments. Impressively, Fingal County Council grants a waiver to 8,000 households, 2,000 of which are in receipt of State pensions and the rest of which include widows, job-seekers, one parent families, people on...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputies Penrose, Seán Ryan and Stanton, in whose names are the amendments, for their contribution. I have acknowledged that Deputy Penrose has been a long-time campaigner for the removal of the means test for carers. I squared up to the issue and had a number of sessions with officials, and took much advice. We considered the issue very carefully and, at the end of that process,...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Deputy did so. He posed a few awkward questions last night. He never gave me an easy one yet. We must work out some details but we have provided €57 million to do this. Most carers are on some form of welfare, whether they are on pensions, lone parent's allowance or other allowances. As the Deputy knows — he brought the matter to my attention — the position previously was that...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I will swipe it.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I thank Deputy Seán Ryan for moving this amendment. Almost every Deputy has made representations to me on this issue and I have taken the opportunity presented by the budget to address it. In case Deputy Seán Ryan is no longer in this House next year, I acknowledge his efforts in pressing the Select Committee on Social and Family Affairs to make these amendments. He repeatedly pointed...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I understand the benefit can, like all schemes, be reviewed on an annual basis. With regard to the eventuality outlined by the Deputy, a claimant would remain on the scheme during the six months in question.

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As the Deputy noted, this is a matter of choice. I hope, however, he will accept that I am committed to using active social welfare payments to improve people's lives instead of being a passive provider of allowances. In that context, rather than being unable to afford an increase in the living alone allowance, we take the view that it is better to expand the choices available. If we spend...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I begin by thanking Deputies on all sides of the House for their comments on and consideration of this Bill. I am particularly grateful for the kind remarks that were made on aspects of it but I will also take account of criticisms made and questions raised. We will have a further two hours of debate later, on Committee and Report Stages, and I look forward to answering Deputies' more...

Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: One never knows.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 Dec 2006)

Séamus Brennan: There is a comprehensive system of regulation in place through the Financial Regulator, The Pensions Board and the Pensions Ombudsman to deal with the various types of pension arrangements which are available and the different aspects of these products. The Pensions Board itself is at present carrying out a review of its operations to see how it might perform its role more effectively in the...