Results 5,601-5,620 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Advocacy Service: Advocacy Service (2 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Sanction was sought from the Department of Finance in June, 2007 for 10 posts as it is proposed to establish the Personal Advocacy Service on a phased basis. This included the post of Director of Personal Advocacy Service as well as the staffing required to allow the service to commence operation. Provision was made within the funding provided to the Citizen Information Board in 2008 to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is administered on behalf of the Department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive (HSE). The southern area of the Executive has advised that the person concerned is currently in receipt of a weekly payment of supplementary welfare allowance.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned has been paid rent supplement in respect of her current accommodation until 28 June 2008. The HSE has further advised that it has not received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned in respect of her new accommodation. If the she wishes to apply for rent supplement at the new accommodation, she...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (1 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The consultation period on the Green Paper has just concluded and work has commenced on delivering a framework to address the pensions agenda over the longer-term. It is intended that the framework will, as far as is possible, encompass all aspects of pensions and it is expected that it will be finalised by the end of this year. The issues raised by the Deputy will be considered in that context.

Written Answers — Value for Money Reviews: Value for Money Reviews (1 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: There are nine reviews, including two policy reviews, under the 2006 to 2008 round of reviews in the Department. These are: Supplementary Welfare Allowance — Phase 2 (completed). Progress has been made in implementing a number of the recommendations: Rent and mortgage interest supplement/Rental accommodation scheme. The review identified a number of issues relating to the incentives under...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jul 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal from the person concerned was disallowed by an Appeals Officer who concluded, having considered all the evidence, that she was not providing full-time care and attention. Following representations from the Deputy and a further review of the case, based on the contents of the Deputy's letter, the Appeals Officer has indicated...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Combat Poverty Agency is the only body, under the aegis of my Department, that is issued with a Grant-In-Aid. Breakdowns are published annually in the Revised Estimates for Public Services. The Department's 2008 Grant-In-Aid provision for the Combat Poverty Agency is €4.568m. The Agency's 2008 estimate is broken down as follows; Administration and Accommodation €0.685m, Board and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (26 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: This Department's role is to assist social welfare recipients with heating costs, both through their basic payments and through the household benefits package with fuel, electricity and gas allowances. These schemes have been improved significantly in recent years. The national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social welfare or health service executive (HSE) payments...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I understand that the Deputy is concerned in particular about the current means testing arrangements applying in the case of the State pension (non-contributory) where a land-holder leases land or is otherwise in possession of land which is fallow or idle. Currently, a group in the Department is undertaking a review of means testing arrangements generally and I understand that the issue...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 80 and 98 together. The effective delivery of services at both national and local levels with flexibility to adapt to change is essential in tackling poverty and social exclusion. This can best be achieved if the services are coordinated and, where appropriate, integrated at local and national levels and between these levels. The importance of this approach...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: As the Deputy will be aware, the needs of older people have been a priority for Government for many years and we have managed to make very significant improvements in social welfare pensions. The rate of contributory pension has increased from just €95 per week in 1996 to more than €223 per week in 2008 and the non-contributory pension has increased from €82 per week in 1996 to €212...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The household benefits package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. It is also available to people aged under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability social welfare payments or carer's allowance. The package includes the electricity and gas allowance, telephone allowance...

Written Answers — Rental Accommodation Scheme: Rental Accommodation Scheme (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is administered on behalf of the Department by 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 who do not have accommodation...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 88 together. The policy in relation to support for older people has been, for many years, to give priority to increasing the personal rates of pension in addition to enhancing the Household Benefits Package rather than supplements like the living alone increase. The objective is to use resources to improve the position of all pensioners to the fullest...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (25 Jun 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. Extensive consultation has been carried out at all stages in the development of the proposal. Submissions were invited from a range of organisations when the working group was first established within the Department...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that pension claims are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Claims for State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Transition) are now fully processed within three weeks of receipt of the applications where all information is available....

Written Answers — Departmental Procedures: Departmental Procedures (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department exchanges data with a range of agencies and is committed to using the most modern, efficient and secure methods available for this purpose. The Department actively supports government policy which aims to facilitate the greater use of electronic payment systems in the economy in the interests of developing a world class payments environment in Ireland. The Department's payment...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90, 112, 113 and 132 together. In February 2006 the Government decided to transfer certain non core functions from the Health Service Executive to the Department. The General Registrars Office transferred to the Department with effect from 1 January 2008 and plans are well advanced for the transfer of a number of disability related payments including...

Written Answers — Data Protection: Data Protection (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) undertook an audit of the Department in late January 2008. When the final report is received by the Department, its findings and recommendations will be carefully examined with a view to taking whatever actions are necessary.

Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (25 Jun 2008)

Mary Hanafin: The Department and the Revenue Commissioners are continuing the process of negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The new MOU is designed to build on the close co-operation that already exists between this Department and the Revenue Commissioners by improving and intensifying the levels and scope of existing administrative and operational arrangements between the two...