Results 5,201-5,220 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Under the current programme of decentralisation, 258 posts in the Department are to be relocated to Donegal Town. As outlined in Budget 2009, the Government, following a review of the decentralisation programme, in light of the changed economic circumstances and the deterioration in public finances, agreed a revised schedule for the programme. In prioritising projects a number of factors...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I intend to take Questions Nos. 410 and 431 together. The back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is designed to help those 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The School Meals Programme gives funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged school children through two schemes. The first is the long-standing statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department of Social & Family Affairs. The second is the School Meals Local Projects scheme through which funding is provided directly...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Government discussion paper, "Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents," put forward proposals to tackle obstacles to employment for lone parents and other low income families. These included proposals for the expanded availability and range of education and training opportunities for lone parents; the extension of the National Employment Action Plan to focus on lone parents; focused...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The claim of the person concerned for disability allowance was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 4 February 2008 following an examination by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. He appealed this decision on 19 February 2008 and, in the context of this appeal, he was examined by a second Medical Assessor on 18...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department currently has bilateral social security agreements with 7 countries:- Austria, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Quebec and Switzerland. 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 Department with each agency to ensure the timely...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Pneumoconiosis is a prescribed disease for the purpose of the Occupational Injuries scheme administered by the 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....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 Oct 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 €19.6 billion. This represents an increase of €2.6 billion or 15.5% over the Estimates allocation for 2008. Over 1.7 million people and their dependants will benefit from this expenditure — including 440,000 pensioners, 345,000 ill and disabled people,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: 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 contributions. The contributory pension entitlements of those...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Last week's budget provided for improvements to the family income supplement scheme (FIS) which is paid to low income working families. The income limits for FIS are being increased from January 2009 by €10 a week in respect of each child, giving increases ranging from €6 to €48 a week, depending on the family size. It is expected that an additional 2,000 families will benefit from FIS...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) Scheme is designed to help those 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 requirement to be in receipt of a relevant social welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Since April 2000, the needs of asylum seekers are catered for under the direct provision system operated by the Reception and Integration Agency of the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform. People in direct provision are not regarded as being habitually resident in the state and are not entitled to any social welfare payment which is subject to the habitual residence condition. Under...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The capital expenditure incurred by my Department for the period 1997 to 2008 is set out below. Details of expenditure for individual counties are not recorded separately. Year Capital Expenditure â'¬ 1997 6,375,783 1998 5,777,987 1999 7,977,293 2000 3,167,617 2001 5,681,960 2002 4,932,578 2003 3,014,003 2004 3,359,190 2005 6,434,021 2006 11,173,736 2007 14,858,436 2008...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). Applications for the allowance may be made between the beginning of June and the end of September each year. The south-eastern area of the HSE has advised that it has no record of a claim for a BSCFA claim from...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The state pension (non contributory) of the person concerned was revoked by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that his means exceeded the statutory limit and he was notified of this decision on 2nd July 2008. An appeal was opened on 14 August 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Department was...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Based on his means, the person concerned was awarded jobseekers allowance at a reduced rate by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 12 June 2008. An appeal was opened on 22 August 2008 and I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, in accordance with the statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the documentation in the case and the Deciding Officer's comments on...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned found work on 17 September 2008. Prior to this he had been in receipt of jobseeker's benefit at a reduced weekly rate. During the course of his benefit claim he was invited to apply for jobseeker's allowance. This claim is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector for examination of his means. Despite being requested he has not yet provided full details of his...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for one parent family payment on 6 March 2008. Following investigation her claim was disallowed by a Deciding Officer as she failed to furnish particulars of her means as requested by the Social Welfare Inspector. She completed a fresh application dated 15 July 2008 and her papers were returned to the Social Welfare Inspector on 17 July 2008 for investigation. ...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Oct 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned does not appear to have submitted an application for participation in the back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme. However, the records in the Department show that this person was only in receipt of jobseeker's allowance from 14 July 2008 to 14 October 2008 and would therefore not appear to meet the requirement to be in receipt of a social welfare payment for a minimum...