Results 2,781-2,800 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned submitted applications for jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance on 12 February 2009. The jobseeker's benefit claim was closed as she failed to submit the necessary documentation in support of her claim. Unfortunately due to an administrative oversight which is regretted, no decision was made on her jobseeker's allowance until 9 October 2009. During the...

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

Mary Hanafin: Child benefit is a monthly payment made in respect of qualified children to assist in the costs associated with child rearing. Currently the standard monthly rates of child benefit in respect of single births are €166.00 in respect of each of the first and second child and € 203.00 for the third and subsequent children. In addition, with regard to multiple births, parents of twins are...

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

Mary Hanafin: Rent Supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE) as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme. The Executive has advised that an application for rent supplement in this case was refused on the basis that the person concerned did not have a housing need as she had alternative accommodation available to...

Written Answers — Family Support Services: Family Support Services (8 Oct 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 Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Oct 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 Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Oct 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 (8 Oct 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 (8 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Since early 2008, the Department has experienced significant pressure on customer services due mainly to the increase in the Live Register. In recognition of this pressure, the Government has approved an increase in the number of staff working in the Department. In line with the Government moratorium on recruitment and promotion in the Civil Service, the additional staff have been sourced by...

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

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, an oral hearing of this case took place on 6th October 2009 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The Chief Appeals Officer will write to the Deputy when the appeal has been determined. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office...

Written Answers — Ministerial Travel: Ministerial Travel (8 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Details of foreign travel undertaken by my predecessors and me for 2007, 2008 and to date in 2009 are set out in the following table: Year Location Purpose of trip Delegation (including Minister) Full Delegation Costs(€) 2009 Boston Represent Irish Government at Funeral of Eunice Kennedy Shriver 1 1,052 Jonkoping, Sweden EU meeting 2 2,035 Vienna Conference for Ministers of Family...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Oct 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 Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive has advised that according to its records, an application for rent supplement has not been received from the person concerned, at the address supplied by the Deputy. It is open to the person concerned to contact his local community welfare officer with a view to making an application for rent supplement in respect of his new residence.

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

Mary Hanafin: 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 Health Service Executive has advised that income details were sought in respect of the partner of the person concerned. A decision will be made on the application for rent supplementation as soon as the person...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 109, 111, 114, 121, 122, 124, 137, 144,145 and 176 together. The average processing times for claims decided in September was 3.63 weeks for jobseekers benefit and 7.53 weeks for jobseekers allowance. This is the average nationally and there are fluctuations between offices. The length of time it takes to process claims varies depending on the complexity...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Social Welfare Acts, a customer is disqualified for receiving jobseeker's allowance while resident, either permanently or temporarily, outside the State. Consequently, the allowance is not payable to persons travelling to other EU countries to seek employment. There are, however, two exceptions to this disqualification. A person may receive jobseeker's allowance for up to two weeks...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently almost 91,000 tenants benefiting from a rent supplement payment - an increase of 52% since the end of 2007. Over half of these recipients have been in payment for more than one year, while over 32,000 have been in payment for 18 months or more. The Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), which was introduced in 2004, gives local authorities specific responsibility for meeting...

Written Answers — Pensions Board: Pensions Board (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 151 together. The Office of the Pensions Ombudsman is a statutory office established in 2003 under the terms of the Pensions Act 1990, as amended. The Pensions Ombudsman is charged with investigating and deciding complaints and disputes concerning occupational pension schemes, trust-based retirement annuity contracts and personal retirement savings...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Facilitators work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes which will enhance the skills that the individual has and ultimately improve their employment chances, as well as help them to continue to develop personally. They work in close co-operation with other agencies and service providers including FÁS, VEC, other education and training...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 130 together. I want to assure the Deputy that the Department is committed to ensuring that claims for all schemes are processed and that decisions on entitlement are issued as expeditiously as possible having regard to the eligibility conditions that apply. People who apply for the One Parent Family Payment must satisfy a means test and provide...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The number of facilitators currently in place is 61.5 (half post due to a work sharing arrangement). It is envisaged that this number will increase to 70 in the coming months. The facilitator service is available locally to all social welfare recipients via the local network. Facilitators are assigned to cover a geographical area. They hold open clinics and meet with people who have been...