Results 181-200 of 265 for speaker:Michael Brennan

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: I do not have a figure for the Senator.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: The budget package of €30 million in this area is designed to increase the level of support for carers. This increase makes the carer's allowance the largest single welfare benefit in the State, apart from the provision for the over 80s. The allowance rises to €200 a week, an increase of 17%, and the respite care grant increases by 25%, from €1,000 to €1,200. The income disregard for...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: On Senator Bradford's point about the cost of €140 million to remove means testing, this is calculated on the basis of it becoming a universal payment. The reason the figure is lower than the Senator might think is that people must qualify under other conditions. One might think the figure should be much higher for a universal payment. However, if one removed the means test, one would not...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: The figure of €140 million relates to the means test. The other conditions include being available to give full-time care and attention, apart from the 15 hours which is currently the case.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: Only if they meet the conditions.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: The assessment is that it would. This is where the main cost would be involved. It would include people who are not currently in the net. People who failed the means test up to now could come back in.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: Yes, but the other conditions are equally important. I took the view this year that it would be better to put the money into respite care, making it the largest payment in the system, and putting the money into getting the allowances and the disregards up. This package cost €30 million this year. We could have done none of this and used the €140 million to remove the means test. While it...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: I knew the Senator would refer to child care.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: I wish to outline some interesting figures. The Central Statistics Office indicates that the total number of carers is 150,000 but the total number caring for more than four hours a day is 49,000. Of these, the number caring for more than ten hours a day is 16,000. While there is the headline figure of 150,000 carers, when one inquires about carers in terms of the number of hours of caring...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: I will do that.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: It would not be the first time I was the talk of the country. I note the seasonal spirit is breaking out.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (16 Dec 2005)

Michael Brennan: I thank Senators for their support. I regard public representatives as being close to welfare issues because of their work. I learn a great deal from listening to such debates. I thank the Senators for the constructive debate we had on this Bill. Between us we got the legislation through expeditiously and I want to acknowledge that we learned something in the process. This Social Welfare Bill...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Feb 2006)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the press release by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, regarding the national Water Services Investment Programme 2005-07. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister to come to the House to debate how the programme can be delivered on time. Many obstacles may have to be clarified by way of local authorities and the Department working...

Seanad: Planning and Related Issues: Statements (Resumed). (15 Feb 2006)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. In April 2005 we welcomed the Government's policy on rural housing and the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government outlined the draft proposals on rural housing development. Are the Minister and the Members of the Oireachtas satisfied that planning authorities are implementing these regulations consistently around the...

Seanad: Local Authority Services: Motion. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Brennan: I move: That Seanad Éireann acknowledges the achievements of the Government in: —supporting the work and development of local authorities; —providing €2.94 billion in revenue for local authority services and initiatives in 2005; —promoting the modernisation of local authorities so as to deliver a system that puts local government at the heart of the community, thereby boosting the...

Seanad: Local Authority Services: Motion. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Brennan: May of what year?

Seanad: Local Authority Services: Motion. (22 Feb 2006)

Michael Brennan: I thank all Members who have contributed to the debate, which acknowledges the contribution of local government to the country in the past 100 years. I thank the Minister for his very comprehensive address which shows the commitment of the Government to the delivery of services for the further development of local authorities. Development charges were mentioned. When the results of the audit...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Statements. (8 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Parlon, and his officials to the House, and thank him for taking this opportunity to discuss the Government's ambitious plan. I am aware of calls from various quarters for the rolling-back or postponing of the decentralisation programme, but it is not always clear why groups make such a call. If the call is for political reasons from political parties,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Second Stage. (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I am pleased to introduce this, the second of two Bills intended to implement the €1.12 billion social welfare package announced in budget 2006 by the Minister for Finance. This substantial investment represents a €246 million, or almost 28%, increase on the 2005 package of €874 million. It brings the projected level of social welfare expenditure in 2006 to over €13.5 billion, which...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Second Stage. (21 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh.