Results 3,161-3,180 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The National Employment Action Plan (NEAP), operated jointly by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and FÁS, is the main welfare to work measure for jobseekers. The NEAP process is fundamental to addressing the progression needs of those on the Live Register. It provides a stimulus to job search and affords an opportunity to explore, under professional guidance, the full range of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 226 and 227 together. The range of benefits and pensions to which different groups of workers may establish entitlement reflects the risks associated with the nature of their work. This in turn reflects the rate of contribution payable. Self-employed people are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 3% and are consequently eligible for a narrower range of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The current range of payment options offered by the Department to customers include payment at a local post office or to a bank or building society account or certain credit unions that have been authorised by the banking and credit union regulators. Other than jobseekers, customers can opt for a payment method having regard to their own personal circumstances. The Department administers a...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The one-parent family payment (OFP) is a means tested payment for men and women who are bringing up a child without the support of a partner. The claimant must be widowed, separated or divorced, unmarried or a prisoner's spouse. The person must also have main care and charge of at least one child who is residing with them, not be cohabiting and have made efforts to seek maintenance from the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The mortgage interest supplement scheme is designed to help those who have difficulty meeting their mortgage repayment schedule where their means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme provides a short-term "safety net" within the overall social welfare scheme to ensure that people do not suffer hardship due to loss of employment. A supplement may be paid in respect of mortgage...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Disability Allowance is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to both a medical assessment and a means test. The person concerned applied for Disability Allowance on 15 May 2009. His claim was decided on the 23 June 2009 and he was awarded...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's benefit on 4 May, 2009 and her entitlement in this regard is currently being examined. Her claim is also being examined regarding a possible entitlement to jobseeker's allowance as this payment may be more beneficial. Her Social Welfare Local Office has been in contact with her in this regard. On completion of enquiries decisions will be made on...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's allowance on 29 May 2009. A decision on his claim will be made as soon as possible and he will be notified of the outcome. 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 to making such decisions.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (1 Jul 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In line with centrally agreed arrangements, the Department maintains formal transfer lists for Clerical Officers and Staff Officers. In the Laois/Offaly area, formal transfer lists are maintained for the Department's offices at Tullamore and Portlaoise. The table below details the number of staff at each grade awaiting a transfer to both locations. Location Clerical Officer Staff Officer...

Written Answers — Birth Certificates: Birth Certificates (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The provisions governing the registration of domestic adoptions and the issue of birth certificates drawn from the register of adoptions are set out in section 22 of the Adoption Act, 1952. Under these provisions, the Registrar General is charged with maintaining an Adopted Children Register and also to keep an index to make traceable the connection between each entry and the corresponding...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The position remains as advised in Question No. 319 which I answered for the Deputy on 19 May 2009 and Question No. 150 which I answered for the Deputy on 18 June 2009. The Executive has advised that there is no record of an appeal against the decision to discontinue payment of rent supplement to the person concerned. It remains open to this person to appeal against the decision to a HSE...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive as part of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme. The Executive has advised that it has requested documentation from the person concerned in relation to her claim to rent supplement. A decision on entitlement will be made when all the requested documentation has...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Inspector's report in this case has been completed and forwarded to a Deciding Officer for decision. That decision will be given without delay and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Of the first 249 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance processed by the Department, 149 were refused and 100 awarded. Of those awarded, 12 children were specifically diagnosed with, Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorder or Asperger's Syndrome. Of those refused, 16 children were specifically diagnosed with one of these conditions. Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 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). It is a legislative qualifying requirement of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme that a person be habitually resident in the State unless the person is an EU worker or former worker. The...

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Value for money reviews are carried out within the Value for Money/Policy Review Initiative framework. The Department undertook 9 value for money/policy reviews under the 2006-2008 round of reviews. All but two of these have been completed. In addition work has begun on a review under the 2009 round of the process. The position with regard to each review is set out. Reviews under the...

Written Answers — Child Support: Child Support (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Since 1944, Child Benefit has been a key instrument in child income support policy with the main objectives of supporting families in the costs of rearing children and the alleviation of poverty. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. The Executive has advised that the person concerned appealed to an Appeals Officer of the Executive against a decision to refuse mortgage interest supplement. That Appeals Officer decided that...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as expeditiously as possible. The Department has put a range of measures in place to deal with the extra workload arising from the increase in the Live Register. These include: additional posts assigned use of...