Results 3,341-3,360 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together. The person concerned has been awarded jobseeker's benefit at the maximum weekly rate of â¬204.30 with effect from 1 June, 2009. His first payment issued to him on 8 June 2009. The person concerned has not applied for a back to education allowance payment. However, it is open to him to do so and a form for this purpose has been issued to him.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Offices: Social Welfare Offices (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Chief State Solicitor's Office has confirmed to the Office of Public Works (OPW) that the lease on the premises in question will be executed on or before next Friday, 12th June. Negotiations on the lease were protracted as this is a subletting arrangement and there are two firms of solicitors involved in the transaction. The OPW has been asked to make every effort to...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme is administered by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department. The purpose of mortgage interest supplement is to provide short term income...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: A breakdown of the customers benefiting from the household benefits and free travel schemes by payment type for the last five years is set out in the tables. Type of Payment 2004 Electricity Allowance Television Licence Allowance Telephone Allowance Gas Allowance Free Travel State Pension (Contributory) 52,217 52,217 56,076 5,831 92,097 State Pension(Non Contributory) 43,904 43,904...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The issue raised by the Deputy relates to the medical qualifying conditions associated with social welfare schemes and in particular the position of people within the deaf community as regards entitlement to Disability Allowance. Disability Allowance is a weekly payment made to persons who are substantially restricted by reason of their disability in undertaking work which would otherwise be...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for farm assist on 21 May 2009. His claim is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector who will examine his case as soon as possible. On completion of enquiries a decision will be made 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...
- Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 51 together. In order to qualify for the maximum rate of the state pension (contributory) a person must, amongst other qualifying conditions, achieve a yearly average of at least 48 contributions paid or credited on his/her social insurance record over their working life. Reduced pensions are paid to those with yearly averages as low as 10...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Family Income Supplement (FIS) scheme, which provides income support for employees on low earnings with families, is designed to preserve the incentive to move from welfare to (or remain in) employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he or she were claiming other social welfare payments. Qualification for payment under this scheme requires...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 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 a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test. There were 97,652 persons in receipt of Disability Allowance at the end of May 2009. A total of 27,639...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: In the past 12 month period a total of 422 Invalidity Pension applications were refused on the grounds of insufficient insurance contributions. The PRSI contribution conditions for Invalidity Pension require that the claimant must have a total of 260 contributions paid at the appropriate rate (class A, E or H) since entry into insurable employment and 48 paid or credited contributions in the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: In Budget 2009, I increased the rate of carer's allowance for those aged 66 or over by â¬7 to â¬239 per week and for those aged under 66 by â¬6.50 to â¬220.50 per week. These increases took effect from January 2009. Recipients of carer's allowance are also eligible for household benefits and free travel and the respite care grant. Income support schemes administered by the Department...
- Written Answers — International Agreements: International Agreements (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Department currently has bilateral social security agreements with 9 countries:- Australia, Austria, Canada, The United Kingdom, New Zealand, The United States of America, Switzerland, Quebec and Korea. Liaison procedures to ensure the secure transfer of personal data have been established with each country, and are kept under constant review. Regular contact is maintained by the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Since its introduction, the underlying objective of the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme has been to equip people on social welfare payments with qualifications that will enable them to obtain employment in the labour market. It is a second chance educational opportunities scheme for people on welfare payments who wish to participate in full time education and who would not...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 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 staff and other resources available to the Department are regularly reviewed having regard to the workload arising and other competing demands. The average processing time for...
- Written Answers — Rural Transport: Rural Transport (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The free travel scheme 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 Ãtha Cliath, Bus Ãireann and Iarnród Ãireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. The vast majority of private contractors providing...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Jobseeker's allowance is paid to unemployed persons who satisfy certain conditions set out in legislation that require among others, that the person is unemployed, is capable of work, is available for work and is genuinely seeking work. To qualify for jobseeker's allowance a person must also satisfy a means test. The means test for jobseeker's allowance involves an assessment of the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (10 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Procedures for the processing of all appeals, including appeals for Jobseekers Allowance and Jobseekers Benefit claims are laid down in legislation (Part 10, Chapter 2 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 and the Social Welfare (Appeals) Regulations (SI 108/98)). These provisions require that an appeal against a formal statutory decision by a Deciding Officer of the Department may...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (10 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The statistics required by the Deputy are attached in tabular form. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the table comprises cases which have been allowed either in full or partially and includes cases which have been determined by Appeals Officers and cases which have been revised by Deciding Officers of the Department (following receipt of an appeal). The very high...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned made an application for jobseeker's allowance on 11 February 2009. Under a pilot scheme for new claimants aged between 18 and 19 years she was referred directly to FÃS for a 6 week training programme. The Department was subsequently advised by FÃS that the person concerned was unable to attend the course. Outstanding issues regarding her availability for employment...
- Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (10 Jun 2009)
Mary Hanafin: A high degree of cooperation and coordination exists at both policy and operational level between the Department of Social and Family Affairs and FÃS. Both sides operate under a memorandum of understanding which is updated periodically. Senior officials of the department hold regular joint meetings with FÃS and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. There are also regular...