Results 1,781-1,800 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Health Services: Health Services (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Any extension of the means testing arrangements which apply at the moment in the case of home helps employed by either the HSE or by bodies funded by the HSE to home helps employed on a private basis would have to be considered in a Budgetary context. The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes examined various income disregards which apply in the case of means...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 754 and 786 together. The various social assistance schemes operated by my Department are means tested and include schemes such as jobseeker's allowance and one-parent family payment. For means test purposes, account is taken of the value of any capital or property owned by the person in addition to any cash income the person might have including, inter alia,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The person concerned applied for Carer's Allowance on 9 November 2009. On 9 December 2009 the case was referred to an Investigative Officer of this Department for means assessment and confirmation that the conditions necessary for receipt of the allowance are satisfied. On completion of the necessary investigations a decision will be made and she will be notified directly of the outcome....

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes made a range of recommendations in relation to my Department. The recommendations which were implemented, in whole or in part, in Budget 2010 are outlined in the following table. Special Group Recommendations Budget 2010 Measure Estimated 2010 Savings €m Rates of Payment – 5% reduction in all weekly rates of...

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (19 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 €10million has been set aside by the Government for this...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: It is proposed to answer Questions Nos. 758 and 759 together. I have clarified with the Deputy that the information he seeks relates to total contributions for self-employed persons – PRSI Class S – and employers and employees. An analysis of PRSI collected in 2009 together with the 2010 estimate under the general headings of employer, employee and self employed persons is set out in the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 760 and 765 together. The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. All applicants - regardless of nationality - for the following payments are required to be habitually resident in the State: · Jobseeker's Allowance · State...

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Jobseeker's Benefit is a short-term insurance-based payment which is designed to provide income support to insured workers during periods of involuntary unemployment. As such, it is not subject to a means-test and can be paid for a period of up to twelve months. In order to qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit, a claimant must be unemployed (for at least 3 days in 6), be aged under 66 years,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the relevant Departmental papers and comments on the grounds of appeal in the case of the person concerned have been sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for early consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 763 and 764 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 of mortgage...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions 766 and 789 together. The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. The requirement does not apply to benefit schemes. All applicants - regardless of nationality - for the following assistance payments are required to be habitually...

Written Answers — Ethics in Public Office: Ethics in Public Office (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: Under the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, any gift with a value in excess of €650 must be surrendered to the State and declared in the Minister's statement of registerable interests submitted to the Standards in Public Office Commission. The Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995, provided for the disclosure of interests by office holders. Returns to the Standards in Public Office Commission...

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 levels of fraud and error within those schemes at that particular time. The recent Primetime programme suggested a potential fraud level of 10% in the total welfare expenditure but did not produce any...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Treatment Benefit scheme is paid from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). Although the SIF has operated a surplus since 1996, this position began to change last year, and expenditure had to be partially funded from the accumulated Exchequer surplus. It is estimated that the accumulated surplus will be completely exhausted in the first half of 2010, and that Exchequer will be required to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the relevant Departmental papers and comments of the Department have been received and the case has been referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an office of the Department that is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (19 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 to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: In the period 1st April 2009 to 31st December 2009 a total of 3,389 applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance were received in the required format by the Department. Of these, 2,823 cases have been fully processed to date, 1,031 were awarded and 1,792 were deemed not to be eligible, a 36.5% allowance rate. 566 applications are currently pending decision. Of the processed applications in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The transfer of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme from the Health Service Executive to this Department arises from a Government decision on 28th February 2006 to reallocate certain functions between Departments and Agencies as part of the health service reform programme. The Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme is now a statutory scheme with the primary legislation provided for in the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in the case. In order to be fair to all appellants, oral hearings are arranged in strict chronological order. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an...

Written Answers — Registration of Births: Registration of Births (19 Jan 2010)

Mary Hanafin: The provisions governing the registration of births in Ireland and the issuing of certified copies of entries in the register of births (commonly known as birth certificates) are contained in the Civil Registration Act, 2004. Parents or other qualified informants may register a birth using either of the official languages of the State, and this has been the case for many years. Section 61 of...