Note: All Post Offices will also be closed on Bank Holiday Monday, 4 June 2012.

Signing Arrangements for Jobseeker’s Customers

Jobseeker’s Customers who are due to sign at their Local Social Welfare Office on Monday 4 June 2012 will not have to do so. Normal signing arrangements apply for the rest of the week.

Payment Arrangements

EIT – Payment via the Post Office

Payments due on Monday, 4 June 2012 may be collected from Saturday 2 June 2012 (please note that your Post Office may close at lunch-time on Saturday 2 June and not reopen until Tuesday 5 June 2012).

EFT – Payment directly to an account in a financial institution

Payments due on Monday 4 June 2012 will be paid on Friday 1 June 2012.

Read more about the consultation (pdf)

Question

How do I find out if I have penalty points on my driving licence?

Answer

Penalty points are not physically recorded on your licence. They are recorded on your driving licence record, which is held on the National Vehicle and Driver File operated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

If you have committed a driving offence that incurs penalty points you will get a written notice from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) telling you that penalty points are being added to your driving licence. This notice will include your name, address, date, time and location of the driving offence concerned and confirmation of the fact that you either paid the fixed charge for the offence or were convicted in the court of such an offence. The notice will also contain the date on which the notice was issued to you. This is important as the points will only be added to your licence 28 days after this date.

Penalty points have a three-year lifespan. That means they will remain on your current driving licence for a period of 3 years from the start date (effective date). Any period where your licence is out of date won’t count as part of the 3 years. If you accumulate 12 points and are disqualified for a period of 6 months, the points which led to the disqualification are removed at the end of the 6 months.

To find out how many penalty points are on your driving licence record, contact the Road Safety Authority at 1890 41 61 41 and quote your driving licence number.

All penalty points added to your driving licence are also recorded on the Garda Pulse computer system so the Gardaí know how many penalty points you have on your driving licence.

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

Conas a fáil amach an bhfuil aon phointí pionóis ar mo cheadúnas tiomána?

Freagra

Ní dhéantar pointí pionóis a thaifeadadh ar do cheadúnas tiomána go fisiciúil. Taifeadtar iad ar thaifead do cheadúnais tiomána, atá á choimeád ag an gComhad Feithiclí Náisiúnta atá á oibriú ag an Roinn Iompair, Turasóireachta agus Spóirt.

Má rinne tú cion tiomána a dtabhaítear pointí pionóis di, gheobhaidh tú fógra scríofa ón Údarás um Shábháilteacht ar Bhóithre (RSA) a insíonn duit gur cuireadh pointí pionóis le do cheadúnas tiomána. Áireoidh an fógra seo d’ainm, seoladh, dáta, am agus áit an chiona tiomána atá i gceist mar aon le dearbhú gur íoc tú an muirear seasta nó gur ciontaíodh thú sa chúirt i leith an chiona sin. Áireofar leis an bhfógra an dáta a eisíodh duit an fógra chomh maith. Tá sé seo tábhachtach de bharr nach gcuirfear pointí le do cheadúnas ach 28 lá i ndiaidh an dáta seo.

Tá tréimhse saol trí bliana ag pointí pionóis. Ciallaíonn seo go bhfanfaidh siad ar do cheadúnas reatha tiomána ar feadh tréimhse 3 bliana ón dáta tosaigh (dáta na héifeachtachta). Ní chuirfear aon tréimhse ina raibh do cheadúnas as dáta mar chuid de na 3 bliana. Má bhailíonn tú 12 phointe agus má dhícháilítear thú ar feadh 6 mhí, bainfear na pointí a bhí ina n-údar leis an dícháiliú tar éis na 6 mhí.

Chun a fháil amach cé mhéid pointí pionóis atá ar thaifead do cheadúnais tiomána, déan teagmháil leis an Údarás um Shábháilteacht ar Bhóithre ag 1890 41 61 41 agus luaigh uimhir do cheadúnais tiomána.

Ina theannta sin, déantar an uile phointe pionóis a chuirtear le do cheadúnas tiomána a thaifeadadh ar chóras ríomhaire Pulse an Gharda Síochána ionas gurb eol do na Gardaí an méid pointí pionóis atá agat ar do cheadúnas tiomána.

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

I am about to rent a room in an apartment and I will be living with my landlord. What do I need to know?

Answer

As you are living in your landlord’s home, you do not have a standard tenancy agreement. Instead, you have a ‘Licensee Agreement’ with your landlord (this also applies if you are living with the spouse, child or parent of a landlord and you do not have a tenancy agreement or written lease). This means you are in the property by the landlord’s consent or invitation and you are not protected under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Your landlord is not obliged to register with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) and you cannot use the dispute resolution service of the PRTB if a disagreement arises between you and your landlord. You should also be aware of the following:

• Your landlord is not obliged to provide you with a rent book or a statement of rent paid

• Your accommodation does not have to meet any minimum physical standards

• Any notice you may get of the termination of the tenancy is at your landlord’s discretion (although they are obliged to give reasonable notice, the specifics of this notice may vary)

• You are not protected by equality legislation which prohibits discrimination on 9 grounds, including age, sex, religion, race and disability

If you are sharing accommodation with your landlord and are unhappy with the way you are being treated, you could try discussing the situation with him and attempt to resolve any issues between you. If this is not possible you may be able to take your case to the Small Claims Court. This is really the only legal recourse you have as a tenant sharing accommodation with your landlord.

Threshold (threshold.ie) runs a free advisory and mediation service which may help in resolving issues that arise between landlords and tenants.

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

Tá mé ar tí seomra a fháil ar cíos in árasán agus beidh mé i mo chónaí le mo thiarna talún. Céard is gá dom a bheith ar eolas agam?

Freagra

De bharr go mbeidh tú i do chónaí i dteach do thiarna talún, ní bheidh gnáthchomhaontú tionóntachta agat. Ina ionad sin, beidh ‘Comhaontú Ceadúnais’ agat le do thiarna talún (bíonn seo i gceist freisin má bhíonn tú i do chónaí le céile, le leanbh nó le tuismitheoir an tiarna talún agus mura bhfuil agat comhaontú tionóntachta nó léas scríofa). Ciallaíonn seo go bhfuil tú sa réadmhaoin le cead nó le cuireadh an tiarna talún agus nach bhfuil tú á chosaint faoin Acht um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe 2004. Níl aon oibleagáid ar do thiarna talún chun clárú leis an mBord um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe Príobháideacha (PRTB) agus ní féidir leat an tseirbhís um réiteach díospóide den PRTB má tharlaíonn easaontú idir tú féin agus do thiarna talún. Anuas air sin, ba cheart an méid seo a leanas a bheith ar eolas agat:

• Níl aon oibleagáid ar do thiarna talún leabhar cíosa ná ráiteas um chíos íoctha a chur ar fáil duit.

• Ní gá do do chóiríocht aon chaighdeáin íosta fhisiciúla a bhaint amach

• Tá aon fhógra a fhaigheann tú faoi chur i gcrích na tionóntachta faoi lánrogha do thiarna talún (cé go bhfuil oibleagáid orthu fógra réasúnta a thabhairt, d’fhéadfadh mionsonraí an fhógra seo bheith athraitheach)

• Ní chosnaítear thú ag reachtaíocht chomhionannais, a chuireann cosc ar leithcheal ar 9 bhforas, lena n-áirítear aois, inscne, reiligiún, cine agus míchumas

Má tá cóiríocht á roinnt agat le do thiarna talún agus má tá tú míshásta leis an mbealach atá siad ag caitheamh leat, d’fhéadfá iarracht a dhéanamh an cás a phlé leis/léi agus iarracht a dhéanamh chun aon saincheisteanna a réiteach eadraibh. Murar féidir é seo a dhéanamh, d’fhéadfá bheith in ann do chás a thabhairt a fhad leis an gCúirt Mhionéileamh. Seo an t-aon bheart dlíthiúil atá agat, i ndáiríre, mar thionónta a dhéanann cóiríocht a roinnt le do thiarna talún.

Tá seirbhís chomhairle agus idirghabhála saor in aisce á reáchtáil ag Threshold (threshold.ie) a d’fhéadfadh cabhrú le saincheisteanna a réiteach a tharlaíonn idir tiarnaí talún agus tionóntaí.

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

• All ROS Business transactions

• All PAYE Anytime transactions

• All VRT/Transit transactions

How do I apply for Child Benefit for my new baby and when will it be paid?

Answer

When you register a birth in Ireland, the baby is allocated a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number. The Department of Social Protection automatically starts a claim for Child Benefit if the birth is registered within three months:

• If you are not already getting Child Benefit for another child, the Department creates a new claim and sends you a partially completed claim form for your signature and payment details. This form also tells you how to claim for your new baby online.

  (Please note that you can only claim online if the Department invites you to do so.)

• If you are already getting Child Benefit, your new baby is automatically added to your existing claim and payment begins from the month after the birth. The Department will send you a letter confirming payment.

If your child is not born in Ireland, or the birth is not registered within three months, you must fill in a Child Benefit form (CB1). Send the completed form by FREEPOST to the Child Benefit Section, Social Welfare Services, Department of Social Protection, St Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Lo-call: 1890 400 400.

Child Benefit is paid from the month following your baby’s birth. It is paid on the first Tuesday of every month.

If there is any delay in processing your application the payment will be backdated to when you first applied. If you apply more than a year after your baby’s birth the payment may be backdated if you have a good reason for the late application.

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

Conas a dhéanaim iarratas ar Shochar Linbh do mo leanbh nua agus cathain a íocfar é?

Freagra

Nuair a chláraíonn tú breith in Éirinn, leithdháiltear Uimhir Phearsanta Seirbhíse Poiblí (PSP) don leanbh. Tosaíonn an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí éileamh go huathoibríoch ar Shochar Linbh má chláraítear an bhreith laistigh de thrí mhí:

• Mura bhfuil Sochar Linbh á fháil cheana féin agat do leanbh eile, cruthaíonn an Roinn éileamh nua agus seolann siad éileamh chugat atá páirtchomhlíonta chun do shíniú agus chun do shonraí íocaíochta a fháil. Insíonn an fhoirm seo freisin duit conas éileamh a dhéanamh do do leanbh nua ar líne.

  (Tabhair faoi deara nach féidir leat éileamh a dhéanamh ar líne ach amháin má thugann an Roinn an rogha sin duit).

• Má tá Sochar Linbh á fháil cheana féin agat, cuirtear do leanbh nua go huathoibríoch le d’éileamh reatha agus tosaíonn an íocaíocht ón mí i ndiaidh na breithe. Ina theannta sin, seolfaidh an Roinn litir chugat a dhearbhaíonn an íocaíocht.

Murar saolaíodh do leanbh in Éirinn, nó mura gcláraítear an bhreith laistigh de thrí mhí, ní mór duit foirm um Shochar Linbh (CB1) a chomhlánú. Seol an fhoirm chomhlánaithe trí SHAORPHOST chuig an Rannóg an tSochair Linbh, Seirbhísí Leasa Shóisialaigh, an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí, Bóthar Oilibhéir Phluincéid Naofa, Leitir Ceanainn, Contae Dhún na nGall. Lóghlao: 1890 400 400.

Íoctar Sochar Linbh ón mí i ndiaidh bhreith do linbh. Íoctar é ar an gcéad Mháirt de gach mí.

Má bhíonn moill ar d’iarratas a phróiseáil, déanfar d’íocaíocht a shiardhátú chuig an tráth a chuir tú isteach air i dtosach. Má chuireann tú isteach air breis agus bliain tar éis bhreith do linbh, is féidir an íocaíocht a shiardhátú má tá údar maith agat leis an iarratas déanach.

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

Read their advice for anyone planning to drive in another country.

Saorview is the free-to-air digital terrestrial television (DTT) service which will replace analogue television in Ireland. It is owned and managed by RTÉ. When the analogue television service is switched off, analogue television sets will need a set-top box to receive digital television.

Saorsat, a satellite service, will provide access to Irish free-to-air digital television channels and services for those unable to receive Saorview.

More information is available at Saorview.ie and goingdigital.ie.

Your views are now being sought to help in the preparation of the next EU Citizenship Report that will be published in 2013 – The European Year of Citizens.

Find out more on europa.eu.