http___www.welfare.ie_ga_Pages_Appointment-of-Agents.aspx_1.xml
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Where a person is unable to collect their payment or manage their financial affairs a person may be appointed as their agent. An agent can be appointed on a temporary or on a long-term basis, to collect payments or act on behalf of the customer. The Department may cancel an agency arrangement at any time where it has reason to believe that the arrangement is not working satisfactorily. The following sets out the arrangements that can be put in place for customers depending on their personal circumstances: - Where a temporary agent is needed for no longer than three weeks. - Where an agent is nominated by the customer. - Where a person is unable to manage their own financial affairs. Temporary Agent Arrangement A temporary agent can be appointed for a short period of time, usually no longer than three weeks, where a person is unable to collect their payment at a post office. A “ TemporaryAgent” form, which is only available at the post office, should be completed by the customer. When collecting the payment the agent should present this form along with the customers’ social services card at the post office. If any difficulties arise the customer, or their agent, should contact the local post office or the relevant section of the Department. Person Nominates An Agent To Collect Their Payment Where a customer is unable to collect their payment at the post office, for example due to an illness or loss of mobility, they can nominate a person to collect the payment on their behalf. The customer must complete a form " Authority to Appoint an Agent" and send it to the relevant section of the Department. A notification is then sent to the customer and arrangements are made with the post office to facilitate the agent collecting the payment. When the payment is collected by the agent he or she must give the customer the full amount. The person nominated to act as agent must be over 18 years. If the customer is resident in a nursing home they may nominate the person in charge of the nursing home to collect the payment on their behalf. The customer may cancel or revoke an agent arrangement at any time and appoint another agent by completing the " Authority to Appoint an Agent" form. Person Unable To Manage Their Own Financial Affairs Where a customer is unable to manage their own financial affairs an agent may be appointed to collect the payment and act on behalf of the claimant or beneficiary. An application form “ Appointment of Agent - Where a person is unable to manage their financial affairs” must be completed and sent to the relevant section of the Department. The payment will be made electronically to a nominated bank account. It is recommended that a separate account be set up for this purpose. In all cases a medical practitioner must certify that the customer is unable for the time being to manage his or her own financial affairs for reasons which may include one of the following: - an inability to understand the basis of possible entitlements to benefit; - an inability to understand and complete the claim form; - an inability to understand and deal with correspondence and enquiries concerning the claim; - an inability to manage benefit payments received. Persons that can be appointed Agent The agent must be over the age of 18 years and be one of the following: - a spouse; - a parent, step parent or foster parent; - a legal guardian; - a child or step-child; - a brother or sister, step-brother or step-sister; half-brother or half-sister; - a son-in-law or daughter-in-law; - a niece or nephew; - a grandchild; - a grandparent; - an aunt or uncle; - a person who has been appointed to be a care representative of the customer; - a person, other than the medical practitioner who signed the form, who appears to the Department to have a good and sufficient interest in the welfare of the customer. Where the customer is resident in a care centre for a continuous period of four weeks or more, and where no other suitable person is available and willing to be appointed, a representative of the care centre may be appointed to act as agent. A person cannot be appointed as agent if they have been: - adjudicated a bankrupt unless the bankruptcy has been discharged or the adjudication annulled; - convicted of an offence involving fraud or dishonesty; - convicted of an offence against the person or property of the claimant or beneficiary concerned. Obligations of Appointed Person The agent is responsible for ensuring that: - the payment is used for the benefit of the customer; - monies are not spent on items or services that the customer has an entitlement to and are available; - The payment is lodged to an interest bearing account for the benefit of the customer; - any changes in the customers circumstances are reported to the Department. The agent must also keep a record of all sums received and all transactions made in relation to the benefit payment, and produce the records if requested to do so by either the customer, his or her nearest relative, or an officer of the Department. The Department may cancel an agency arrangement at any time where it has reason to believe that the arrangement is not working satisfactorily or that the payment is not being used for the benefit of the customer. If this occurs, the agent must, where appropriate, return the payments on request. Appointment Of Agent In Other Cases Ward of Court or Power of Attorney In the case of a ward of court or a person appointed under an enduring power of attorney, the Department will make payments directly to the Committee of the Ward or to the Attorney by nominating the Committee or the Attorney as agent for the social welfare customer. All such payments will be made electronically to a nominated bank account. Health Service Executive Where the customer is resident in a care centre under the management of the Health Service Executive (HSE) for a continuous period of four weeks or more and wishes to have a representative of the care centre appointed to act as their agent, the customer or their representative should contact the manager of the care centre to put the arrangement in place.
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I gcás nach féidir le duine a íocaíocht a bhailiú nó a ngnóthaí airgeadais a bhainistiú d’fhéadfaí duine a cheapadh mar ghníomhaire dóibh. Féadfar gníomhaire a cheapadh ar bhonn sealadach nó ar bhonn fadtéarmach, chun íocaíochtaí a bhailiú nó chun gníomhú ar son custaiméara. Féadfaidh Roinn socrú gníomhaire a chealú uair ar bith más dóigh leis nach bhfuil an socrú ag obair go sásúil. Seo a leanas na socruithe is féidir a cheapadh ar son custaiméirí, ag brath ar a gcúinsí pearsanta: - I gcás go bhfuil gá le gníomhaire sealadach go ceann trí seachtaine ar a mhéad. - I gcás go n-ainmníonn an custaiméir gníomhaire. - I gcás nach féidir le duine a gcuid gnóthaí airgeadais féin a bhainistiú. Socrú do Ghníomhaire Sealadach Is féidir gníomhaire sealadach a cheapadh ar feadh tréimhse ghearr, trí seachtaine ar a mhéad, de ghnáth, nuair nach féidir le duine a (h)íocaíocht féin a bhailiú ag oifig poist. Ba cheart don chustaiméir foirm " Gníomhaire Sealadach" a chomhlíonadh. In oifigí poist amháin a fhaightear na foirmeacha sin. Ba cheart don ghníomhaire an fhoirm sin mar aon le cárta seirbhísí sóisialta an chustaiméara a thaispeáint ag an oifig poist agus an íocaíocht á bailiú. Má tá aon deacracht leis ba cheart don chustaiméir, nó a g(h)níomhaire, teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an oifig poist áitiúil nó le rannóg ábhartha na Roinne. Gníomhaire á Ainmniú ag Duine chun a (h)Íocaíocht a Bhailiú I gcás nach féidir le custaiméir a (h)íocaíocht a bhailiú ag oifig poist, mar shampla de dheasca breoiteachta nó caillteanas soghluaisteachta, is féidir leis/léi duine a ainmniú chun an íocaíocht a bhailiú ar a s(h)on. Ní mór don chustaiméir foirm “ Údarú chun Gníomhaire a Cheapadh” a chomhlánú agus í a chur chuig an rannóg ábhartha den Roinn. Cuirfear fógra ansin chuig an gcustaiméir agus déanfar socrú leis an oifig poist le gur féidir leis an ngníomhaire an íocaíocht a bhailiú. Nuair a bhailíonn an gníomhaire an íocaíocht ní mór dó nó di an méid iomlán a thabhairt don chustaiméir. Ní mór don duine a ainmneofar mar ghníomhaire a bheith 18 mbliain nó os a chionn. Má tá an custaiméir ina chónaí i dteach altranais is féidir leo an té atá i gceannas ar an teach altranais a ainmniú chun an íocaíocht a bhailiú ar a s(h)on. Féadfaidh an custaiméir socrú le gníomhaire a chealú nó a aisghairm uair ar bith agus gníomhaire eile a cheapadh ach an fhoirm “ Údarú chun Gníomhaire a Cheapadh” a chomhlánú. Íoslódáil an fhoirm iarratais "Údarú chun Gníomhaire a Cheapadhú" (PDF, 84KB) Daoine nach bhfuil in ann a nGnóthaí Airgeadais féin a Bhainistiú I gcás nach féidir le custaiméir a g(h)nóthaí airgeadais féin a bhainistiú is féidir gníomhaire a cheapadh chun an íocaíocht a bhailíú agus chun gníomhú ar son an éilitheora nó an tairbhí. Ní mór an fhoirm iarratais dar teideal “ Gníomhaire a cheapadh – I gcás nach féidir le duine a g(h)nóthaí airgeadais a bhainistiú” a chomhlánú agus í a chur chuig an rannóg ábhartha den Roinn. Déanfar an íocaíocht go leictreonach isteach i gcuntas bainc ainmnithe. Moltar cuntas ar leith a bhunú chun na críche seo. I ngach cás ní mór do chleachtóir míochaine a dheimhniú nach bhfuil ar chumas an chustaiméara don am i láthair a c(h)uid gnóthaí airgeadais a bhainistiú ar chúiseanna a bhféadfadh aon cheann díobh seo a leanas bheith ina measc: - bheith neamhábalta an bonn le teidlíocht fhéideartha ar shochar a thuiscint; - bheith neamhábalta an fhoirm éilimh a thuiscint agus a chomhlánú; - bheith neamhábalta comhfhreagras agus ceisteanna mar gheall ar an éileamh a thuiscint agus déileáil leo; - bheith neamhábalta íocaíochtaí sochair faighte a bhainistiú. Daoine atá incheaptha mar Ghníomhaire Ní mór don ghníomhaire a bheith os cionn 18 mbliain d'aois agus bheith ar dhuine díobh seo a leanas: - céile; - tuismitheoir, leastuismitheoir nó tuismitheoir altrama; - caomhnóir dlíthiúil; - leanbh nó leasleanbh; - deartháir nó deirfiúr, leasdeartháir nó leasdeirfiúr, deartháir leasghaolmhar nó deirfiúr leasghaolmhar; - fear m'iníne nó bean mo mhic; - neacht nó nia; - garleanbh; - seantuismitheoir; - aintín nó uncail; - duine atá ceaptha mar ionadaí cúraim an chustaiméara; - duine, seachas an cleachtóir míochaine a shínigh an fhoirm, a fheictear don Roinn go bhfuil spéis mhaith agus leordhóthanach acu i leas an chustaiméara. I gcás ina bhfuil cónaí ar an gcustaiméir in ionad cúraim ar feadh tréimhse leanúnach ceithre seachtaine nó níos mó, agus nach bhfuil aon duine oiriúnach eile ar fáil agus toilteanach lena cheapadh, féadfar ionadaí de chuid an ionaid chúraim a cheapadh ina g(h)níomhaire. Ní féidir duine a cheapadh ina g(h)níomhaire más amhlaidh: - gur breithníodh ina f(h)éimheach é/í ach sa chás gur scaoileadh an fhéimheacht nó gur aisiompaíodh an breithniú; - gur ciontaíodh é/í i gcion le calaois nó mímhacántacht; - gur ciontaíodh é/í i gcion in aghaidh an duine nó in aghaidh mhaoin an éilitheora nó an tairbhí i dtrácht. Oibleagáidí an Duine Cheaptha Beidh an gníomhaire freagrach as a chinntiú: - go n-úsáidfear an íocaíocht chun leas an chustaiméara; - nach gcaitear airgead ar mhíreanna nó ar sheirbhísí a bhfuil an custaiméir ina dteideal agus atá ar fáil; - go gcuirtear an íocaíocht i dtaisce i gcuntas úsmhar chun sochair an chustaiméara; - go dtuairiscítear aon athrú i gcúinsí an chustaiméara don Roinn. Ní mór don ghníomhaire, leis, taifead a choimeád de gach suim a fhaightear agus de gach idirbheart a dhéantar maidir leis an íocaíocht sochair, agus na taifid sin a sholáthar má iarrann an custaiméir, a neasghaol, nó oifigeach de chuid na Roinne air/uirthi sin a dhéanamh. Féadfaidh an Roinn socrú gníomhaireachta a chealú uair ar bith i gcás go gcreideann sé nach bhfuil an socrú ag obair go sásúil nó nach bhfuil an íocaíocht á húsáid chun tairbhe an chustaiméara. Sa chás sin, ní mór don ghníomhaire, nuair is cuí, na híocaíochtaí a sheoladh ar ais má iarrtar sin. Íoslódáil an fhoirm iarratais "Údarú chun Gníomhaire a Cheapadh – I gcás nach féidir le duine a g(h)nóthaí airgeadais a bhainistiú" (PDF, 84KB) Ceapadh Gníomhaire i gCásanna Eile Coimircí Cúirte nó Cumhacht Aturnae I gcás coimircí cúirte nó duine a cheaptar faoi chumhacht sheasmhach aturnae, déanfaidh an Roinn na híocaíochtaí díreach le Coiste an Choimircí nó leis an Aturnae tríd an gCoiste nó an tAturnae a ainmniú mar ghníomhaire an chustaiméara leasa shóisialaigh. Déanfar gach íocaíocht mar sin go leictreonach isteach i gcuntas bainc ainmnithe. Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte I gcás ina bhfuil cónaí ar chustaiméir in ionad cúraim faoi bhainistíocht Fheidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte (FSS) ar feadh tréimhse leanúnach de cheithre seachtaine nó níos mó agus gur mian leis/léi go gceapfaí ionadaí den ionad cúraim mar ghníomhaire, ba cheart don chustaiméir nó dá ghníomhaire teagmháil a dhéanamh le bainisteoir an ionaid chúraim chun an socrú a dhéanamh.