Results 18,301-18,320 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (19 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Details of the number of staff assigned to each of the offices in question are shown in Table A of the attached tabular statement. The recruitment embargo has not impacted on the staffing of the offices in question. In relation to the Department's Carrigaline office, work is in train on the assignment of four permanent staff. However, temporary staff are in place pending the assignment of...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (19 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Work Placement Programme is designed to offer unemployed people, including unemployed graduates, the opportunity to obtain quality work experience. It is administered by FÁS under the aegis of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. There are two streams under the programme. One is for unemployed graduates who have attained a full award at level 7 or above on the National...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme provides for a weekly or monthly supplement to be paid in respect of rent or mortgage interest to any person in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered by the community welfare service of the Health Service Executive on behalf of the Department. The purpose of the rent...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. The 2009 Supplementary Budget introduced new arrangements for access to rent supplement. In order to qualify for a rent...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The back to education allowance is a second chance educational opportunities scheme for people on welfare payments who wish to participate in full time education and who would not otherwise be able to do so. In order to qualify for participation, an applicant must be in receipt of a relevant social welfare payment for 3 months if pursuing a second level course or 12 months if pursuing a...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I commend all those who responded so quickly at a local and national level to the terrible devastation caused by the flooding and rain in recent days. We have all witnessed the way in which Government agencies, community groups and volunteers have worked together to try to alleviate the problems experienced by people. Today, I met the emergency co-ordinating team which draws on everyone...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: This will support people by providing the essentials they will need to rebuild their lives and homes whether furniture, carpets or the replacement of goods. We will start immediately setting out who might qualify for it and how and why.

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is not the first time that we have had such a fund. We had one in 2004 to respond to the flooding in Clonakilty and Clonmel and in 2002 to respond to the flooding around the Tolka in Dublin. We have established a framework. We are anxious to draw on local knowledge, not just on the community welfare officers but the local authorities, whether the engineer, the town clerk depending on...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Our intention is to distribute it through the community welfare officers. We have met today and will meet again tomorrow to set out exactly how to notify people about applying for this fund. People will only realise the real impact on their homes over the next few days and then they can fall back on this humanitarian assistance. Meanwhile, the exceptional needs and urgent needs funding is...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Which Aire?

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is a hardship fund so some element of means testing must be involved. Nonetheless, I accept what previous speakers said about having too much bureaucracy. We will try to avoid that. In answer to Deputy Hogan's point, I believe that community welfare officers are the right people to do this work because they have local knowledge. Good and all as the Red Cross is, it is not locally...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In the past, that fund has not supported businesses because they normally have insurance cover.

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: We will have to assess those to see what the need is, but it is intended as a humanitarian fund for individuals and families. It is not our intention that the fund would be restricted geographically, but we will be doing an immediate assessment of the requirements. It is only when the floods abate that we will see the genuine need for replacement of goods and furniture. Urgent needs are...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I accept that community welfare officers are under a great deal of pressure and I recognise that they will require further resources in order to be in a position to administer the fund. My Department, in conjunction with the groups to which I referred earlier, will consider the level of resources required and the mechanisms best suited to delivering the money.

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The issue raised by Deputy O'Rourke about insurance companies is important. It is critical that they face up to their responsibilities because the humanitarian aid and exceptional needs payments, etc., are generally given to people who do not have insurance. The insurance companies need not think that the State will step in and relieve them of their responsibilities. We will get that...

Flood Relief: Statements. (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Exceptional and urgent needs payments are being paid out immediately by community welfare officers for people who need immediate basics such as food, shelter, accommodation, bedding and furniture. The welfare officers have been paying that and will continue to pay it. Those payments are not a cash limited fund because they are made on a one-to-one basis based on the needs of the person. We...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In the revised Programme the Government accepts the need to provide legal recognition for transsexuals in their acquired gender. I will be moving to progress this matter in the immediate future. The means by which legal recognition will be effected may include legislation and in any event will require careful consideration and consultation.

Written Answers — Child Support: Child Support (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Child benefit is a monthly payment made in respect of qualified children to assist in the costs associated with child rearing and in the alleviation of poverty in larger families. Currently the standard monthly rates of child benefit in respect of single births are €166.00 in respect of each of the first and second child and €203.00 for the third and subsequent children. In addition,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The operation of the back to education scheme has been reviewed and modified over the years to ensure it continues to remain relevant to those needing support. Expenditure levels for the Department are being considered as part of the estimates and budgetary process for 2010. All social welfare schemes are being examined as part of this deliberative process. Improvements to the back to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The number of people, on a county basis, who received the Christmas bonus payment in 2008, is not available. The total number of recipients of the Christmas bonus in 2008 was 938,657 at a total cost of €201.73 million. Statistics on overall welfare recipient numbers are published at county level in the Department's Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services publication. These...