Results 3,261-3,280 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I have no plans to introduce any changes to social welfare rates in 2009 other than those changes that were announced in Budget 2009 and in the Supplementary Budget. Social welfare rates of payment for 2010 will be considered later this year in a Budgetary context and having regard to available resources.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The respite care grant is an annual payment of €1,700 for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention. The payment is made regardless of the carer's means but is subject to certain conditions. One respite care grant per year is paid in respect of each person for whom the carer is providing full time, care and attention. The grant is paid automatically to the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Self-employed persons pay a modified rate of PRSI contribution (Class S). These contributions provide cover for long-term pensions such as state pension and widow's/widower's contributory pension. However they do not provide cover for short-term benefits such as jobseeker's and illness benefits - these are only available to persons covered by PRSI Classes A, E, H and P. This reflects the need...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Income chargeable to PRSI is, in general, defined in terms of income liable under Schedule E of the Income Tax Acts. Such income is generally derived from employment or self-employment. This income base is appropriate to the social insurance system as it is consistent with the contributory principle of the of the social insurance fund, whereby a relationship is established between the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Farm Assist is currently paid to some 7,900 customers and 941 new applications were received since 1 January 2009. The average weekly payment is €217.36. There is no limit in relation to the size of herd or acreage a farmer may hold when applying for this scheme. In carrying out the means test for farm assist the Social Welfare Inspector seeks to establish the likely income of the farmer in...

Written Answers — Departmental Offices: Departmental Offices (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together. I have made enquiries of an tÁrd-Chláraitheoir regarding the matter raised by the Deputy and the position is as set out below. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive, an exceptional needs payment (ENP) may be made to help meet an essential, once-off cost which the applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources. There is no automatic entitlement to this payment. Each application is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest. The purpose of the supplement is to provide short term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the...

Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) provides assistance to people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. There are 53 independent MABS companies with voluntary boards of management operating the local services throughout the country. In addition, the MABS National Telephone Helpline is available from 9am to 8 pm, Monday to Friday, at lo-call...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The application for a one-parent family payment from the person concerned is being processed as speedily as possible. When a decision is made she will be informed of the outcome. She is currently in receipt of a supplementary welfare allowance payment pending a decision on her claim. Under Social Welfare legislation decisions in relation to claims must be made by Deciding Officers and...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: My Department has not received a request for a refund of PRSI contributions that have been overpaid by the client's recently deceased partner. With regard to PRSI refunds generally, it should be noted that refunds in respect of a deceased client are made, through the legal representative dealing with the estate, to the estate of the deceased and not to the spouse/partner of the client. In...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE) 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are currently almost 88,800 recipients of rent supplement, a 49% increase since the end of 2007. The recent Supplementary Budget provided that the weekly minimum contribution payable towards rent be increased from €18 to €24 a week, with effect from 1 June 2009. It also provided that payments currently being made to existing rent supplement tenants be reduced by 8% from the same...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for jobseeker's allowance from 29 May 2009. His claim was closed because he failed to provide documents requested to determine his means. His case will be reviewed if he supplies the requested documentation. A previous application for jobseeker's allowance dated 26 January 2008 was disallowed on the grounds that he failed to disclose his means. He appealed this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 166, 169, 171 and 174 together. The Live Register has increased to unprecedented levels as a result of the economic downturn that the country is currently experiencing. The Live Register now stands at 396,871 as opposed to 201,756 this time last year. The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible persons living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently almost 88,800 recipients of rent supplement, a 49% increase since the end of 2007. The published...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible persons living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. Similarly, mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Estimates for the Department of Social and Family Affairs which were published on 23 April last were based, in the main, on an analysis of trends as regards likely numbers of recipients and average value of payments in 2009. Final expenditure will depend on factors such as the actual recipient numbers in 2009 which can vary. It is too early in the year to draw conclusions on what the...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 together. 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. Under the plan, all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching 3 months on the Live Register are identified by the Department of Social and Family...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Jun 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are no plans to introduce any further changes to social welfare entitlements in 2009. Social welfare changes for 2010 will be considered later this year in a Budgetary context and having regard to available resources.