Results 16,261-16,280 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Code. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Department is aware that they do not apply in the case of many people. This is the reason flexibility may be shown. I will ensure that deciding officers are aware that they have such flexibility and may exercise it. The people in difficulty to whom the Deputy refers should also be aware that they may qualify for many supplementary benefits.
- Social Welfare Code. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I do not believe new guidelines are required because flexibility is available. We will, however, make the deciding officers aware that they may show flexibility.
- Social Welfare Fraud. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. More than 600 staff at local, regional and national level are engaged on a full-time or part-time basis on work related to the control of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system. Last year, almost â¬476 million in social welfare payments was saved through fraud...
- Social Welfare Fraud. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is not possible to indicate exactly how much each individual inspector was doing.
- Social Welfare Fraud. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The important issue is the amount of money saved through anti-fraud measures. As the Deputy indicated, we all agree on the importance of such measures. The Department has set significant new targets for this year. Savings of â¬476 million through anti-fraud measures are significant. The processing of applications by inspectors or other departmental staff is an anti-fraud measure in itself...
- Social Welfare Fraud. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: When one sets targets at the beginning of the year it is not always possible at the end of the year to know what additional measures or initiatives would be needed or put in place. As I have already said, 600 staff are working on this, dealing with millions of claims and payments.
- Social Welfare Fraud. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: They are doing more interviews with people to check if they are genuinely looking for work. They are working particularly on target groups, which are high risk groups. These groups include 18 to 25 year olds, people who were put on an employment action plan and are still on the live register and those who have been put on suspended payments, whom we are targeting in particular. Regarding...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of mortgage interest. The purpose of the supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments for a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists only with the interest portion of the...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is far better to keep people in their homes and the fear that they might lose their home is an added worry when they lose their jobs. A number of people have responsibility for this matter. The financial institutions themselves must ensure they are willing to reschedule payments from people who find themselves in difficulty. We have flagged this as part of any recapitalisation...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is a matter for negotiation between the Government and the banks, particularly at the time of recapitalisation. It is one of the criteria mentioned and was a specific part of the framework document published last week. It would be distressing for people if they thought they would also lose their homes. The rescheduling of payments and support available for people through supplementary...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The budget in 2007 provided for new arrangements whereby people can receive a maximum payment equivalent to a half-rate carer's allowance while receiving another social welfare payment, other than jobseeker's benefit or allowance. These measures came into effect in September 2008 and there are currently just over 16,100 people in receipt of half rate carer's allowance and another social...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I never said I was going to cut the half rate for carers.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Nobody ever indicated that I was going to cut it. I never said it was under consideration.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: In fact, I specifically said in a newspaper article that I would not be recommending a change to the half-rate carers' allowance.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: If the Deputy cares to read that interview, which was printed on the day, she will see that I said I would not be recommending it. It arose in the context of a question about major improvements that had been made in the past five years, which led to the social welfare budget now hitting almost â¬20 billion. I pointed to the fact that there had been major increases in pensions, as well as...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 to 109, inclusive, 113, 121, 123, 128, 134, 135, 153, 315 and 336 together. The average processing times for claims processed in December was two weeks for jobseeker's benefit and five weeks for jobseeker's allowance. That is the average nationally but there are fluctuations between offices. Processing times can vary from office to office for a number of...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Putting more than 200 new staff in place is not waffle.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: These are important people who are ensuring that claims are dealt with as speedily as possible.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: We have also identified priority areas, including Balbriggan, for the Office of Public Works which acquires premises on our behalf. That will ensure that premises can be made available.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The OPW is actively working on our behalf to ensure not only that we will have staff, but also that we will have facilities to deal with people with the dignity and courtesy they deserve.