Results 14,741-14,760 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Community Welfare Service. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that these discussions are sensitive and the National Implementation Body arranged the establishment of the group of SIPTU, IMPACT, the HSE and the Departments of Health and Children and Social and Family Affairs, which had intensive discussions, culminating last month. It is anticipated that the group will reconvene very shortly. It is waiting for the management to...
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: My Department processes almost 2 million applications for benefit, pension or allowance each year, only a small percentage of which result in an appeal to the social welfare appeals office. A claimant who is dissatisfied with the decision of a deciding officer of the Department, including a decision based on medical criteria, may appeal it to the social welfare appeals office. In addition...
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I am interested in the figures Deputy Broughan cited on disability allowance. Although he is correct in saying that 2,754 cases were appealed, of that number, 700 were not allowed and 568 were withdrawn.
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: That is the advantage of having an appeals process and it is an important part of the process. Given that 2 million applications are made every year, I thought the number of appeals was small. The major difference in making the appeal is that one is allowed to enclose additional medical information with the appeal. Sometimes that makes the difference. Often people do not supply sufficient...
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Ongoing professional training is an important part of the work of the frontline people, particularly medical assessors. Medical assessors are full time, fully qualified and registered people. Medical education is carried out by national and international experts to ensure they are on top of their jobs. That is important, particularly in the area of disability. Some decisions on whether a...
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I am not sure I am referring to the correct figure.
- Social Welfare Appeals. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I will check the budget for the whole appeals process.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Health Service Executive, HSE, as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The rent supplement was always intended to be a short-term scheme.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The fact that it then grew and there were so many people on it for 18 months or more was the reason for developing the RAS. People were becoming dependent on the rent supplement for their housing needs which was never the intention behind it. The intention is to ensure that these people can be facilitated through the local authorities' various schemes, whether through RAS units or social...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Last year the system was reviewed and as a result the rent supplement was increased in 14 local authority areas. It is the intention that it will be reviewed over the next few weeks with a view to it coming into effect on 1 July 2008. That review will be taking placeââ
- Social Welfare Benefits. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: ââbetween the HSE, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the CSO, the Private Rented Tenancies Board and interested voluntary organisations. It is one of those schemes that needs to be kept constantly under review, particularly to see how it is working in getting people into appropriate housing. The big difference between the RAS and the rent supplement is...
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 90 together. The Department supports Government policy which aims to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world class payments environment in Ireland. Our payment strategy is designed to ensure that cost-effective arrangements are in place for making payments to social welfare...
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The potential to use the card would enable all sorts of other schemes to be incorporated in it, such as transferring the money into a savings account and a payment account. It can be examined as it is used over the years. The Deputy mentioned those people who might not be familiar with technology, but 70% of new applicants for State contributory pensions and child benefit opted to use the...
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It is encouraging. Having agents to collect for elderly people was a key issue for them. If an elderly person needs to appoint an agent, those arrangements will be made. Special arrangements will be made from next June and if it must be done in the long term, a letter will issue from the Department enabling the carer or agent to collect the payment.
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Wide consultations took place regarding electronic payments, but it may well have been with those bodies that represent the recipients. I do not know if consultation took place on a wider basis, but I could certainly envisage that happening once it is up and running. This card enables the payment of money into accounts, as opposed to a card that allows for free travel or an integrated...
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: A person can claim a pension payment for up to 100 days and this continues to be the case. When payment is made, a receipt is given indicating the amount and what it was for. It includes the breakdown of the payment, such as whether there were qualified adults or children included in the payment. An agent collecting on a long-term basis will have to get a letter from the Department...
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Department and An Post are jointly working on a system which will facilitate the agent, with a view to rolling it out at the end of next month.
- Social Welfare Payments. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It will facilitate the use of an agent by the recipient. Safeguards will have to be put in place to make sure the money is going to the right person.
- Departmental Records. (14 May 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Department of Social and Family Affairs administers around 50 schemes and makes payments to 1 million people each week. Due to the nature, scale and diversity of its work, the Department is heavily reliant on ICT and holds detailed information about its customers. The Department takes its responsibilities to safeguard this data extremely seriously. All electronic data is stored in the...