Results 17,121-17,140 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The rates of core social welfare payments were not reduced in the supplementary budget, other than in the case of 18 and 19 year old recipients of jobseekers allowance and basic supplementary welfare allowance. In order to incentivise 18 and 19 year old jobseekers to avail of education and training opportunities, and try to avoid them become welfare dependent from a young age, the personal...
- Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Under the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching three months on the live register are identified by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and referred to FÃS for interview with a view to availing of a range of employment, training and educational options. The NEAP is not confined to particular geographic areas. The...
- Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The social welfare and tax systems have evolved over time and in response to a variety of factors, including Constitutional imperatives as interpreted by the Courts, changing social trends and EU Directives. The social welfare code recognises the couple status of cohabiting couples and treats married and cohabiting couples in a similar manner. The EEC Equality Directive 79/9 and the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: There is no provision in Social Welfare legislation for a person who is living abroad to claim a jobseeker's payment in this country. In order to qualify for a jobseeker's payment a person must be: resident in the State, under age 66, capable of work, available for work, and genuinely seeking work. To qualify for jobseekers benefit a person must also satisfy certain contribution conditions....
- Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Applications for means tested payments are investigated by staff in the Department. In the ordinary course of events, a means assessment involves an interview of a claimant by a Social Welfare Inspector, in which they will be asked, inter alia, for details of any bank accounts they hold. Where an applicant states he or she has one or more bank accounts, there are two possible courses of...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is estimated that the payment of a full Christmas Bonus of 100% would cost over â¬220 million this year. The Department has already set an ambitious target for control savings this year of over â¬580 million and it would not be possible to secure further savings of the magnitude required to meet the cost of a Christmas bonus.
- Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Estimates for the Department of Social and Family Affairs which were published on 23 April last were based on an up to date analysis of trends as regards likely numbers of recipients and average value of payments in 2009. The estimates for jobseekers benefit, jobseekers allowance and supplementary welfare allowance were significantly increased from the Estimates published at the time of...
- Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 53 independent MABS companies with voluntary boards of management operating the local services throughout the country. In addition, the MABS National Telephone Helpline is available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, at...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The following tabular statement shows the number of recipients of rent supplement by county. Rent Supplement Recipients by County County Recipients Carlow 1,410 Cavan 1,033 Clare 1,596 Cork 9,664 Donegal 3,586 Dublin 27,464 Galway 4,346 Kerry 2,456 Kildare 3,687 Kilkenny 1,369 Laois 836 Leitrim 501 Limerick 3,206 Longford 869 Louth 2,211 Mayo 2,969 Meath 1,905 Monaghan...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Self-employed people or those who were formerly self-employed are treated the same as any other applicant for a jobseekers payment. Those who do not qualify for jobseekers benefit which is based on PRSI contributions may qualify for jobseekers allowance provided they satisfy the normal conditions which include a means test. Generally, self-employed persons are assessed on the basis of their...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest. The purpose of the 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 their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the...
- Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: 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 Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Statistics are not compiled on this basis by the Department. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available.
- Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Department produces a comprehensive range of information leaflets on its schemes and services. These are available in a wide range of outlets across the country, including all Social Welfare Local Offices and Branch Offices, Citizens Information Centres, Post Offices and in other organisations such as local community centres. Where appropriate the leaflets also contain information...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's allowance with effect from 21 April 2009. This application is being examined and he will be notified of the outcome in due course. The person concerned has also claimed illness benefit but has insufficient contributions paid/credited to qualify for payment. The address quoted is the only one known to the Department for this person.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Since its introduction, the underlying objective of the back to education allowance scheme has been to equip people on social welfare payments with qualifications that will enable them to obtain employment in the labour market. It is a second chance educational opportunities scheme for people on welfare payments who wish to participate in full time education and who would not otherwise be...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 191 together. This Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as expeditiously as possible. The staff and other resources available to the Department are regularly reviewed having regard to the workload arising and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The average length of time taken to process applications for Disability Allowance, Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension for the first three months of 2009 is as follows:
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that pension claims are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Claims for State Pension (Contributory) are now fully processed within four weeks of receipt of application where all information is available. Average processing times for all State...