Results 13,721-13,740 of 15,555 for speaker:Eoghan Murphy

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Would that be an exceptional or an urgent payment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: If clothing is damaged by flooding and the person concerned is in receipt of a social welfare payment, he or she would apply under the exceptional payment heading.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: I now understand the distinction. Can applications be made for Confirmation or First Holy Communion dresses or similar clothing under the heading of child clothing?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: If a person needed assistance to buy a First Holy Communion dress which was expensive, because it was an important occasion, that would be----

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: It is up to the officer to make the call. Again, Ms O'Donoghue is talking about the difference in the way officers were making that call in different areas.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is the Department achieving that standardisation?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Under the heading of child-related expenses, we have pram or buggy and cot costs. Is there a cap on pram or buggy costs?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Under general categories, we have travel costs at a figure of under €2 million. Can Ms O'Donoghue provide an example of an exceptional need under this heading?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: The person might have to travel to Dublin for a certain reason.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: I wish to focus on the exceptional needs payments area of the supplementary welfare allowance. In 2012, a figure of €52.7 million was paid out for that. While that is a significant figure, it is important to note that it has dropped consistently since 2008, under almost every heading. This is good. On the general scheme, how is the money for exceptional and urgent needs paid out?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is it the individual in the office, the officer, who gets to make that call?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Therefore, it is a kind of personal process. A person will come into the office, sit down face to face with the officer and go through the exceptional circumstances that require the payment. That officer will then, based on his or her judgment of the situation, make a call regarding payment.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: How is the money then paid out. Is it paid by cheque or cash?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Will it move to electronic payments?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: What sort of a follow-up is there? When the cheque is given and the money is spent, are receipts provided to the Department?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is Mr. Shannon saying the person seeking the exceptional needs payment is the customer?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is the customer who receives the payment obliged to return and show proof of payment for whatever he or she requested the money for?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is that a guideline - is it required or is it up to the officer in question to say he or she would like to see a receipt?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: Is it at their discretion to do that?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 – Social Protection
Chapter - 24 Supplementary Welfare Allowance (18 Jul 2013)

Eoghan Murphy: In terms of an exceptional payment, if, for example, I needed to cycle to my job or to use a bike in performing my job and my bike was stolen and I did not have the means to buy another bike, would I be able to seek an exceptional payment for a bike because I needed it for work?