Results 41-60 of 265 for speaker:Michael Brennan

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (29 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: As a former Minister for Education and Science, I understand the points being made by the Senator. On behalf of the Minister for Education and Science I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it affords me the opportunity to outline to the Seanad the strategy of the Department of Education and Science for capital investment in education projects, and also to outline the action planned to...

Seanad: School Meals Programme. (29 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I thank Senator Tuffy for raising this issue and appreciate her sincere approach to the matter. The school meals programme operated by the Department provides funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes. The first is the long-standing statutory urban school meals scheme which is currently operated by 36 local authorities. The Department...

Seanad: Agrifood Sector: Motion. (29 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I second the motion. I welcome the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Coughlan, and her officials to the House. Agriculture is in a place in the broader political agenda today where it has not been seen for many years. This is due to the challenges that have arisen in the sector, the CAP reform, decoupling of payments, avian flu, the beef industry, the nitrates directive, biofuels and...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: This is an area that needs considerable attention and reform. The document on lone parenthood which we recently published deals with this issue because I wanted to make sure that the maintenance issue was included. The applicants for a one-parent family payment are required to make ongoing efforts to seek adequate maintenance from their former spouses or, in the case of unmarried applicants,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: The NESC, with which I held a recent meeting, has examined the issue of a second tier payment for some time and its work is ongoing. It is one response to child poverty but, as was stated earlier, it is not the only response. I am determined to press ahead and complete this work with the NESC and see if the second tier payment can be introduced. The child care package introduced this year has...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: We are still examining the implications of the court case and are receiving advice on it from the Office of the Attorney General. I recall that 173 people signed up for that case. A determination has been made in the case of one of these people. In that instance, the Department lost the case and is, therefore, required to make repayment to the individual in question. I understand the court...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: The term "jobseekers" is part of the new names we are applying to unemployment assistance or unemployment benefit. The names have been changed to take a more modern approach and to align them with what is happening in Northern Ireland, where the word "unemployment" is no longer in use and has been replaced by the term "jobseekers". Some people might consider it a bit gimmicky, which is not...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I know of Senator Terry's deep interest in the pensions area. She has made a fine contribution to the House in this area, certainly in my time here. The Pensions Board report which was published recently has been laid before the House but I do not know if we have debated it. If not, I would be in favour of doing so and I will ask the Leader if we can find time for that. I have made the same...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I am not asking for that, I can elaborate later.

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I thank the Seanad for a very fine debate. I have said many times since I took on this job that listening to public representatives on this subject is what it is all about. Members in their daily lives, between clinics and meeting so many groups constantly around the clock, know what is going on. They know how an amendment, change or allowance will affect the family. I appreciate that, which...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: If I had one wish for my time in this Department it would be for child poverty to disappear. There are many other priorities but that would be the one I would pick. In 21st century Ireland it is totally unacceptable that any child should live in poverty and a decent country like ours should not tolerate it a day longer. I feel strongly about it because the brashness of these days gives one to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: Yes. A four-child family on €20,000 gross income could receive €2,000 in child care, €8,000 in child benefit, €8,000 in family income supplement and €480 in back to school allowance, comprising a total social welfare package of approximately €18,000 and giving a total income of €38,000. Very little taxation would be involved due to the low income. Taking the example of an...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: The Senators are correct, child benefit is paid to the mother. The new child care allowance is not a vouched payment so, in theory, a family could choose to spend the child benefit and the new child care allowance of €1,000 on something other than the child. There is no legal mechanism to address this but research indicates child benefit is used for family purposes in the broadest sense. In...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: This has been dealt with in an earlier amendment. It is better to care for people in their homes and this is the preferred option and the policy of the Minister for Health and Children with regard to home care and the income supports for carers from my Department. We seek to make it financially attractive to care for people at home. In the recent budget the carer's allowance was increased to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I will review the carer's allowance form, if the Senator is referring to that. We continually review forms to improve them but basic information is necessary. The Department makes more than 1 million payments per week and there is hardly a household in the country that does not receive a payment from it.

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: The section refers to pre-retirement allowances. This was the only section to which Senator Terry's colleagues in the Dáil seriously objected but in the end we reached a meeting of minds. The pre-retirement allowance was introduced in 1990 for older long-term recipients of unemployment assistance, those who had effectively retired from seeking employment and, by extension, the labour force....

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I am glad that document is published and I thank the lone parents' associations and organisations whose representatives I met recently. I also pay tribute to the officials and working groups who put so much work into that document. Yesterday the Seanad Office asked me when I might be in a position to debate that matter in the House. I understand the debate is provisionally set for immediately...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: The amendment calls on me to lay before the House a report on means testing in the area of carer's allowance. While I cannot accept the amendment on technical grounds, this formula is often used to ensure a debate takes place on an issue. I am always pleased to lay reports before the Seanad whenever requested and to come before the House to discuss issues. While I have no difficulty with the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: I appreciate Senator Terry's remarks on PRSI. Extensive discussion was held on this issue, which some felt was informal income and, as such, should not involve either tax or PRSI. I took the opposite view. To ask women in particular not to have a PRSI contribution for a period, however small the income, would store up trouble for the future. Some other Minister may be standing here in 20...

Seanad: Social Welfare Law Reform and Pensions Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Mar 2006)

Michael Brennan: Deputy Seán Ryan has expressed strong views on this issue in the other House and on Committee Stage. I promised him I would keep it under consideration. It is difficult as the issue goes back to 1992, when an earnings limit was introduced for deserted wife's benefit. Following from this, the one-parent family payment, or the lone parent allowance as it is now called, was introduced in 1997....