Results 14,821-14,840 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Audits: Departmental Audits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner undertook an audit of the Department in late January 2008. The Commissioner is preparing his report and, in this regard, his officials have been liaising with officials of the Department. When the final report is received, its findings and recommendations will be carefully examined by the Department with a view to taking whatever actions are...

Written Answers — Legislative Reform: Legislative Reform (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: This issue was the subject of a recent High Court judgement concerning the rights of a person, who has undergone gender reassignment surgery, to recognition of her acquired gender. On foot of the High Court judgement, delivered on 19 October 2007, the judge made a declaration, pursuant to Section 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003, that Sections 25, 63 and 64 of the Civil...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 175 together. Supporting and recognising carers in our society is, and has been, a priority of the Government since 1997. Over that period, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's allowance have significantly eased, coverage of the scheme has been extended and new schemes such as carer's benefit and the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 178 together. The back to education allowance (BTEA) is paid at a standard weekly rate equivalent to the maximum rate of the relevant social welfare payment that qualifies the applicant for participation in the scheme. It essentially replaces their existing social welfare income and in addition an annual €400 cost of education allowance is payable....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of rent supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance 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 available to them from any other source. Rent supplement is subject to a limit on the amount of rent...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Pneumoconiosis is a prescribed disease for the purpose of the Occupational Injuries scheme administered by my Department. The legislation governing the Occupational Injuries Scheme provides entitlement to benefit for persons suffering from certain prescribed diseases which are listed in the legislation and where that person has contracted that disease in the course of their employment. Where...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The social welfare appeals process is quasi-judicial and the procedures are designed to ensure that every appellant's case gets full and satisfactory consideration. The quasi judicial nature of the appeals system means that the process must be governed by fair procedures. This, of course, can give rise to inevitable time lags in processing appeals. I am advised that improving processing...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Claims for State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Transition) are now fully processed within three weeks of receipt of the applications where all information is available. Average processing times for all claims now stand at less than 8 weeks for a State Pension (Contributory) and 5 weeks for State Pension (Transition). The Department has commenced claim initiation on the State...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (15 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 130 and 131 together. It is assumed that the Deputy is referring to State Boards. The following appointments were made to boards under the aegis of my Department since 26th February 2008 as follows: Mr. Michael Ryder (Dublin) IBEC nominee appointed to the Pensions Board; Mr. Dick Hickey (Co. Waterford), Ms. Brid Rocks (Co. Louth) and Ms. Muriel Walls (Co....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Child benefit is a monthly payment, paid in respect of children up to the age of 16 years. It continues to be paid in respect of children up to and including 18 years where they are in full-time education, or where they have a physical or mental disability. Prior to April of this year child benefit continued to be paid to the birth parent where a child was placed in foster care, regardless of...

Written Answers — European Council Meetings: European Council Meetings (15 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (ESPHCA) is the Council of Ministers formation of direct relevance to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs. This Council formation covers a range of policy areas which are dealt with by a number of Irish Government Departments, including employment and labour law issues, which are the responsibility of the Department of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for a one-parent family payment on 3 April 2008. Her claim is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation of her circumstances. On completion of enquiries, a decision will be made as soon as possible and she will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Departmental Contracts: Departmental Contracts (15 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Social and Family Affairs uses the services of the law officers of the State for its legal work and has not engaged any firms of solicitors or individual barristers on a contractual basis in the past 18 months.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of my Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). SWA provides a safety net against poverty in that it gives a statutory entitlement to a minimum weekly income, based on criteria set out in legislation. The Eastern Area of the HSE has advised that the person concerned was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the entitlement to rent supplement of the person concerned has been reviewed. The executive has established that she has means which were not previously taken into account in the assessment of entitlement to rent supplement. The assessment of these means has resulted in the rate of rent supplement being reduced and she has been advised...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). SWA provides a safety net against poverty in that it gives a statutory entitlement to a minimum weekly income, based on criteria set out in legislation. The Midland Area of the Health Service Executive has advised that the person...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The outgoings of a household are not taken into account in the means assessment for jobseeker's allowance. The assessment is based on income. All the income of the customer and his/her spouse/partner is taken into account. However certain disregards apply. For example, the first €20,000 of any savings or investments is disregarded. If the customer or his/her spouse/partner is working in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that an application for rent supplement has been received from the person concerned. It is awaiting the receipt of outstanding documentation from him. A decision on entitlement to rent supplement cannot be made until all documentation requested has been received.