Results 2,801-2,820 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118, 127, 140, 143 and 149 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. The Department processes in excess of 2 million claims each...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 171 together. The Rural Environment Protection Scheme, REPS 4, was closed to new entrants in July of this year. However, under the Rural Development Programme a new agri-environment measure will be introduced and individuals who have been affected by the closure of REPS 4 can apply for this new scheme. On this basis, estimation of the number of...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 160 together. An inter-departmental working group was established in March 2009, on foot of a recommendation in the Task Force Report Transforming Public Services , to undertake a detailed study on the feasibility and value of introducing mechanisms to simplify the provision of means information to all public bodies. This working group is chaired by...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The money advisors throughout the country focus on providing assistance, advice and intense support to people who have financial difficulties. The money advisor works out a budget, 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 the...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 125 and 165 together. There are 53 local independent MABS companies operating nationwide. Each MABS is an independent legal entity, being a company limited by guarantee with a Board of Directors drawn from local voluntary and statutory services and community groups. Each MABS company runs their local MABS service. Each company has a 3 year contract which...

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

Mary Hanafin: Social Welfare Inspectors appointed under Section 250 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, investigate claims to all means tested Social Welfare Schemes, excluding Supplementary Welfare Allowance. Reviews of means tested payments are also carried out by Inspectors to ensure the conditions regarding entitlement continue to be satisfied. The Inspectors' remit also includes the...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 128, 139 and 147 together. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that during 2008 the average time taken to process all appeals (i.e. those decided summarily and by way of oral hearing) was 22 weeks. However, if allowance was made for the 25% most protracted cases, the average time fell to just over 14 weeks. Those processing times replicate...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 158, 166, 170 and 177 together. As Deputies will be aware, the rates of child benefit have increased significantly since 2001 having trebled for the first two children and increased by over 185% for the third and subsequent children. Partly as a result of this and partly as a result of an increase in the number of eligible children, overall expenditure on...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Finance Act 2007 introduced a provision to enable the Department of Social and Family Affairs to collect the PPS or other tax reference number of a landlord of a rent supplemented tenancy and supply these to the Revenue Commissioners. Since October 2008, landlord PPS numbers have been collected in respect of rent supplement claims. Details of rent supplement payments, including name and...

Written Answers — National Carers Strategy: National Carers Strategy (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Government is acutely aware and appreciative of the contribution made by carer's and has made considerable improvements in services and supports for them in recent years. The carer's allowance scheme has been significantly improved in recent years and, in budget 2009, I continued this process. The rate of carer's allowance for those aged 66 or over by €7 to €239 per week and for...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 152 together. Decisions on statutory social welfare schemes are made by statutorily appointed deciding officers. These officers determine entitlement to social insurance and social assistance payments and liability for Pay Related Social Insurance contributions in accordance with the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and regulations made under that...

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

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 134, 150, 154, 159, 168 and 179 together. The proposals contained in the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes 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 — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 172 together. The possible rationalisation or merger of agencies under the aegis of the Department will be considered as part of the Estimates and Budgetary process for 2010. This will include consideration of the report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes, and the decisions on all of the issues arising will be a...

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

Mary Hanafin: At the Special Group's request, my Department submitted an evaluation report on the various schemes and services operated by the Department as well as expenditure trends, in order to facilitate the Group's examination of my Department's expenditure. In addition, the Secretary General and other officials met with the Group. The evaluation report submitted by my Department to the Special Group...

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

Mary Hanafin: Self-employed workers who do not qualify for an insurance-based benefit may apply for the means-tested Jobseeker's Allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in the demand for their services. Generally, in assessing the means of a self-employed person, a Social Welfare Inspector will take into account the level of earnings in the preceding 12...

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

Mary Hanafin: In assessing means for social assistance purposes, including the State pension non-contributory, account is taken of any cash income the person may have, together with the value of capital and property (except the home). Capital may include the following: Stocks and shares of every description, which are assessed according to their current market value. Savings certificates/bonds/ national...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 167 together In Budget 2009, Government decided to assign responsibility for Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) to the Citizen Information Board. The primary objective was to bring the two organisations under one Board of Management, maximise infrastructure, share support services and thus achieve efficiencies in the use of resources. Current...

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

Mary Hanafin: The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals to tackle obstacles to employment for lone parents and other low income families. These included proposals for the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents, focused provision of childcare and the introduction of a new social assistance payment for low income...

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

Mary Hanafin: The information requested by the deputy is contained in the following tabular statements. Carer's Allowance 2009 Registered Awarded Rejected Pending Month End Jan 1,558 1,130 610 3,200 Feb 1,377 1,261 190 3,036 Mar 1,661 756 247 3,605 Apr 1,233 669 378 3,655 May 1,625 1,396 622 3,062 Jun 1,444 894 466 3,014 Jul 1,618 1,225 587 2,683 Aug 1,083 588 477 2,581 Totals 11,599 7,919...

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

Mary Hanafin: The current free travel scheme operated by the Department provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. While the scheme is...