Results 2,241-2,260 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (10 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (10 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: As the legislation has already commenced its Second Stage Reading-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (10 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I will end my Second Stage speech when we return at 4.45 p.m.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The current position in relation to births registrations is that no man can be named as the father of a child in an entry unless he consents to do so or unless he is found to be the father of the child by the Courts, in proceedings relating to guardianship or maintenance or by way of a declaration of parentage, made under section 35 of the Status of Children Act, 1987. Under the provisions of...

Written Answers — Departmental Bodies: Departmental Bodies (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The four statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department are the Pensions Board, the Citizens Information Board, the Family Support Agency and the Social Welfare Tribunal. In addition the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department. From 1 July 2009, the Combat Poverty Agency integrated with the former Office for Social Inclusion within the Department of Social...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Medical Appliance Benefit Scheme provides assistance towards the cost of a hearing aid. The Department will pay up to half the cost of a hearing aid or repairs to a hearing aid, subject to a fixed maximum contribution of €760 per aid. To qualify for Medical Appliance Benefit you must satisfy certain PRSI conditions. A person aged 66 or over must have a total of 260 paid PRSI...

Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The review of the Disability Allowance scheme is examining the objectives of the scheme and their compatibility with the overall strategy of the Department, in particular the policy objective of supporting people of working age into employment, and the extent to which the objectives have been achieved. It is envisaged that the review will be finalised early in 2010.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Section 25 of the Pensions Act 1990 (as amended) provides for the payment of annual fees by occupational pension schemes and PRSAs to the Pensions Board. Fees generated fund the day-to-day operations of the Board. The level of fees is reviewed each year and, on average, they have been revised every five years with the last increase occurring in 2003. As the Pensions Board has a surplus for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance a child must have a disability so severe that the child needs care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full time, so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 and 196 together. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, following receipt of the relevant Departmental papers including comments on the grounds of appeal, the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that during 2008 the average time taken...

Written Answers — Fuel Poverty: Fuel Poverty (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department's role is to assist social welfare recipients with heating costs, both through their basic payments and through the fuel allowance scheme and the household benefits package of electricity and gas allowances. These schemes have been improved significantly in recent years. The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service...

Written Answers — Ministerial Staff: Ministerial Staff (9 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The details the Deputy has requested in respect of the staffing of my private and constituency offices are shown in the tabular statement. There has been no Minister of State formally assigned to my Department. However, Minister of State, Áine Brady, who is Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, has special responsibility for older people, areas of which fall under the...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Assistance Scheme: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Government recognises the devastation suffered by people in many areas of the country as a result of the recent floods. Community Welfare Service staff throughout the country have been providing huge support to families every day since this flooding occurred. They have already provided emergency financial and other assistance to households affected by the flooding to cover items such as...

Written Answers — Private Rented Accommodation: Private Rented Accommodation (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: 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 insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the department by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive. The Executive has advised that the person concerned has been awarded a mortgage interest supplement from the date of application in June 2009. She applied for an exceptional needs payment in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance educational opportunities scheme designed to encourage and facilitate people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications and, thereby, their prospects of returning to the active work force. It is paid at a standard weekly rate equivalent to the maximum rate of the relevant social welfare payment that...

Written Answers — Humanitarian Assistance Scheme: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 335 together. The Government recognises the devastation suffered by people in many areas of the country as a result of the recent floods. In view of the scale of the current floods the Government has set up a Humanitarian Assistance Scheme to provide means-tested financial support to people who have suffered damages to their homes from the current...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned has been awarded a one- parent family allowance payment at the weekly rate of €222.80 with effect from 1 October, 2009. Her first payment and any arrears due will issue shortly. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and Appeals Officers. These officers are statutorily appointed and I have no role in regard...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The social welfare pension rights of those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties are protected by the homemaker's scheme which was introduced in and took effect from 1994. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children or incapacitated adults to be disregarded when a person's social insurance record is being averaged for pension purposes. However, the scheme will...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (8 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The number of staff in my Department who have received financial assistance to pursue courses in further or higher education or support to participate in post graduate educational courses in the years 2004 to 2009 inclusive is 852 people. The breakdown of this figure is as follows: 2003/2004 - 214 staff 2004/2005 - 168 staff 2005/2006 - 149 staff 2006/2007 - 106 staff 2007/2008 - 112 staff...