Results 1,641-1,660 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Pensions Act 1990 contains a number of provisions relating to the payment of contributions deducted from pension scheme members. Under the Act, employers who deduct pension contributions are required to remit those contributions to the scheme trustees within 21 days following the month in which the deduction was made. Employers are also required to provide employees with regular...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 121, 123, 157, 164 and 171 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are overindebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 52 independent companies nation-wide operating the service with a budget of over €16 million in 2006. Many voluntary and statutory bodies such as the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Information: Social Welfare Information (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am very conscious of the increasing number of social welfare customers requiring access to services for whom English is not their first language or where their English is not of a high standard. Every effort is made by my Department to facilitate these customers by providing relevant information in a number of languages on the Department's website and by arranging an interpretation service...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96, 100, 128 and 136 together. My Department provides income support to working families in low-income employment in various ways, including earnings disregards and tapered withdrawal of earnings on social assistance (means tested) payments. However, the principal income support from my Department which is targeted specifically for low-income families in...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The provision of occupational pensions in this country is on a voluntary basis and depends on the willingness of employers to contribute to, and maintain schemes for their employees. Traditionally, such schemes were organised on a defined benefit basis. However, in recent years defined benefit provision has been under pressure because of volatility in the stock markets, increasing liabilities...

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 161 together. The school meals programme operated by my Department gives funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes. The first is the long-standing statutory urban school meals scheme, currently operated by 36 local authorities. My Department funds the food costs jointly with these local...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme (BSCFA) operates from the beginning of June to the end of September each year and is administered on behalf of my Department by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Applications for the allowance may be made between the beginning of June and the end of September each year. While the closing date for...

Written Answers — Poverty Levels: Poverty Levels (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 131 and 167 together. My Department through its various social insurance and assistance schemes provides income supports to people to meet their basic living needs, including food, clothing, heat and light. Supplements are also payable in certain circumstances for specific needs, for example fuel allowances, rent supplements, living alone allowance for...

Written Answers — Energy Costs: Energy Costs (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102, 112, 122, 125, 134, 147 and 396 together. My Department provides supports to people on certain payments to meet their energy costs through the household benefits package and the national fuel scheme. Some 340,000 pensioner and other households qualify for electricity or gas allowances through the household benefits package, payable towards their heating,...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 118 together. On October 23 last, I held a Pre-Budget Forum which was attended by 30 representative organisations which included various community and voluntary groups. Each of the organisations had the opportunity to present their key priorities for consideration in advance of Budget 2007. I would like to thank all those who participated for their...

Written Answers — Poverty Levels: Poverty Levels (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The ESRI's proposed revision of the original set of indicators used to measure consistent poverty, to take account of the rapid economic progress of recent years and of current living standards, is detailed in its report Reconfiguring the Measurementof Deprivation and Consistent Poverty in Ireland. The report, which I launched last April, is an important source in developing the new National...

Written Answers — National Strategy for Carers: National Strategy for Carers (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Supporting and recognising carers in our society 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 extended....

Written Answers — Unemployment Levels: Unemployment Levels (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: According to the latest estimates from the Central Statistics Office there were 29,600 people long-term unemployed in the third quarter of 2006. This represents a long term unemployment rate of 1.4%. The long term unemployment rate fell from 5.5% in September-November 1997 to 1.4% in June-August 2000 and has remained in the range 1.2% to 1.6% since that time. These estimates are based on...

Written Answers — Budget Submissions: Budget Submissions (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I have recently received the Pre-Budget submission from One Family, and also had a presentation at the recent Pre-Budget Forum. Of the ten areas of concern, entitled "steps to equality for all families" which are set out in the submission, a number, including the issues of adequate incomes for one-parent families, adequate supports for employment and the issue of poverty traps deterring a...

Written Answers — Waste Management Charges: Waste Management Charges (14 Nov 2006)

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 is complex given the wide range of charging regimes and cost structures that exist in respect...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109, 119 and 140 together. The Value for Money examination undertaken by the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) looked at the rent supplement scheme during the period 2000 to 2005. One of the main issues raised by the C&AG relates to the substantial increase in expenditure on rent supplement over the period of review. As the report notes, it increased...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My Department has no function in providing supports specifically in the case of families with an out of control child. Personal Social Services and Child Welfare are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children. The main function of my Department is the provision of income support payments including social insurance payments funded by the Social Insurance Fund,...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 406 together. The back to work allowance scheme assists the long term unemployed to return to the active labour force. There are two strands to the scheme, the back to work enterprise allowance for self employed and the back to work allowance for employees. Numbers availing of the back to work allowance scheme have fallen steadily in recent years due...

Written Answers — Migrant Issues: Migrant Issues (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social welfare payments with effect from 1st May 2004. It was introduced in the context of the Government's decision to open the Irish labour market to workers from the new EU Member States without the transitional limitations which were being imposed at that time by many of the other...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Pensions Board in its report on the National Pensions Review, published in January 2006, suggested, amongst other things, a continuation of the existing system of voluntary supplementary pensions provision with improved incentives for participation. However, no truly voluntary pensions system has delivered the level of coverage rates for which we are aiming, and if we are to achieve our...