Results 1,701-1,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 248 together. Child benefit (CB) is a tax free non means tested benefit paid monthly in respect of all children up to the age 16 years and in respect of children over 16 years of age up to their 18th birthday who are in full time education or have a disability. Child Benefit assists parents in the cost associated with raising children and it...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The claim for Jobseeker's Benefit, by the person concerned, was disallowed by a deciding officer of the Department on the ground that he did not sustain a substantial loss of employment from 21 April 2009 and he appealed against the decision on 4 June 2009. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department. Mortgage interest supplement...
- Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: Full details of the Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme, including the application procedure, will be announced following the promulgation of the Social Welfare Act 2010. It will be administered by the Department of Social and Family Affairs. The scheme will run for the calendar year 2010 only. However, any qualifying employment created in 2010 will be eligible for the scheme, which will...
- Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The tax treatment of social welfare pensions is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Finance. However, I can confirm that tax ramifications are not taken into account when calculating the social welfare pension entitlements of a couple.
- Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: In recognition of the devastation suffered by people in many areas of the country as a result of the flooding from November 2009 onwards, the Government set up a Humanitarian Assistance Scheme to provide income tested financial support to people who have suffered damages to their homes not covered by insurance. An initial sum of â¬10 million has been set aside by the Government for this...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The Department assists social welfare recipients with heating costs, through their basic payments, the fuel allowance scheme and the household benefits package of electricity and gas allowances. The household benefits package is payable throughout the year to almost 380,000 pensioners, people with disabilities, and carer households to assist them with their heating, light and cooking costs....
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance, a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance, a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 124 together. There are currently over 93,000 tenants benefiting from a rent supplement payment - an increase of almost 26% since the end of 2008. Over 35,000 or 38% have been in payment for 18 months or more. The Rental Accommodation Scheme or RAS, which was introduced in 2004, gives local authorities specific responsibility for meeting the longer term...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: In order to identify fraud and error levels in schemes the Department carries out detailed fraud and error surveys on individual schemes. These surveys provide evidence based indicators for the levels of fraud and error within those schemes at that particular time. As reported by the Comptroller and Auditor General the percentage of expenditure resulting from fraud identified in these...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos 87, 106, 112 and 119 together. I fully appreciate that becoming unemployed and having to claim a jobseeker's payment is stressful enough in itself and that it is vital that people get access to financial supports as quickly as possible. As Deputies will be aware, the number of people on the live register grew by over 45% in the 12 months to December 2009. The...
- Written Answers — Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) transferred to the Citizens Information Board (CIB) in 2009 and will provide strong management support to the local voluntary MABS companies. MABS assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems. The role of money advisors is to help clients to assess their financial situation, make a...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. To this end, operational processes and procedures and the organisation of work are continually reviewed in all areas of the Department. These reviews are supported by modern technology, the potential of which is continuously harnessed. Claims are processed in the most efficient and expeditious way...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance (BTEA) scheme is designed to help those in receipt of a social welfare payment to improve their employability and job-readiness by acquiring additional educational qualifications. It is a second chance education opportunities scheme that recognises the special difficulties that people on social welfare can face when attempting to gain a foothold in the labour...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 110 together. The household benefits package is payable throughout the year to almost 380,000 pensioners, people with disabilities, and carer households to assist them with their heating, light and cooking costs. This scheme cost approximately â¬200m in 2009. In addition, the national fuel allowance scheme assists householders on long-term social...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92, 101 and 116 together. The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. A key objective of the Department's control strategy is to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time. The Department processes in excess of 2 million claims each year and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The earlier question, to which Deputy Naughten makes reference, asked about "plans to review the habitual residence condition rules or the existing legislation in view of the recent decisions of the appeals office regarding cases by asylum seekers". Section 15 of the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act 2009, passed by this House on 15 December 2009, provided for an amendment to the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: The total number of jobseeker's awaiting a decision on their claim at 9th January 2010 was 58,878. A table showing the breakdown between Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) and Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) claims at each local office is as follows. This information has been compiled from data that is maintained on a Local Office catchment area basis and these figures do not correspond exactly with county...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)
Mary Hanafin: Rent supplement is payable to people who are unable to meet the cost of renting private accommodation and is intended as a short-term support. There are currently over 93,000 tenants benefiting from a rent supplement payment - an increase of 26% since the end of 2008. The provisional outturn on Rent Supplement for 2009 is â¬507.68 million. Budget 2010 provided for expenditure of â¬509m in...