Results 1,801-1,820 of 10,035 for speaker:Martin Cullen

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the HSE. The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to...

Revised Estimates Volume: Motion (8 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: I move: That, notwithstanding Standing Order 154(1) or (2) or the Order of the Dáil of 21st February, 2008, the following Further Revised Estimates for Public Services for the year ending 31st December 2008, be presented to the Dáil on 8th April, 2008, being a later date than that prescribed for the presentation of Estimates, and that the Further Revised Estimates be referred to the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: Workers are insured under the Social Welfare Acts as either employed or self-employed contributors. All workers, both employed and self-employed, are obliged to pay PRSI contributions as a percentage of their personal reckonable income. These contributions provide entitlement to a range of contingency-based payments under various social insurance schemes — including pensions. Self-employed...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: Permanent and pensionable employees in the public and civil service (including registered doctors and dentists, Gardaí, commissioned army officers and members of the Army Nursing Service) who were recruited prior to 6 April, 1995 are liable for a 0.9% modified social insurance contribution on their pay under PRSI Classes B, C or D. This entitles them to the following payments — subject to...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: My Department is committed to providing a quality customer service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are issued as expeditiously as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions which apply. These conditions vary between the two jobseeker schemes and involve, among other things, the need to establish the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: A Widow/er's Non Contributory Pension is a means tested payment payable to a widow or widower whose income falls below a certain limit and who does not satisfy the contribution conditions for Widow/er's Contributory Payment. This customer applied for Widows Non Contributory Pension on the 15th of December 2007. Following an assessment of her means by a Social Welfare Inspector she has been...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: A Social Welfare Inspector visited the person concerned in February, 2008, to establish her circumstances in the context of her application for a non-contributory widow's pension. Given that she has a farm, the Inspector suggested that she also complete an application for farm assist, as her entitlement under that scheme might be greater than under the widow's scheme. The Inspector assisted...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: Where a person has social insurance contributions from another EEA country, or a country with which Ireland has a bi-lateral agreement, these can be used to qualify a person for a pension. The manner in which contributions from EEA countries are to be used is laid down in Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 and the same general principles are applied in the reciprocal agreements Ireland has with a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 to 142, inclusive, together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on my behalf by the Community Welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: Recoupment of supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) arises where, in respect of the same period, a customer has been paid SWA and is subsequently found to be entitled to another social welfare payment. As SWA is the temporary payment, all SWA paid, which would not have been paid had the social welfare payment been in existence at the time, is recoverable under Section 204 of the Social...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: My Department is aware of the appreciation in the exchange rate of the Euro against Sterling and uses the conversion mechanism provided for under Article 107 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 574/72 on Social Security for Migrant Workers when assessing means deriving from payments received from EU Member States (including U.K.) which do not form part of the EMU currencies. The exchange rates...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together. The Department incurred expenditure of some €43,000 on recruitment advertising in 2006 and some 62,000 in 2007. This covered advertisements for Branch Managers who are employed on contract to operate Branch Offices in locations throughout the country; temporary clerical staff; Services Officers and medical assessors.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned has been requested to provide documentation in relation to her means and that this has not been provided to date. The Executive has further advised that a decision will be made in relation to her claim for rent supplement when the requested documentation has been provided.

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: Rent supplement is administered on my behalf by the Health Service Executive (HSE), as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The tenant makes the application for rent supplement and the Department's relationship is with the tenant in all cases. Payment is made to the tenant in most cases, it is the property of the tenant in all cases and is specifically for the benefit of the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The telephone allowance is a component of the household benefits package which also includes the electricity/gas allowance and free television licence schemes. The package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. It is also available to people aged under 66 who are in receipt of...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The primary objective of my Department's information policy is to ensure that all citizens are made aware of the wide range of schemes and services available and that they are kept informed of changes and improvements as they occur. The Department operates a network of approximately 130 local and branch offices throughout the country. Each Local Office has officers who are dedicated to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. The reason for the introduction of the habitual residence condition was to ensure that persons who have not worked in Ireland or who have not established habitual residence in Ireland cannot avail of assistance...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: The case referred to by the Deputy concerns the rights of a person who has undergone gender reassignment surgery to recognition of her acquired gender. In particular, the person in question sought a declaration pursuant to section 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 that the Civil Registration Act 2004 is incompatible with the provisions of Articles 8, 12 and 14 of the...

Written Answers — Socio-Economic Review: Socio-Economic Review (2 Apr 2008)

Martin Cullen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 90, 120, 127 and 151 together. The CORI Justice annual socio-economic review published last week sets out a comprehensive and detailed analysis of developments in Ireland in recent years and the challenges Ireland faces to achieve a fairer society. I welcome the review and its contribution to shaping policy priorities to bring about a more inclusive...