Results 3,561-3,580 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Payments: Social Welfare Payments (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: No schemes are specifically under review by my Department at present with the objective of imposing reductions in budget 2010. However, the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes is expected to examine the full range of social welfare services schemes and services. The group's recommendations will be considered by the Government in the context of budget 2010.
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. It was introduced in the context of the Government's decision to open the Irish labour market to workers from the ten new EU Member States, without the transitional limitations which were imposed at that time by...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: There are no plans to amend the benefit and privilege rules for under 25 year olds at this time. Any further improvements to the means testing arrangements for social welfare schemes generally, including the benefit and privilege assessment arrangements for the jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance schemes, would have to be considered in a budgetary context and having...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Social Partnership Agreement "Towards 2016" included a commitment to study the extent and degree to which children undertake inappropriate care roles and the impact this has on their lives. The Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (OMCYA) has the lead role in relation to this study. Officials from my Department participated with the OMCYA and the Department of Health...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 60 together. 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...
- Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 65 together. Under the PRSI system social insurance contributions are compulsorily payable by employers and employed and self-employed workers. Approximately 76% of workers pay PRSI Class A and Class H at the rate of 4% and accrue entitlement to a range of benefits and pensions under various social insurance schemes. The PRSI ceiling for ordinary...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The rates of core social welfare payments were not reduced in the supplementary budget, other than in the case of 18 and 19 year old recipients of jobseekers allowance and basic supplementary welfare allowance. In order to incentivise 18 and 19 year old jobseekers to avail of education and training opportunities, and try to avoid them become welfare dependent from a young age, the personal...
- Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Under the National Employment Action Plan (NEAP) all persons between the ages of 18 and 65 years who are approaching three months on the live register are identified by the Department of Social and Family Affairs and referred to FÃS for interview with a view to availing of a range of employment, training and educational options. The NEAP is not confined to particular geographic areas. The...
- Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The social welfare and tax systems have evolved over time and in response to a variety of factors, including Constitutional imperatives as interpreted by the Courts, changing social trends and EU Directives. The social welfare code recognises the couple status of cohabiting couples and treats married and cohabiting couples in a similar manner. The EEC Equality Directive 79/9 and the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: There is no provision in Social Welfare legislation for a person who is living abroad to claim a jobseeker's payment in this country. In order to qualify for a jobseeker's payment a person must be: resident in the State, under age 66, capable of work, available for work, and genuinely seeking work. To qualify for jobseekers benefit a person must also satisfy certain contribution conditions....
- Written Answers — Departmental Investigations: Departmental Investigations (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Applications for means tested payments are investigated by staff in the Department. In the ordinary course of events, a means assessment involves an interview of a claimant by a Social Welfare Inspector, in which they will be asked, inter alia, for details of any bank accounts they hold. Where an applicant states he or she has one or more bank accounts, there are two possible courses of...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is estimated that the payment of a full Christmas Bonus of 100% would cost over â¬220 million this year. The Department has already set an ambitious target for control savings this year of over â¬580 million and it would not be possible to secure further savings of the magnitude required to meet the cost of a Christmas bonus.
- Written Answers — Departmental Estimates: Departmental Estimates (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Estimates for the Department of Social and Family Affairs which were published on 23 April last were based on an up to date analysis of trends as regards likely numbers of recipients and average value of payments in 2009. The estimates for jobseekers benefit, jobseekers allowance and supplementary welfare allowance were significantly increased from the Estimates published at the time of...
- Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (30 Apr 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 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Friday, at...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The following tabular statement shows the number of recipients of rent supplement by county. Rent Supplement Recipients by County County Recipients Carlow 1,410 Cavan 1,033 Clare 1,596 Cork 9,664 Donegal 3,586 Dublin 27,464 Galway 4,346 Kerry 2,456 Kildare 3,687 Kilkenny 1,369 Laois 836 Leitrim 501 Limerick 3,206 Longford 869 Louth 2,211 Mayo 2,969 Meath 1,905 Monaghan...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Self-employed people or those who were formerly self-employed are treated the same as any other applicant for a jobseekers payment. Those who do not qualify for jobseekers benefit which is based on PRSI contributions may qualify for jobseekers allowance provided they satisfy the normal conditions which include a means test. Generally, self-employed persons are assessed on the basis of their...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 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 income 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 — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Departmental Reports: Departmental Reports (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The information requested is currently being compiled within the Department and will be made available to the Deputy as soon as possible.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Statistics are not compiled on this basis by the Department. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available.