2006
December 2006
29 December
Immediate Increases in winter fuel and electricity allowances are announced for over 500,000 welfare customers
28 December
New year social welfare increase to benefit more than 1.5 million people from January
12 December
Allowing Carers To Retain Full Welfare Entitlement Will Boost Incomes Of 18,000 By Over €100 Per Week
6 December
Largest Ever Welfare Budget Package Of € 1.4 Billion Brings Total Spend In 2007 To Over €15 Billion
4 December
Minister Urges More Travellers To Avail Of National Money Advice And Budgeting Service (MABS) When In Debt Or Facing Financial Problems
November 2006
29 November
Review Of 700m A Year Welfare Allowance "Safety Net" Scheme Recommends More Streamlined Delivery Of Vital Income Supports
28 November
Minister Announces Schedule Of Payment Of €157m Christmas Welfare Bonus Payment To Over 1.2m Customers And Dependents
26 November
Minister Announces Funding Of €27m For Extending Of Paid Maternity Leave To 26 Weeks
16 November
Minister Says Measures Targeted At Pensioner Poverty, Children, Lone Parents & Disability Are Delivering Results As More Are Lifted Out Of Hardship
16 November
Minister Brennan - Spending On Social Welfare To Rise To A Pre-Budget Amount Of €14.07 Billion In 2007
13 November
New Report Paves The Way For Development Of High Quality & More Accessible Sign Language Services For Over 5,000 Deaf People In Ireland
9 November
Minister Brennan Says UN Development Report Findings On Poverty Distort Real Situation & Are An Unhelpful Distraction In The Tackling Of Real Poverty
5 November
Minister Announces Over 1.2m Customers And Dependents To Benefit From Eur157m Double Christmas Welfare Payment
October 2006
18 October
New Nationwide Citizens Information Website Launched In Roll-0ut Of Customer Friendly 'Know Your Rights' Information Service
16 October
Minister Announces Major Strengthening Of Nationwide Money Advice Service (Mabs) As Latest Figures Show New Clients Owe Creditors Over €64 Million At Interest Rates Of Up To 39%
16 October
Minister Says New Legislation Will Deliver Improved And Expanded Information To All Citizens On Their Rights And Entitlements
2 October
Immediate Increases In Winter Fuel And Domestic Gas Allowances Are Announced For Over 300,000 Welfare Customers
2 October
Minister Launches Citizens Information Bill To Deliver Major National Customer Friendly ‘Know Your Rights’ Information Service
September 2006
28 September
€20m Package For Older People Delivers Increases Of Up To €720 A Year For Over 34,000 Pensioners & Lifts Thousands Onto Full Pensions
25 September
Minister Says Findings Of Nationwide Survey Of Issues Affecting Most Vulnerable Will Help Government In Targetting Further Resources And Services
24 September
Minister Launches National Awareness Campaign To Promote Greater Take Up Of Supports For Carers
21 September
Minister Announces 25% Increase In Funding For Kilkenny Family Resource Centre
18 September
Minister Says Increase In Number Of Mediation Services Reflects Growing Demand From Couples Coping With Modern Day Stresses & Pressures
18 September
Peak-Time Travel Restrictions For Pensioners & Other Free Travel Customers Ends Today After Almost 40 Years
18 September
Minister Says Money Advice & Budgeting Service To Be Strengthened & Enhanced To Meet Modern Debt Problems
14 September
Statement from Minister Seamus Brennan
11 September
Minister Announces Details Of Improvements In Household Benefits Package
5 September
Minister Says Strengthening And Streamlining Of Money Advice Service Will Equip It To Best Respond To Increasing Debt Problems
3 September
MINISTER APPROVES €9 MILLION FOR MARRIAGE, CHILD AND BEREAVEMENT COUNSELLING SERVICES
August 2006
28 August
Brennan Urges Applications For Back To School Funding
17 August
Brennan Outlines Progress On Carers And Reaffirms Commitment To Further Improvements In Entitlements, Supports And Services
17 August
Minister Discloses That €200 Million Saved So Far This Year Through Tough Welfare Anti-Fraud Matters
10 August
Minister Announces Outcomes Of Almost 14,000 Appeals Against Social Welfare Entitlements Decisions
9 August
Minister Announces Ending Of Almost 40 Years Of Peak-Time Restrictions On Public Transport For Pensioners & Other Free Travel Pass Holders
8 August
Government Publishes Pensions Board Report on Supplementary Pensions -"Special Savings for Retirement"-As Part of National Debate on Pensions Issues
6 August
Minister Says Over 30,000 Full-Time Carers Have So Far Received Increased & Extended Respite Care Award
July 2006
28 July
Minister Unveils Details Of Nationwide Survey Of Issues Affecting Those In Areas Who Feel Most Vulnerable & Marginalised
28 July
Minister Says Welfare Queries Accounted For One Third Of The 700,000 Queries Dealt With By Citizen Information Centres Last Year
24 July
Minister Announces Consultations On A Major National Carers Strategy Will Begin Within Weeks
16 July
Minister Announces €26m Funding For Back To School Expenses
3 July
Welfare Queries Top List As Over 700,000 Seek Advice Through Nationwide Network Of Information Services
June 2006
28 June
Minister Launches Innovative New Website For Northside Law Centre & Praises Its Campaigning Work Over Three Decades
26 June
Minister Says Incisive Research Vital In Ensuring Targeted Responses To Issues In Rapidly Changing Society
22 June
Minister Says Expanding Family Mediation Service Has Vital Role In Helping Children Of Separating Couples To Retain Bonds With Both Parents
21 June
Minister Stresses Pivotal Role Of Local Groups When Launching Plan For "Supporting Families & Building Communities"
6 June
Thousands Of Lone Parents To Benefit As Weekly Earnings Threshold Increased By Over €80
2 June
Minister Says Over 33,000 Full-Time Carers To Qualify For Increased & Extended Respite Care Award
May 2006
29 May
Factsheet: Estimates 2007 – Vote 38 And Social Insurance FundAdministration A.1 Salaries, Wages and AllowancesThe 2007 increase is mainly to cover pay increases. There is provision of €7.564m in the 2007 estimate for the cost the general round of pay incr
29 May
Minister Brennan- "Over 100,000 Children Lifted Out Of Real Poverty In Less Than A Decade As Result Of Targeted Supports & Services"
22 May
Minister Says Further Reforms And Initiatives Needed If Ireland Is To Meet Future Jobs Demands
22 May
Minister Says Mediation Service Is Playing Vital Role In Helping Separating Couples Cope With Stress & Reach Agreement
12 May
Minister Announces Plans For Strengthened & Enhanced Money Advice & Budgeting Service Geared To Meet Modern Debt Problems
8 May
Minister Announces That Family Mediation Service Helping 1,500 Couples A Year Cope With Marriage Difficulties & Separations
2 May
Minister Outlines Further Initiatives To Increase Pensions Awareness And Improve Take Up Rates
April 2006
27 April
Minister Announces He Plans Proposals For Reform Legislation That Will Deliver New Opportunities For Lone Parents
24 April
Minister Urges SSIA Savers To Take Advantage Of Government Incentives To Invest Up To €10,000 In Pensions
20 April
Minister Announces Government Target of 100 Family Resource Centres by End of 2006
10 April
Minister Announces New Figures - At Least 250,000 People Lifted Out Of Serious Poverty In Recent Years As Result Of Economic Growth & Targeted Supports
3 April
Over One Million Children To Benefit From Child Benefit Increases & 350,000 Also Qualify For New Childcare Support
March 2006
20 March
Minister Launches Major Government Discussion Paper on Proposals For Supporting Lone Parents
17 March
President Kennedy's Visit Inspired Irish People to Greater Self-Belief and Confidence - Minister Séamus Brennan
16 March
Minister Reveals That Irish Companies In The US Employing Over 55,000 As Further Expansion In The Commercial "Greening Of America" Announced.
6 March
Minister Launches National Awareness Campaign to Promote Greater Take Up of Support Scheme For Low Income Families
3 March
Minister Says Opening Access To Jobs, Education & Training Is Key To Helping People With Disabilities Reach Full Potential
February 2006
20 February
Minister Publishes New Bill to Introduce Significant Reforms of Social Policy and Pensions
16 February
O2 Ability Awards to First Government Department
15 February
Minister Says Welfare Reforms Will Target Those Most at Risk of Poverty
2 February
Brennan Urges SSIA Savers To Avail Of The Government Pensions Bonus Offer
1 February
Minister Announces Funding For Research Projects On Information Needs Of Irish Emigrants.
January 2006
31 January
Minister Says More Than 20,000 Irish Emigrants Returning Home To Settle Each Year
23 January
Minister Says Comprehensive Report On Cost Of Healthy Eating & Specialised Diets Is Welcome Step In Modernising Welfare Diet Payments
17 January
Minister Says Ireland's Response To Pensions Problem Will Influence Shape Of Society For Decades To Come
16 January
Minister Announces Members Of New Pensions Board
6 January
Minister Says Over 21,000 Families on Low Incomes to Benefit From New Family Income Supplement Threshold Increases