Results 14,901-14,920 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under age 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical suitability and a means test. The medical criteria that must be satisfied to qualify for payment of Disability Allowance specify that the person must be...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for Carer's Allowance on 1 December 2006. Following investigation her application was refused on 12 March 2007 on the grounds that full time care and attention was not required in this case. The person was notified of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The person concerned appealed this decision, and...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 282 and 283 together. The person concerned entered insurable employment in 1958. He has a total of 103 full rate social insurance contributions paid to 1967 and 273 for the period 2002 to 2007. From late 1967 to the end of 2001 he was employed in the public service and paid contributions at the modified rate which gave cover only for a limited number of...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The living alone increase is an additional payment of â¬7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and receiving payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes. The payment was last increased in 1996. The policy...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned originally applied for Disability Allowance on 19 February 2008. She was assessed with weekly means of â¬383.28 based on her spouse's earnings, derived as follows: Gross weekly pay year to date (per payslip): â¬744.33; less PRSI, Union & Superannuation â â¬45.51; insurable Employment Disregard â â¬60.00; total â â¬638.82; weekly Means @â¬0.60 per â¬1 â...
- Written Answers — Departmental Projects: Departmental Projects (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: There are currently no pilot schemes or pilot projects being undertaken by the Department currently. I can further confirm that the Department has no plans at present to engage in any pilot schemes or projects.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Social welfare legislation requires that people must claim their entitlements within a specified period from the date on which their entitlement arises. The prescribed time for making a claim is specified in Article 102 (c) of Statutory Instrument 417 of 1994. In the case of one-parent family payment, the prescribed time for making a claim is within 3 months of the date of entitlement....
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (4 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 and 289 together. The social welfare appeals system is quasi-judicial and the procedures involved are, by virtue of that fact, designed to ensure that every appellant gets full and satisfactory consideration. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that oral hearings are granted at the discretion of the Appeals Officer usually in circumstances...
- Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 142 together. The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Departmental Advertising: Departmental Advertising (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Department aims to ensure that all citizens are made aware of their rights and entitlements and that they are kept informed of changes and improvements in schemes and services as they occur. The provision of information in a clear and accessible manner is an essential element in the achievement of this objective. The Department uses a mix of advertising media including national and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned has had her entitlement to rent supplement reviewed and advised 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 accordingly.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: People of working age who are no longer liable for PRSI contributions may opt to protect their pension entitlements by applying to become a voluntary contributor. In order to be admitted to the voluntary contributions scheme, a person must have a minimum of 260 weeks of PRSI paid in either employment or self-employment and apply within 12 months of being insurable.
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Where a payment to a supplier is not made promptly when due, the interest paid to the supplier effectively ensures that no significant financial advantage or disadvantage accrues to the Exchequer or the supplier respectively. Since no significant net financial benefit arises in practice for either party there are no beneficiaries as such. The following table details the amount of interest...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive has advised that it is unaware of any changes to the rent payable by the person concerned. If her rent has changed she should contact the local community welfare officer so that her entitlement to rent supplement can be reviewed.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplements are subject to a limit on the amount of rent that an applicant for rent supplement may incur. Setting maximum rent limits higher than are justified by the open market would have a distorting effect on the rental market, leading to a more general rise in rent levels and in landlord income. This in turn would worsen the affordability of rental accommodation unnecessarily, with...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: To qualify for a State Pension Non-Contributory, a person or couple must be habitually resident in the State and satisfy a means test. In determining means, the weekly income derived from occupational pensions, farming, and/or self employment by claimant and/or spouse or partner is assessed. Where a person/couple has savings and investments and any property (excluding a person's own home),...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Jun 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 (17 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive has advised that the person concerned is currently living in local authority accommodation in Co Kildare. Under the legislation governing entitlement to rent supplement, a person is not entitled to a supplement where he or she has vacated local authority accommodation without satisfying the Health Service Executive there was good cause for doing so. The person...
- Written Answers — Regulatory Impact Analysis: Regulatory Impact Analysis (17 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 554 and 560 together. My Department has produced a number of Screening Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) since the Government Decision to introduce this policy. These related to the Citizens Information Bill 2006; the inclusion of trust-based Retirement Annuity Contracts under the relevant provisions of the Pensions Act (Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007);...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 556 together. The person concerned applied for a jobseeker's allowance payment on 8 May 2008. His claim is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector for assessment of his means. Following completion of the Social Welfare Inspector's report a decision will be made as soon as possible and he will be notified of the outcome. He is currently in receipt...