Results 2,041-2,060 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Social Welfare Cuts: Motion (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Nevertheless, as it is Exchequer money, it is not as though one could suddenly wipe out the rent supplement money by putting people into the RAS scheme.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It will be next year.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Bill will give legislative effect to the relevant measures announced in the 2010 Budget Statement. As Minister for Social and Family Affairs, I am very conscious of the needs of the more than 400,000 people on the live register. I also fully understand a wide range of other groups such as people with disabilities, carers and pensioners depend on the welfare budget for vital support....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Families with children who are dependent on social welfare will be fully compensated for the reduction in child benefit by getting an extra €3.80 per child per week in the qualified child increase paid with their main welfare payment. Approximately 363,300 children are expected to benefit from this. Families who currently receive a half rate qualified child increase because they have...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Consumer prices are back to February 2007 levels, yet after the 2010 budget, the lowest weekly rate of payment for those aged between 25 and 66 will be €10 higher than in 2007. Even after the budget changes, therefore, we will achieve the commitment in the national action plan against poverty to maintain the real value of the lowest social welfare rate in 2007 terms. We have also been...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: However, the changes in last week's budget should be seen in the context of the huge progress made by recent Governments in supports for people with disabilities and carers. Between 1997 and 2009, the increases in the weekly rates of payment to people with disabilities and to carers were more than three times greater than the increase in the cost of living over that period. We have also...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: When I met groups representing carers in the run-up to the budget, their main priority was the retention of the half rate carer's allowance and this payment was maintained in the budget. They also stressed the need for improved supports from the Department of Health and Children and I am glad that, even in a context of much tighter resources, increased funding will be provided next year for...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Not with Fr. Seán Healy.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are many young widows.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Interesting points have been made by Deputies during the debate but to listen to some people, one would think there was not a job left in the country. We are conscious of the numbers on the live register - 413,000 - but 115,000 of those are being supported while in employment. Sometimes we ignore that fact. They are on the live register but they are working part-time or are casual workers....

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Deputy O'Mahony was not even here. A total of €70 million was announced for the flood relief programme. This is immediate work that must be done-----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Deputy Reilly was not here either.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: A total of €70 million was supplied for the flood relief programme and this will provide not only valuable work, but also valuable employment for people. The retrofitting scheme as part of a warmer homes programme will provide employment for an extra 5,000 people so these are all----

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: ----jobs stimulus which will ensure that young people, among others, will be able to get jobs. In addition, I cite the increased money being given for tourism, the extra millions being given directly to the food industry and the employment stabilisation fund. Deputy Burton referred to the situation in which employers are unable to give full-time employment to people and they will be allowed...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: My amendments recognise that there are people who do not have sufficient education and training to be able to benefit from whatever employment is available or will be available. I recognise that there is a difference in the older age group who may be graduates and who may be very well qualified. For that reason, my next amendment includes work placement in the scheme. They may not need...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The whole work placement scheme has been completely revised because when it was launched with very good intent, employers came back to us with the case that if they were an employer of fewer than ten people, they would be unable to take someone on but now it has been changed and they will be able to do so. We have shortened the length of time which a person has to be on the live register and...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: This recognises there are people who are able to provide targeted different approaches. It is a little unfair of Deputies in talking about FÁS to criticise much of the local provision. There is no question about the need for the new legislation which the Tánaiste is introducing on reform of FÁS at the top level and its governance. However, local FÁS training offices around the country...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Community employment schemes and work experience projects play a very valuable role. The local authorities are one group of people who have offered to take people but in these circumstances one always needs the full co-operation of the trade unions. We must ensure that taking in young people does not involve job displacement because jobs must be protected. There is plenty of scope and I...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----to take the education, training and work placement and not to be destined to be one of the 423,000 people on the live register, but one of the 1.9 million people who are still working in this country. It will ensure that we turn that corner and get more of them back into work quickly.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (11 Dec 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 2: In page 5, lines 21 to 24, to delete paragraph (b) and substitute the following: "(b) in section 142A (inserted by section 6(c) of the Act of 2009)— (i) in subsection (1)(a), by substituting "22" for "20", (ii) by substituting the following paragraph for subsection (4)(a): "(a) the period of interruption of employment commenced on or before 30 December 2009 and...