Results 3,001-3,020 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: That is just about as accurate as everything else the Deputy said today.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: One of the qualifying conditions for participation in the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is that an applicant must be commencing his/her first year of an approved course of study. The person concerned sat the third year examinations of his course in May, 2003 but was not successful. He is now re-commencing the third year of his course of study. Consequently, a Deciding...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: According to the Department's records, the person referred to by the Deputy is in receipt of jobseeker's benefit since 4th November, 2008. He has not made an application under the back to education allowance scheme. On the basis of the information he supplied, he would not satisfy the qualifying criteria for receipt of the back to education allowance as the Master's course he is pursuing is...

Written Answers — Family Resource Centres: Family Resource Centres (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268 to 271, inclusive, 275 and 301 together. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was discontinued following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal, her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. I am informed by the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought in this case. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. As part of this consideration, the Appeals Officer will decide if an oral hearing is appropriate in this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought in this case. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought in this case. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of the Department by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service Executive (HSE). Officials in the Department have contacted HSE management in the Community Welfare Service who have been unable to find evidence of a problem of routine refusals of SWA where a jobseekers allowance claim is pending. However, if...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The allowance is not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but only to provide assistance towards these costs. A person may qualify for payment of an allowance if they are in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been received and the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, an Appeals Officer, having considered all the available evidence, including that adduced at an oral hearing, disallowed the illness benefit appeal of the person concerned. However, following the submission of additional information the Appeals Officer agreed to review the case and contacted the person concerned requesting her to forward...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Pensions Insolvency Payments Scheme (PIPS) is being established by the Minister for Finance on a pilot basis for a three year period. This scheme is intended as an option of last resort and a social protection measure to assist pension schemes where the sponsoring employer is insolvent and the pension scheme is being wound up in deficit. The PIPS is intended to make it cheaper to pay for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Payment of disability allowance, to the person concerned, was refused following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was opened, and in the context of that appeal, her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been sought in this case. On receipt of its response the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The number of facilitators currently in place is 61.5 (half post is 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department's facilitators work with social welfare recipients of working age, including jobseekers, lone parents, people in receipt of disability welfare payments and people providing care, to enable them to participate fully in society. Facilitators work with social welfare recipients to identify appropriate training or development programmes which will enhance their skills and improve...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the person concerned has withdrawn her carer's allowance appeal. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes rent supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). There are currently 9,640 recipients of rent supplement in Cork. A breakdown of recipients by city and county is not available.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Sep 2009)

Mary Hanafin: 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 farmers who may apply to social welfare schemes as a result of...