Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I move amendment No. 1:

To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following:

noting that the average processing time nationally for jobseeker's benefit was three weeks in February and that the average for the jobseeker's allowance was six weeks;

welcoming the provision of extra staff to social welfare local offices and the process improvement initiatives and other steps that have been taken to reduce delays;

acknowledging that jobseekers may get a supplementary welfare allowance from the community welfare officer while they are awaiting a decision on their claim;

recognising that the HSE is currently reviewing the allocation of staff engaged in the delivery of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme and associated income support payments in the context of the Government policy on public service manpower levels;

appreciating the importance of the mortgage interest supplement scheme in assisting mortgage holders and the provision of almost €30 million for that scheme in 2009;

welcoming the publication of the statutory code of conduct on mortgage arrears;

valuing the role of the money advice and budgeting service, MABS, in helping people to organise their debts and make arrangements with debtors and the Legal Aid Board in providing legal advice to people with debt problems;

recognising that 90% of callers to the MABS helpdesk get the assistance they need over the phone without having to make an appointment;

noting that the MABS is represented on the Legal Aid Board's consultative panel and that the two organisations do and will work together;

further noting the commitment of the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to continuing to review legislation including the Enforcement of Court Orders Acts 1926 and 1940 and the Bankruptcy Act 1988; and

recognising the review in the current Law Reform work programme on the examination on debt enforcement and securing interests over personal property; supports the Government's determination to:

take further steps to reduce processing times in offices where they are much longer than the national average and to ensure that jobseekers receive financial and other supports as early as possible;

continue to publicise the supports that are available through the MABS and to encourage people to contact them early before their debt problems accumulate;

ensure that the MABS continues to play a vital role in negotiating with creditors on behalf of people with debts;

assert that civil debt is generally a matter best mediated between the two parties involved;

acknowledge that the current legislation includes safeguards that are there to ensure that imprisonment is a final resort and is invoked for breach of a court order or contempt of court; and

note that it is necessary in the interests of competitiveness and the rule of law that third parties can ultimately rely on the courts to ensure that contracts can be enforced.

I wish to share my time with Deputy Cyprian Brady and Deputy Dara Calleary.

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