Results 15,301-15,320 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Greenhouse Gas Emissions (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The website of the Government's climate change awareness campaign, www.change.ie, provides a carbon calculator which enables everyone to work out their own carbon footprint. The Department has estimated that the carbon emissions relating to air travel in the course of my ministerial functions amounted to 489.52 kg in the year to 30 September 2008. This will be fully offset under the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The Executive has advised that payment of rent supplement has not been stopped and is being paid directly to the landlord at the request of the person concerned.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) provides for a supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The purpose of the mortgage interest supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The Executive has advised that the person concerned had been in receipt of rent supplement until 13 September 2008. Payment of the supplement ceased as the person concerned is in full-time education and is...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The claim for Carer's Allowance by the person concerned was refused by a Deciding Officer on the 13 November 2007, as in the opinion of the Chief Medical Adviser, the care recipient was not so invalided or disabled as to need full-time care and attention. Following the submission of further medical evidence, the Chief Medical Adviser confirmed his original opinion. An appeal was opened in the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned is in receipt of an EU Pro-Rata Widow's Contributory Pension since 26th July 1991. She is currently being paid â¬23.20 per week, plus a living alone of â¬7.70 and fuel allowance of â¬18. There is no record of an application for non-contributory pension having been received in respect of the person concerned. I have arranged for an application form to issue to the...
- Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Current estimates indicate that the abolition of the PRSI ceiling for ordinary employees would yield some â¬334 million in additional contribution income in a full year.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Payment of Illness Benefit to the person concerned was discontinued from 14th March 2008 following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. She appealed this decision on 19th March 2008 and, in the context of this appeal, her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor on 19th May 2008 who also expressed the opinion...
- Written Answers — Departmental Records: Departmental Records (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It is the Department's policy to work closely with the Data Protection Commissioner in relation to its response to any incident where laptops are stolen which contain confidential client information. In the most recent incident involving the contents of a missing laptop from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Department wrote to all those whose personal details were...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: In 2006, a wide range of important reforms were announced for non-contributory pensioners, including self employed pensioners, in conjunction with the introduction of the State pension (non- contributory). The new pension replaced a range of non-contributory payments for persons aged 66 and over including the old age pension. All these schemes currently featured a common means disregard of...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Department delivers a frontline service through a network of 59 Local Offices and 65 Branch Offices countrywide. Local Offices are staffed by civil servants whereas the Branch Offices operate under a contract for service. The staffing levels at Branch Offices are a matter for individual Branch Managers. All decisions on claims are made in Local Offices. The total number of staff...
- Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I am just getting the list of people I will be sharing time with from the Leas-Cheann Comhairle.
- Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to share time.
- Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I share the concern expressed by Deputies about the social and economic impact of rising unemployment. We are all conscious that behind the latest live register figures lie real people with families who have mortgages and concerns about the future. I assure the House that the Government is determined to do all it can to help people get back to work as quickly as possible. The longer people...
- Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It is important to avoid poverty traps and to try to support people by ensuring they do not become too dependent on social welfare and helping them to return to work. When discrepancies arise, my Department will try to rectify them. The back to education allowance scheme is designed to help those who have not worked for some time to improve their employability and job readiness by acquiring...
- Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The allowance 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 the person's existing social welfare income and an annual â¬500 cost of education allowance is payable. To qualify for participation an applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social...
- Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, therefore, their prospects of returning to the active work force. To qualify for participation an applicant must, be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment and must be at...
- Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The following table sets out the information requested by the Deputy. PRSI Receipts Year 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 Estimate Actual Actual Actual Actual â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million Employers 6,144 5,762 5,167 4,512 4,000 Employees 1,655 1,539 1,380 1,218 1,258 Self-Employed 450 421 374 380 357 Total 8,249 7,722 6,921 6,110 5,615
- Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I very much welcome the commemoration of the UN day here in Ireland, the attention it draws to the challenges of eradicating poverty and the measures in place to meet these challenges. I wish to commend the organisers for all their work in organising such a fitting event and choosing the Famine memorial for its location. A significant feature of the programme is the time given to the voices...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE), as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Rent supplement is currently in payment in this case. The Executive has advised that following a review of the person's rent supplement entitlement, it was established that his rent had increased and is in...