Results 14,861-14,880 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together. The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused provision of childcare; improved information services for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the terms of an earlier Social Partnership agreement, the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) was asked to examine the feasibility of merging the family income supplement (FIS) with the increase for qualified children (IQC) and possibly including other child supports such as the back to school clothing and footwear allowance, resulting in a single means-based child income...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Child benefit is a universal payment, paid in respect of children up to the age of 16 years. It continues to be paid in respect of children up to age 19 who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. The policy of the Government over the past number of years has been to substantially increase the amount spent on child benefit for all families. Commitment to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 190 together. The school meals programme gives funding towards provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes, the long-standing statutory urban school meals scheme and the school meals local projects programme. Implementation of improvements in the programme is well underway. Expenditure on the programme increased...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 193, inclusive, together. The commitment in the programme for Government in relation to the development of a mortgage support system is being advanced in the context of housing policy. Housing supports in general are provided by local authorities but the Department provides income maintenance support where required in particular circumstances. Mortgage...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The development of advocacy services for people with disabilities remains a priority for my Department. In order to expand advocacy provision for people with disabilities the Citizens Information Board began a process in 2004 of engaging the community and voluntary sector in the provision of advocacy services to people with disabilities. In this regard funding of €1million was allocated to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The free travel scheme is available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over and to people receiving certain disability or care payments. Proposals to extend the free travel scheme to Irish born people living abroad and those receiving pensions from my Department have been examined and, in this regard, officials of the Department have engaged in discussions with EU Commission...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is the main Government funded service which provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. The MABS has a unique and expert contribution to make in meeting the needs of people with debt difficulties in today's society. This includes promoting greater awareness about household budgeting...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Poverty proofing was introduced in 1998 on foot of a commitment in the first National Anti-Poverty Strategy. Since then it has been a requirement for significant policy proposals to indicate clearly the impact of the proposal on people in poverty or at risk of falling into poverty. Following a review of the poverty proofing process, the Office for Social Inclusion (OSI) in my Department,...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (21 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Family Support Agency was established on 6 May 2003 and brings together programmes and services to support families introduced by the Government in recent years. Its mission is to promote family and community well being through the provision of appropriate supports and services to families. Funding for the Agency has increased from €17.28 million in 2003 to €39.38 million for 2008....

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (22 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Ministerial cars are driven by members of An Garda Síochána. Such vehicles are exempt from tolls under section 62 of the Roads Act, 1993. Accordingly, no cost arises to the Exchequer.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned advised his local Social Welfare Office that he would be in the UK from 8 April 2008. He was paid for the maximum 2 week holiday period from 8 April 2008 to 21 April 2008. He failed to present himself at the Social Welfare Office again until 1 May 2008. It is understood that he remained outside the State from 22 April 2008 until 30 April 2008, and accordingly he...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (22 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: 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 respite care grant have been introduced and extended....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal from the person concerned was received by that Office on 3/4/08 and a summary decision was issued on 22/4/08 disallowing the appeal. In the decision the Appeals Officer noted that "by failing to co-operate with the Social Welfare Inspector as to his means, appellant has not shown that he satisfies the conditions as to means...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA), which is administered on behalf of the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, provides for the payment of a rent supplement to assist eligible people who are unable to provide for their immediate accommodation needs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department operates the free travel scheme which provides free travel on the main public and private transport services. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as CIE, Luas and over 90 private transport operators. In addition, free travel pass holders can travel for free on cross border journeys between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Since...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: 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 customers by using a range of payment options and to ensure...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 May 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The following table details the number of staff within my Department at the grade of Assistant Principal and higher, and the number recruited from outside of the Civil Service. Under the terms of Towards 2016 new arrangements are in place to increase open recruitment at Higher Executive Officer, Assistant Principal and Principal Officer across the civil service. Grade No. of posts...