Results 1,961-1,980 of 4,893 for speaker:Séamus Brennan

Social Welfare Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: For some months a group of officials have been working on the implementation plan. It arose from our consultations with lone parent groups who made it clear that income was one aspect of the problem. Aspects such as flexible working hours, child care and access to education and training, as mentioned by Deputy Crowe, should be addressed in tandem. We committed to developing proposals and...

Social Welfare Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am not accusing anyone in the Chamber. Everyone here is being responsible about it but I am thinking in the context of the next election. Dealing with these social issues in a political cauldron is most difficult. It is easy to whip up fears. I accept that Deputy Stanton is not doing this but it is easy to do so and I wanted to be careful and ensure that we progressed the matter with...

Social Welfare Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I did it.

Social Welfare Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Deputy Penrose asked me to reduce the qualifying period from 15 months to 12, which I did. He then asked me to reduce the period to nine months.

Social Welfare Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Subject to an examination by me of the matter, I am certain I did so. In respect of the clause Deputy Penrose is thinking of, we reduced the period to nine months but introduced a FÁS assessment so that FÁS would have a role in assessing the back to education requirement. As far as I am concerned, I did what Deputy Penrose asked me to do on the floor of this House.

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: As the House will be aware, because of slow progress being made towards our overall targets in the pensions area, in early 2005 I asked the Pensions Board to undertake the national pensions review. This was published in January 2006. In its report on the review, the board reaffirmed the various targets recommended in the original national pensions policy initiative, including a...

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am determined neither to make nor dodge a general election timescale.

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: It will take as long as it takes. The officials in my Department have started drafting the Green Paper and are finding the process very useful. The Green Paper will outline the major policy choices that face the country and most people would agree this is the right way to proceed. We know the size of the problem, that the choices are not easy and that they must be paid for. One idea the...

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I am determined to publish it before the election.

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: A very serious issue is developing with regard to pensions and, as far as I understand the matter, the figures the Deputy has mentioned are correct. One solution is to ignore the problem and allow all the tax breaks to benefit the top 20% or 30% of earners, who are benefiting from them at present. Another solution is to hype the voluntary system, perhaps by turning tax breaks into cash...

Pension Provisions. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: It is everywhere.

Tax Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: Family members working together are generally not insurable under the Social Welfare Acts. Spouses of employed or self-employed contributors are specifically excepted from social insurance contributions in respect of their working activity with their spouses. However, there is scope within the provisions of social welfare legislation to enable spouses who are partners in an enterprise, or...

Tax Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: This issue has been the subject of many reviews over the years. More recently, it was discussed under the partnership talks. The distilled wisdom of all the parties involved, at review level among employers, employees and, in so far as I can ascertain, farmers, is that while the system is not perfect and leaves people out of the loop, there is a solution by way of making formal arrangements...

Tax Code. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: I recall that rule from my days as Chief Whip. I probably brought it in.

Family Support Services. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The Government discussion paper, Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents, put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the national employment action plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of child care; improved information services; and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for...

Family Support Services. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: There has been action. There have been increases in child benefit. Family income supplement has been dramatically changed and improved——

Family Support Services. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: ——back to school allowances, early child care supplements and equal opportunity child care programmes, etc, have been put in place. Last year, those improvements stood at well over €1 billion. Much is happening in tackling child poverty and poverty generally. The facts and figures I have make clear that it is having a major impact. To return to the Deputy's question, I do not have a...

Family Support Services. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: My target is to ensure there is no child poverty in this country at this stage of our development. That is what we are working towards.

Family Support Services. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: It is my intention that the legislation will be separate. There may be financial aspects of it that will have to be dealt with in a budget, but the legislation would have to be separate because it is a new scheme and there are considerable legislative reforms involved.

Social Welfare Benefits. (10 Oct 2006)

Séamus Brennan: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over. All carers in receipt of carer's allowance and carers of people in receipt of constant attendance or prescribed relative's allowance, regardless of their age, receive a free travel pass. It is also available to people under age 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type welfare payments, such...