Results 16,321-16,340 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: A special Christmas Bonus payment was first introduced in December, 1980, for social welfare pensioners and people who depend solely on their social welfare payments for income support. There have been a number of developments in this scheme since its inception, including changes in the level of the bonus payment, the introduction of a minimum payment and the extension of the categories of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department of Social and Family Affairs has supported the organisation in question over a period of many years. An application for funding under the "Grants for the Development and Promotion of Information and Welfare Rights" scheme in respect of 2009 has been received and is currently being considered, having regard to the current budgetary circumstances. A decision will be made...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together. In assessing means for social assistance purposes, account is taken of any cash income the person may have, together with the value of capital and property (except the family home). Capital may include the following: Stocks and shares of every description, which are assessed according to their current market value. Savings certificates...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The transfer of income support and maintenance schemes and the community welfare service from the HSE to the Department arises from a decision to remove non core functions from the health sector. In addition to alleviating pressure on the health sector the transfer of functions will allow for the supplementary welfare allowance and other schemes to be managed within one entity. This will...

Written Answers — Irish Language: Irish Language (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Providing a quality customer service in Irish has been a priority of the Department both prior and subsequent to the introduction of the Official Languages Act in mid-2003. It is not possible, therefore, to state precisely what amount of the total expenditure on the service in Irish arises from the implementation of the Act. Provision of services through Irish requires investment in a range...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: No changes to the Disability Allowance are being implemented as a result of Budget 2009. With effect from 3 January, 2007 people who had entered residential care without an entitlement to Disability Allowance became eligible for full Disability Allowance as a matter of right, subject only to the same conditions as apply to others. No changes have subsequently been introduced to these...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The claim for jobseeker's allowance, by the person concerned, was refused by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 11 August 2008 as he did not satisfy the Habitual Residence conditions. An appeal was opened on 26 August 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office, that in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is committed to processing claims as expeditiously as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions which apply. At the end of December 2008 the numbers of claims being processed for the schemes mentioned were as follows: Scheme Claims being processed atend December 2008 State Pension (Contributory) 4,405 State Pension (Non Contributory) 1,415 State Pension...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent and mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The administration costs of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, including rent supplement and mortgage interest supplement, are met by the Department while the operational...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for people with families who are on low earnings. This preserves the incentive for them to remain in employment in circumstances where they might only be marginally better off than if they were claiming other social welfare payments. The number of FIS recipients has increased by almost 5,000 in the last 12 months. In December...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Question Nos. 333 and 334 together. The vast bulk of expenditure by the Department of Social and Family Affairs is incurred on social welfare payments to individual recipients based on predetermined qualifying conditions and rates of payment. The expenditure, which is demand-led, is driven by a range of economic, social and demographic factors. There can also be complex...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance (BTEA) Scheme is designed to help those in receipt of a social welfare payment who have not worked for some time to improve their employability and job-readiness by acquiring educational qualifications. It is a recognition of the special difficulties which such persons can face when attempting to gain a foothold in the labour market. The allowance is paid at a...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (4 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Current estimates indicate that the abolition of the PRSI ceiling would yield some €223 million additional contribution income in a full year.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has an on-going programme of disability awareness training for all key staff involved in service delivery in accordance with its Sectoral Plan under the Disability Act 2005. This programme was developed by the Staff Development Unit of my Department following consultations with service delivery areas and a number of external disability consultants and organisations. The...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (4 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department provides a front line service through a network of 60 local offices and 65 branch offices. Local offices are staffed by departmental staff and branch offices are run by private individuals who are employed under contract for service by the Department. Social welfare services in County Laois are provided by three Branch Offices which are located in the towns of Portlaoise,...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. Table: Details of Press Conferences and Policy Launches, 2007 and 2008. Date Event Cost € 23/01/2007 Briefing on National Development Plan Social Inclusion Strategy 562 21/02/2007 Government launches National Action Plan for Social Inclusion 2007-16: Building an Inclusive Society 2,865...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The Health Service Executive has confirmed that the person concerned was awarded a mortgage interest supplement from 1 December 2008 as it considered that her final paycheck of €2,916 received...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Because of the increased number of claims for jobseeker payments, the Department undertook a review of staffing levels in Local Offices in May and June of last year. This resulted in the assignment of an additional 31 staff to some 15 Local Offices. Following the most recent review of the staffing levels in Local Offices late last year, an additional 115 staff are being assigned. In...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides for the payment of rent supplement to eligible people whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs. Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive. The Executive has advised that it was not aware that the person concerned had commenced...