Question

My elderly mother doesn’t know how to pay the Household Charge. Can you tell me what she should do?

Answer

If your mother owns a house in Ireland she is liable to pay the Household Charge on it. The Household Charge is an annual charge of €100 which is used to fund local services. Virtually all private residential properties, apart from certain waivers and exemptions, such as mobile homes, are liable for the Charge.

She must register her house to declare her liability for the Charge and she must pay the €100 by 31 March 2012. She can do this online at householdcharge.ie or she can complete the New Account Registration form HC12N which can be downloaded from the FAQs section of householdcharge.ie. Copies of the form are available in most local authority offices, libraries and Citizens Information Centres. Your mother could also ring the Household Charge bureau at 1890 357357 or 01 222 4000 and ask for the form to be sent to her.

She should fill in the HC12N form with her details and the details of her house. She can pay the €100 by cheque, postal order or credit card. The completed form should be sent to the Local Government Management Agency, PO Box 12168, Dublin 1. Up to 31 March 2012, she can also hand in the registration form and pay the charge directly at the office of her City or County Council.

If she does not pay the Household Charge by 31 March 2012 late payment interest and fees will apply.

The Household Charge is an interim measure. It is due to be replaced in 2013/2014 by a property tax based on the value of your property.

Further information is available from Citizens Information Centres and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, call 0761 07 4000.

Know Your Rights columns cover topical subjects every month in a question-and-answer format. They are published by the Citizens Information Board online and syndicated through Citizens Information Services to local newspapers around Ireland.

Ceist

Níl a fhios ag mo mháthair bhreacaosta conas an Muirear Teaghlaigh a íoc. An féidir leat a insint dom céard is ceart di a dhéanamh?

Freagra

Más le do mháthair teach in Éirinn, tá sí faoi dhliteanas an Muirear Teaghlaigh a íoc air. Muirear bliantúil €100 is ea an Muirear Teaghlaigh a úsáidtear le seirbhísí áitiúla a chistiú. Tá nach mór gach réadmhaoin phríobháideach chónaithe, seachas tarscaoiltí agus díolúintí áirithe, ar nós tithe soghluaiste, faoi dhliteanas an Muirear a íoc.

Ní mór di a teach a chlárú lena dliteanas a dhearbhú don Mhuirear agus ní mór di an chéad €100 a íoc faoi Mhárta 2012. Is féidir léi é seo a dhéanamh ar líne ag householdcharge.ie nó is féidir léi foirm Chláraithe Cuntais Nua HC12N a chomhlánú, ar féidir í a íoslódáil ó mhír na gCeisteanna Coitianta ar householdcharge.ie. Tá cóipeanna den fhoirm ar fáil i dtromlach na n-oifigí údaráis áitiúil, na leabharlann agus na nIonad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh. Anuas air sin, d’fhéadfadh do mháthair glao a chur ar bhiúró an Mhuirir Theaghlaigh ag 1890 357357 nó 01 222 4000 agus a iarraidh go seolfar chuici an fhoirm.

Ba cheart di foirm HC12N a chomhlánú lena cuid sonraí féin agus le sonraí faoina teach. Is féidir léi an €100 a íoc trí sheic, ordú poist nó trí chárta creidmheasa. Ba cheart an fhoirm chomhlánaithe a sheoladh chuig an nGníomhaireacht Bainistíochta Rialtais Áitiúil, Bosca Oifig Phoist 12168, Baile Átha Cliath 1. Is féidir léi freisin an fhoirm chláraithe a thabhairt isteach agus an muirear a íoc go díreach ag oifig a Comhairle Contae nó Cathrach go dtí an 31 Márta 2012.

Mura n-íocann sí an Muirear Teaghlaigh faoin 31 Márta 2012 bainfidh ús agus táillí um íocaíocht dhéanach.

Beart eatramhach is ea an Muirear Teaghlaigh. Tá sé dlite lena ionadú in 2013/2014 ag cáin réadmhaoine bunaithe ar luach do réadmhaoine.

Tá tuilleadh faisnéise le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.

Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Ghutháin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh: 0761 07 4000

Question

I am a shop assistant and I had to work on Monday 2 January. My employer said that as New Year’s Day was on a Sunday the Monday was not a public holiday and we had to come to work. Is that right?

Answer

Your employer is right that Monday 2 January 2012 was not a public holiday and your employer could ask you to work that day. However, under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997, you are entitled to a day’s pay, day of annual leave or a paid day off for that New Year’s Day public holiday.

If you have a problem in getting your public holiday entitlement from your employer Workplace Relations Customer Services may be able to help you. Since January 2012 it is a new single point of contact and provides information about employment, equality and industrial relations rights and obligations. It also receives employment rights and equality complaints and deals with enquiries about the status of complaints and complaints procedures.

You can contact it in a number of different ways:

• Workplace Relations Customer Services operates a lo-call information helpline 1890 80 80 90, from 9.30am to 5.00pm weekdays. You call this number to speak with a member of the team about your employment rights queries.

• Workplace Relations Customer Services can also respond to written queries. You can either email them using the online enquiry form or you can write to them at Workplace Relations Customer Services, Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, O’Brien Road, Carlow.

You can also find information on employment, equality and industrial relations legislation on the website workplacerelations.ie.

If you are making a claim for your public holiday entitlement you should use the new single complaint form and guidance notes which can be downloaded from workplacerelations.ie.

Further information is available from Citizens Information Centres and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, call 0761 07 4000.

Know Your Rights columns cover topical subjects every month in a question-and-answer format. They are published by the Citizens Information Board online and syndicated through Citizens Information Services to local newspapers around Ireland.

Ceist

Cúntóir siopa mé agus bhí orm oibriú Dé Luain an 2 Eanáir. Dúirt m’fhostóir nach raibh saoire phoiblí ann ar an Luain de bharr go raibh Lá Coille ar an Domhnach agus go raibh orainn dul ag oibriú. An bhfuil sé sin i gceart?

Freagra

Tá an ceart ag d’fhostóir nach raibh saoire phoiblí ann Dé Luain an 2 Eanáir 2012 agus d’fhéadfadh d’fhostóir iarraidh ort oibriú an lá sin. Tá tú i dteideal, áfach, faoin Acht um Eagrú Ama Oibre 1997 pá lá amháin a fháil, saoire bhliantúil lá amháin a fháil nó lá saor as a n-íoctar thú a fháil don tsaoire phoiblí sin ar Lá Coille.

Má bhíonn fadhb agat do theidlíocht um shaoire phoiblí a fháil ó d’fhostóir, d’fhéadfadh go mbeadh Seirbhísí do Chustaiméirí Chaidrimh san Ionad Oibre in ann cabhrú leat. Ó Eanáir 2012, is pointe nua teagmhála iad agus cuireann siad faisnéis ar fáil faoi fhostaíocht, faoi chomhionannas agus faoi chearta agus faoi oibleagáidí caidrimh thionsclaíoch. Ina theannta sin, faigheann siad gearáin faoi chearta fostaíochta agus comhionannais agus déileálann siad le fiosrúcháin faoi stádas na ngearán agus faoi nósanna imeachta gearán.

Is féidir leat teagmháil a dhéanamh leo ar roinnt bealaí éagsúla:

• Tá líne chabhrach lóghlao (1890 80 80 90) á hoibriú ag Seirbhísí Custaiméirí Chaidreamh san Ionad Oibre, ó 9.30rn go dtí 5.00in i rith na seachtaine. Is féidir leat glao a chur ar an uimhir seo le caint le ball den fhoireann faoi do chuid fiosrúchán faoi chearta fostaíochta.

• Ina theannta sin, is féidir le Seirbhísí do Chustaiméirí Chaidreamh san Ionad Oibre freagra a thabhairt ar fhiosrúcháin i scríbhinn. Is féidir leat iad a sheoladh chugainn ar ríomhphost trí leas a bhaint as an bhfoirm fiosrúchán ar líne nó is féidir leat scríobh chucu ag Seirbhísí do Chustaiméirí Chaidreamh san Ionad Oibre, an Roinn Post, Fiontair agus Nuálaíochta, Bóthar Uí Bhriain, Ceatharlach.

Ina theannta sin, is féidir leat faisnéis a fháil faoi fhostaíocht, faoi chomhionannas agus faoi reachtaíocht caidrimh thionsclaíoch ar an láithreán gréasáin workplacerelations.ie.

Má tá éileamh á dhéanamh agat ar theidlíocht do shaoire phoiblí, ba cheart duit leas a bhaint as an bhfoirm nua um ghearán singil agus as na nótaí treorach ar féidir iad a íoslódáil ó workplacerelations.ie.

Tá tuilleadh faisnéise le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.

Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Ghutháin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh: 0761 07 4000

Question

I got a letter about changes to the One-Parent Family Payment. I have been getting it since my husband died in 1998. I have 3 children who are all still in school or college and the youngest is 17. He will turn 18 in 2013 and will do his Leaving Certificate that year. The only other income I have is from a part-time job. Will my payment stop from January 2013?

Answer

In 2013 the age limit for the youngest child does drop to 17 for people who were getting the payment before 27 April 2011. However there is an exception to this limit for children who are aged between 17 and 22 and who are in full-time education. Since your youngest child will be 18 and in full-time education in 2013 payment will continue until the end of the 2012-2013 academic year. The end of the academic year for students who have completed their Leaving Certificate is 23 October of that year.

This means that you can stay on your One-Parent Family Payment until 23 October 2013. You can also continue to get an increase in your payment for your other children (provided they are under 22 and still in full-time education). However after that you may need to apply for another social welfare payment. You will probably need to get advice on the most appropriate payment for your situation – for example you could apply for a Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Pension. You can visit your local Citizens Information Service to look at your options and work out what is the best payment for you.

There have been some other changes to One-Parent Family Payment. In particular the amount of earnings you are allowed to have without affecting your payment has been reduced from €145 to €130 per week. If the gross earnings from your part-time job are over €130 (after you subtract PRSI, pension contributions and trade union subscriptions) your One-Parent Family Payment may be reduced.

Further information is available from Citizens Information Centres and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, call 0761 07 4000.

Know Your Rights columns cover topical subjects every month in a question-and-answer format. They are published by the Citizens Information Board online and syndicated through Citizens Information Services to local newspapers around Ireland.

Ceist

Fuair mé litir faoi athruithe ar an Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora. Bhí an íocaíocht seo á fáil agam ó fuair m’fhear céile bás i 1998. Tá 3 leanbh agam atá ag freastal ar an scoil agus ar an gcoláiste go fóill agus is é an leanbh is óige atá agam 17 mbliana d’aois. Bainfidh sé 18 mbliana amach in 2013 agus tabharfaidh sé faoin Ardteistiméireacht an bhliain chéanna. Is é an t-aon ioncam eile atá agam ioncam ó phost páirtaimseartha. An stopfar le m’íocaíocht a íoc ó Eanáir 2013?

Freagra

Tiocfaidh laghdú chuig 17 mbliana d’aois in 2013 ar an aoisteorainn don leanbh is óige i gcás daoine ag a raibh an íocaíocht á fáil roimh an 27 Aibreán 2011. Is ann d’eisceacht, áfach, don teorainn seo do leanaí atá idir 17 agus 22 bliain d’aois agus atá ag plé le hoideachas lánaimseartha. Ós rud é go mbeidh an leanbh is óige atá agat 18 mbliana agus go mbeidh sé ag plé le hoideachas lánaimseartha i 2013, leanfaidh an íocaíocht chuig deireadh na bliana acadúla 2012-2013. Is é deireadh na bliana acadúla do mhic léinn a chríochnaigh a nArdteistiméireacht an 23 Deireadh Fómhair den bhliain sin.

Ciallaíonn seo gur féidir leat d’Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora a fháil go dtí an 23 Deireadh Fómhair 2013. Ina theannta sin, is féidir leat leanúint ar aghaidh agus méadú ar d’íocaíocht a fháil do do leanaí eile (a fhad agus go bhfuil siad faoi 22 bliain d’aois agus go bhfuil siad ag plé le hoideachas lánaimseartha). Ina dhiaidh sin, áfach, ní mór duit iarratas a dhéanamh ar íocaíocht eile leasa shóisialaigh. Is dócha gur gá duit comhairle a fháil faoin íocaíocht is oiriúnaí do do chás – mar shampla, d’fhéadfá cur isteach ar Phinsean Baintrí, Baintreach Fhir nó Páirtnéara Shibhialta Mharthanaigh. Is féidir leat cuairt a thabhairt ar do Sheirbhís áitiúil Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh d’fhonn do chuid roghanna a fheiceáil agus lena dheimhniú céard í an íocaíocht is fearr duit.

Rinneadh roinnt athruithe eile don Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora. Ach go háirithe, rinneadh an méid tuilleamh a cheadaítear duit a bheith agat gan difear a dhéanamh do d’íocaíocht a laghdú ó €145 go dtí €130 sa tseachtain. Má sháraíonn d’olltuilleamh ó do phost páirtaimseartha €130 (tar éis ÁSPC, ranníocaíochtaí pinsin agus suibscríbhinní ceardchumainn a asbhaint) d’fhéadfadh d’Íocaíocht Teaghlaigh Aontuismitheora bheith laghdaithe.

Tá tuilleadh faisnéise le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.

Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Ghutháin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh: 0761 07 4000