Results 16,181-16,200 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Jobseeker's allowance is a means tested payment made to those who do not qualify for jobseeker's benefit which is based on PRSI contributions. The means test involves an assessment of the person's savings and investments, any property s/he may own, apart from the family home and any other income such as a pension from a former employer or from another country. Generally, self-employed...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned is in receipt of jobseeker's allowance at the weekly rate of €18.30. This payment is based on a means assessment of €186.00 per week derived from self-employment in the fishing industry. It is open to him to appeal this decision and a form for this purpose was issued to him on 11 December 2008. However, to date no appeal has been received. Under Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Further to my response to PQ No. 414 on 18 November 2008 and PQ No. 399 on 17 December 2008, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no update to the information given previously. Every effort will be made to have this appeal dealt with as quickly as possible. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical assessment and a means test. Disability Allowance was awarded to the person concerned on 8 December 2008 with effect from 22 October 2008. Her first payment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: An application for carer's allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that the people being cared for were not so invalided as to require full-time care and attention. She submitted additional medical evidence to the Chief Medical Adviser on 15 August 2008, who expressed the opinion that this evidence did not affect the previous...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned is currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance at the maximum weekly rate of €204.30. Following an appeal, his case was reviewed by a Deciding Officer and his weekly means of €883.00 from self-employment were revised to nil from 24 June 2008. Further means derived from earnings from insurable employment were revised from €47.00 to nil from 25 August 2008. Both...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 962 and 963 together. The claim for jobseekers allowance, by the person concerned, was refused by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that she was not available for or seeking full-time employment. An appeal was opened on 8 September 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office, that in accordance with the statutory requirements,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for Carer's Allowance on 5 September 2008. Following investigation an interim refusal issued on 31 October 2008 on the grounds that full time care and attention was not required in this case. She was afforded the opportunity to submit, within 21 days, any further medical evidence available to the Department for review. Additional medical evidence was received,...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department recently undertook a review of the staffing levels in Local Offices due to the continued increased number of claims for jobseekers payments. An additional 115 staff, at Clerical Officer (CO) and Staff Officer (SO) levels, are to be assigned and arrangements are in train to assign these resources. There will be no recruitment of additional staff for those posts. Staff are...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned is in receipt of jobseeker's allowance since 4 March 2008. Following the introduction of a new method of assessment of benefit derived from parental income, his means were revised from €58.00 to nil with effect from 27 April 2008 and his weekly rate of payment increased to €197.80. His personal weekly rate of jobseeker's allowance is now €204.30. However, since...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that during 2007 the average time taken to process all appeals (i.e. those decided summarily and by way of oral hearing) was 22 weeks. However, if allowance was made for the 25% most protracted cases, the average time fell to just over 14 weeks. Oral hearings are granted at the discretion of the Appeals Officer usually in circumstances where...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Disability Allowance is a weekly Allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both medical assessment and a means test. Following an appeal against refusal of disability allowance to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, the person concerned was awarded...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The PRSI collected by my Department in the past four years is set out in a table: PRSI Receipts Year 2008 (11 months) Provisional 2007 2006 2005 â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million Total 7,386 7,722 6,921 6,110 These figures are net of the Health Contribution and the National Training Fund Levy. The figure for 2008 is provisional for the 11 months to 30th November...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The total of payments made from the Social Insurance Fund for the past four years is set out in a table: Payments made from Social Insurance Fund Year 2008 (11 months) Provisional 2007 2006 2005 â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million â'¬ million Total 7,544 7,251 6,326 5,665 The figures exclude Health Contributions and National Training Levy payments. The figure for 2008 is...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The recorded value of the accumulated surplus of the Social Insurance Fund for each of the past four years is set out in a table: Accumulated Surplus of the Social Insurance Fund as at Year 30/11/2008 Provisional 31/12/2007 31/12/2006 31/12/2005 â'¬ million â'¬million â'¬ million â'¬ million Accumulated Surplus 3,634 3,632 3,049 2,400 Note: Figure for 2008 is provisional and...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned submitted a claim for a State Pension (Contributory) on 4 th December 2008. He was advised on 15th January 2009 that his application was successful and that payment of his State Pension (Contributory) will commence with effect from 10 th April 2009, the date of his 66th birthday.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 974, 987, 988, 989 and 990 together. The position regarding the staffing of my Private and Constituency Offices is as outlined below: Private Office Grade Salary Scale Allowances 1 HEO €46,558 – €59,097 €20,182 1 EO €30,566 – €48,504 3 CO €23,174 – €37,584 2 CO* €24,397 – €39,558 * Class A rate of PRSI contribution applies....

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Government announcement in Budget 2009 about the rationalisation of a number of State bodies included proposals that the Combat Poverty Agency which is under the aegis of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs is to be integrated with the Office for Social Inclusion within the Department. The Government's decision was informed by the findings of a review of the Agency which was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Offices: Social Welfare Offices (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Local Office in Newbridge, Co. Kildare was exceptionally busy on Monday 12 January 2009 and by lunchtime the public office was filled to its capacity with a significant number of people queuing outside the premises. The public area in the office had reached its capacity in terms of its ability to offer service to the public and local management formed the view that it was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jan 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Health Service Executive 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 available...