Results 4,981-5,000 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The person concerned was awarded pension on 3 June 2008, backdated to 19 January 2007. She died on 12 July 2008, before the arrears of pension due to her had issued. The department has now established the details of the next of kin in this case and has arranged for the issue of all arrears. A cheque in the sum of â¬3,974 will issue to the next of kin in the coming week.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: In common with most other social welfare measures announced in the recent budget increases in pensions will take effect from January 2009. In framing Budget 2009, the Government has prioritised delivering real increases in social welfare payments to ensure that the most vulnerable groups in our society are protected. Increases of between 3 % and 3.8 % in the basic payment rates have been...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Department did not undertake any capital projects during the years in question. Capital expenditure incurred by the Department relates to the purchase of, and upgrades to, computer hardware and software along with network, desktop and other equipment.
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: An officer who retires or is removed from the civil service due to the abolition of his/her office or to Departmental reorganisation may, at the discretion of the Minister for Finance, be awarded a special severance gratuity in addition to pension and retirement lump sum, within statutory limits. This gratuity is also payable in certain circumstances to Secretaries-General of Government...
- Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: In assessing means for the purpose of farm assist account is taken of the following: Income from self-employment both from farming and off-farm; Income from insurable employment; Pensions from former employer or from another country; Savings and Investments; Income from property (excluding the family home). The income of both the farmer and his/her spouse is taken into account. While there...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The claim for disability allowance, by the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 11 September 2008 following an examination by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was opened on 24 September 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The back to work allowance scheme provides a financial incentive for long-term unemployed people to make the transition to work. Applicants are generally required to give the Department 14 days advance notice of taking up employment. However, some flexibility is exercised in this regard and applications may be accepted, if received within one month of the commencement of employment. The...
- Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No development works of the nature indicated by the Deputy have been undertaken by the Department since the enactment of the relevant legislation.
- Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The procurement of goods and services by the Department and its Agencies complies with both EU procurement directives and national public procurement policy, as enunciated in guidelines issued by the Department of Finance. The Department's guiding principles are transparency and openness of competition and to ensure that the taxpayer obtains value for money and that the public procurement...
- Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I have not had occasion to use public transport on official business since coming into office on 6 May 2008.
- Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Details of public transport expenditure are not recorded separately but are included in the overall Travel and Subsistence subhead. There is a significant level of travel expenditure in the Department's budget, arising from the dispersed nature of our services, and inter alia, the fact that a considerable level of investigative work must be carried out in the course of delivering the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 467, 469, 474 and 485 together. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) 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 service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department. The purpose...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The claim for jobseeker's allowance by the person concerned was refused by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 1 October 2008 on the grounds that his means exceeded the statutory limit. An appeal was opened on 15 October 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Respite Care Grant (RCG) is an annual payment made to all persons providing full-time care, regardless of means or PRSI contribution record, but subject to certain conditions. The Grant is payable from the first Thursday in June of the year in question. The extension of the scheme to all carers was introduced in Budget 2005. Prior to this, only those in receipt of certain payments from...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance (BTEA) Scheme is designed to help those in receipt of a social welfare payment who have not worked for some time to improve their employability and job-readiness by acquiring educational qualifications. It is a recognition of the special difficulties which such persons can face when attempting to gain a foothold in the labour market. The allowance is paid at...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Social welfare has been prioritised in this Budget. Next year, total funding for the Department of Social and Family Affairs will be â¬19.6 billion. This represents an increase of â¬2.6 billion or 15.5% over the Estimates allocation for 2008. Over 1.7 million people and their dependents will benefit from this expenditure. The Budget provides for increases of between 3 and 3.8% in the basic...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No specific research has been undertaken by the Department in relation to the cost of living for widows and widowers with children. However, those in question have benefited from a range of improvements in social welfare schemes in recent years. These include increases in child benefit and payments for qualified children, improvements in income supports at the time of a bereavement, and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Pneumoconiosis is a prescribed disease for the purpose of the Occupational Injuries scheme administered by my Department. The legislation governing the Occupational Injuries Scheme provides entitlement to benefit for persons suffering from certain prescribed diseases which are listed in the legislation and where that person has contracted that disease in the course of their employment. Where...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Free Travel scheme is available to persons aged 66 years or over who are permanently resident in the State. The scheme is also available to persons under age 66 who satisfy certain qualifying conditions. Beneficiaries of the scheme can travel for free on scheduled CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services offered by 93 private operators in various parts of the country....
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Disability allowance is a means-tested weekly payment for people who are substantially restricted in taking up employment owing to an illness or disability that is expected to last for at least one year. Earnings from employment, however, may be subject to a disregard that will exempt such income from assessment where the employment is considered to be rehabilitative in nature. Employment on...