Results 2,581-2,600 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 830 to 832, inclusive, together. The most recent estimates indicate that: An increase in the employee PRSI rate of 1% for Class A contributors would yield some €373 million additional contribution income in a full year. An increase of 1% in the employers PRSI rate for Class A contributors is estimated to yield some €482 million additional contribution...

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

Mary Hanafin: Jobseeker Benefit and Allowance claims for the County Louth area are administered from the Department's Dundalk and Drogheda Social Welfare Local Offices and for Ardee by a Social Welfare Branch office. The average processing times for claims decided in September 2009 for these offices is detailed in the following table: Office Average Processing Time Scheme Dundalk 1.4 weeks Jobseekers...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes made a range of recommendations relating to the Department of Social and Family Affairs including recommendations relating to the Family Support Agency and its programmes. The Department will consider, as part of the Estimates and budgetary process for 2010, the Report's recommendations and decisions on all...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 835 and 868 together. Each year the Government makes a decision on the payment of the Christmas Bonus having regard to the prevailing economic circumstances. This year it has been necessary for the Government to take steps to reduce overall public expenditure so as to restore order and stability to the public finances. In this context, the decision was made...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments on the grounds of appeal in the case of the person concerned have been sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for early consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Government is very conscious of the need to take account of the cumulative impact of measures on individuals and groups when finalising the Budget package. I have requested the newly-formed Social Inclusion Division of my Department to prepare an analysis of the impact of the social welfare and other measures proposed in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and...

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

Mary Hanafin: Illness Benefit (previously known as Disability Benefit) is a payment made to insured people who are unable to work due to illness and who satisfy certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) conditions. As of 23 October 2009 the number of persons in receipt of Illness Benefit was 77,552. Illness Benefit claims are based on a first social welfare medical certificate and an application form...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Family Support Agency administers the Scheme of Grants to voluntary and community organisations providing marriage, relationship, child and bereavement counselling services. This year, funding of over €11 million is being granted to some 600 organisations. The organisation in question received funding of over €447,000 under the 2009 Scheme of Grants. In the last couple of weeks, a...

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

Mary Hanafin: Adjustments to social welfare rates of payment will be considered in the context of the forthcoming Estimates and Budget processes. It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage pending the outcome of these deliberative processes.

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

Mary Hanafin: Following a review of the means of the person concerned his weekly rate of farm assist has been increased to €193.80 with effect from 11 August 2008. He has been notified of the position. The disposal of €10,000 by way of a gift was disregarded in the calculation of weekly means.

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

Mary Hanafin: One of the conditions for receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance is that the person must satisfy the means test. The person concerned was refused the allowance on the basis that his means exceeded the statutory limit. His means of €489 a week are derived from his spouse's earnings and income from property. Accordingly, his application was disallowed. He was notified of this decision on 2 October...

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

Mary Hanafin: 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. As regards waiting times, I am advised that the average time taken in 2008 to process all appeals (i.e. those decided summarily and by way of...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos 844, 850 and 851 together. Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The Department provides details of all current rent supplement recipients and landlords to the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on...

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

Mary Hanafin: An Post provide an agency service for the Department for the delivery of payments to customers. The transaction fees paid to An Post are based on a four point matrix. In March 2007 the Department of Finance sanctioned an increase based on the Consumer Price Index in respect of the period 2003 to 2006. The current scale of fees is as follows:- · First 35 million transactions €1.46 ·...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The application for a refund of PRSI was received from the person concerned on 1 September 2009 as he continued to pay PRSI at the full rate after reaching 66 years of age in 2006. The volume of applications for refunds of PRSI has increased dramatically in recent years. For example in the first ten months of 2009 some 17,600 applications have been received. This compares with 14,000 in...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments on the grounds of appeal in the case of the person concerned have been sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for early consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, following receipt of the grounds of appeal from the person concerned, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for early consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (3 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: When a person makes a claim for jobseekers' payment they sign a declaration stating among other things that they are unemployed, available for work and unable to find suitable work. On an on-going basis throughout their claim they will sign a similar declaration to confirm that they continue to satisfy the conditions of the jobseeker's schemes. The majority of claimants do this on a monthly...

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

Mary Hanafin: A claim for Illness Benefit was received on 29th October 2009 from the person concerned. The incapacity quoted on the claim form was "fractured ankle". According to the records of the Department the last PRSI contributions reckonable for Illness Benefit paid by the person concerned were 14 class A contributions in the 1990/91 year. Since then she has been paying class D contributions which...