Results 19,661-19,680 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 78 and 101 together. The household benefits package is payable throughout the year to almost 380,000 pensioners, people with disabilities and carer households to assist them with their heating, light and cooking costs. This scheme cost approximately €200m in 2009. In addition, the national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Facilitators work closely with FÁS and other agencies at national and local level, to identify appropriate training and developmental programmes for social welfare recipients of working age to enhance the skills those individuals have and ultimately improve their employment chances as well as help them to develop personally. The facilitator service is available to social welfare recipients...

Written Answers — National Carer's Strategy: National Carer's Strategy (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Government is acutely aware and appreciative of the contribution made by carers. It was for that reason, that when resources were available, we invested heavily in improving social welfare rates and services for all those who are reliant on the State for income support. Over the past decade, weekly payment rates to carers have greatly increased, qualifying conditions for carer's...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The range of benefits and pensions to which different groups of workers may establish entitlement reflects the risks associated with the nature of their work. This in turn reflects the rate of contribution payable. Self-employed people are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 3% and are consequently eligible for a narrower range of benefits than general employees who, together with their...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 87, 108, 109, 112 and 133 together. The total number of jobseekers awaiting a decision on their claim at 13 February 2010 was 54,534. This is a reduction of over 7,500 compared with the figures one month earlier and represents 11% of the total jobseeker claimload nationwide. As I have previously mentioned to the House, even when the Live Register was at...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80, 95, 118 and 333 together. The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. A key objective of the Department's control strategy is to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time. In relation to savings in 2009 the Department recorded control...

Written Answers — Public Services Card: Public Services Card (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 120 together. Legislative provisions in relation to the introduction of the Public Service Card have been included in Section 263 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended by Section 32 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2007). These specify that the Minister for Social and Family Affairs may issue a Public Service Card in the format...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 91 together. The determination of a person's habitual residence is made in accordance with Section 246 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. The most recent amendment was introduced by Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act 2009 which provided that only persons who have a right to reside in Ireland can be regarded...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85, 102 and 103 together. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that during 2009 the average time taken to process all appeals (i.e. those decided summarily and by way of oral hearing) was 24 weeks. However, if allowance was made for the 25% most protracted cases, the average time fell to 15.8 weeks. This represents an increase of 2 weeks in the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Due to staff action currently being taken, I regret that I am unable to provide the information sought by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Firstly, with regard to the Deputy's query on medical cards, this is a matter for the HSE. I have no role in the issuing of medical cards. The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that all applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Claims are processed in the most efficient and...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The money advisers throughout the country focus on providing assistance, advice and intense support to people who have financial difficulties. The money adviser works out a budget and negotiates on behalf of the client with all creditors, including financial institutions and sub-prime lenders, to secure better terms for the client in managing the repayment of their debts. Where required by...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Assistance Scheme: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Financial support for people who have suffered as a result of an emergency event, including extreme weather events is normally addressed through the exceptional and urgent needs payment provisions of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. Under the legislation governing the scheme, the HSE may make a single payment to meet an exceptional need to people on social welfare or health board...

Written Answers — Pensions Provisions: Pensions Provisions (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 97 together. The Green Paper on Pensions outlined the challenges facing the Irish pensions system in the years ahead, including the sustainability of the system over the longer term in light of demographic change and the adequacy of contribution levels and benefits. The consultation process that followed publication of the Green Paper reflected the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) payment provides income support for employees on low earnings with children. The manner in which the value of the payment is calculated is designed to preserve the financial incentive to take-up or remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might be only marginally better off on social welfare payments. Fundamental to the design of the FIS...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Family Income Supplement 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. FIS is a central element of a programme of reforms targeted specifically at addressing child poverty....

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Irish National Employment Action Plan (NEAP), adopted by the Government as its response to the European Employment Guidelines, included a commitment to a more systematic engagement of the Employment Services with the unemployed. The NEAP is operated jointly by this Department and FÁS. The National Employment Action Plan is a systematic process whereby persons in receipt of Jobseeker's...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Government believes that the current arrangements, whereby a lone parent can receive the One-Parent Family Payment until their child is 22, without any requirement for them to engage in employment, education or training, are not in the best interests of the recipient, their children or society. Despite improvements made to the One Parent Family Payment over the years, a large proportion...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: In Budget 2010, the weekly personal rates of welfare payments payable to persons aged under 66 were reduced by amounts ranging from 3.5% to 4.2%. This range of decrease also applied where both of a couple are claiming a payment in their own right. Where a recipient is claiming an increase for a qualified adult, the qualified adult increase was decreased by the same percentage as the personal...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (23 Feb 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Treatment Benefits are paid to insured persons from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). Although the SIF has operated a surplus since 1996, this position began to change in 2008 when expenditure had to be partially funded from the accumulated surplus. Expenditure continued to exceed PRSI and investment income to the Fund in 2009 and it is expected that the accumulated surplus will be completely...