Results 18,641-18,660 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term 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 to them from another source. The Supplementary Budget introduced in April 2009 provided for new arrangements for applications for rent supplement. In...

Written Answers — Civil Registration: Civil Registration (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The High Court case in question found that the Irish State is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in not having a process and a register to legally recognise the acquired gender of transsexual persons. The judgement, however, allows the State a degree of latitude in the design of the mechanisms to give such legal recognition. In the revised Programme for Government the need...

Written Answers — Civil Registration: Civil Registration (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The registration of births, including the assignment of surnames in births entries, is governed by the provisions contained in the Civil Registration Act, 2004. Under the provisions of section 22 of the Act, the parents may assign the surname of their choice to their newborn child, by means of mutual agreement. In relation to their first-born, the position is that the child's birth was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 288 to 291, inclusive, together. Civil servants are entitled to claim and receive payment under any social welfare scheme provided they satisfy all the conditions of the appropriate scheme. The fact that a civil servant is availing of the incentivised career break scheme does not necessarily preclude them from Social Welfare payments. Since April 1995 all...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 292 and 293 together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in the case. The person concerned will be notified when the necessary arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been received and the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at an oral hearing, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case and the Deciding Officer's comments on the grounds of the appeal. In that context, an examination by another Medical Assessor will be carried out. The person concerned will be notified when arrangements for the examination have been...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Deputy is mainly interested in the processing of claims for unemployment benefit payments. Currently there are 2447 posts in the regional network of the Department. This figure includes staff working in the Local Offices, new Central Support Units, the Department's Inspectorate, the Regional Director's Office and Regional Offices. While the main work of the Local...

Written Answers — Public Service Cards: Public Service Cards (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other government departments, the specifications for a Public Service Card (PSC) under the SAFE (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) programme. The specification provides for identification features, including a photograph. The PSC is to act as a key for access to public services in general, identifying and helping to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The position remains, as advised in Parliamentary Question No. 828, which I answered for the Deputy on 3rd November 2009. A community welfare officer issued a letter to the person concerned on 17 September 2009, seeking documentary evidence in relation to a number of matters, including details of the lease on her rented property and her financial position. The Executive has advised that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 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 a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test. The person concerned was awarded a reduced rate Disability Allowance with effect from 16 April 2008. She was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Offices: Social Welfare Offices (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department provides it services through its Local Office and Branch Office network. The Department's Branch Office in Ballyconnell deals with Jobseeker applications and payments for a sizeable geographic area covering most of North Cavan and parts of County Leitrim, including the towns of Belturbet, Carrigallen, Corlough, Killeshandra, Redhills and Swanlinbar. All persons living in these...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Bill will give legislative effect to the relevant measures announced in the 2010 Budget Statement. As Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I am very conscious of the needs of the more than 400,000 people on the live register. I also fully understand a wide range of other groups such as people with disabilities, carers and pensioners depend on the welfare budget for vital support....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Families with children who are dependent on social welfare will be fully compensated for the reduction in child benefit by getting an extra €3.80 per child per week in the qualified child increase paid with their main welfare payment. Approximately 363,300 children are expected to benefit from this. Families who currently receive a half rate qualified child increase because they have...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Consumer prices are back to February 2007 levels, yet after the 2010 budget, the lowest weekly rate of payment for those aged between 25 and 66 will be €10 higher than in 2007. Even after the budget changes, therefore, we will achieve the commitment in the national action plan against poverty to maintain the real value of the lowest social welfare rate in 2007 terms. We have also been...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: However, the changes in last week's budget should be seen in the context of the huge progress made by recent Governments in supports for people with disabilities and carers. Between 1997 and 2009, the increases in the weekly rates of payment to people with disabilities and to carers were more than three times greater than the increase in the cost of living over that period. We have also...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: When I met groups representing carers in the run-up to the budget, their main priority was the retention of the half rate carer's allowance and this payment was maintained in the budget. They also stressed the need for improved supports from the Department of Health and Children and I am glad that, even in a context of much tighter resources, increased funding will be provided next year for...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Not with Fr. Seán Healy.