Results 2,841-2,860 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I will revert to the Deputy with a reply on the matter. I am aware that the Office of Public Works was informed of the priority of providing a social welfare office in Balbriggan.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I will obtain an update on the matter for the Deputy and have it forwarded to him.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy will be aware that the Minister does not determine who covers for whom and in what area. Issues continue to arise in particular in regard to term time and annual leave, especially in the Department of Social and Family Affairs which in the main comprises female staff.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I acknowledge that we should ensure people do not incur additional delays. However, it should also be noted that big inroads were made in July and August on the number of outstanding claims, which were reduced by more than 20,000.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In only one or two offices.

Departmental Staff. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The main reason is to ensure the management and staff of the particular office are in a position to be able to take it and that the accommodation in that office can facilitate the number of hatches for appointments. It is a straightforward process and will be rolled out. Some claims, such as benefit claims, are very straightforward which is why they can be done in a week in some places. The...

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes was established by the Minister for Finance to examine current expenditure programmes in each Department and to make recommendations for reducing public service numbers to facilitate a return to sustainable public finances. At the special group's request, my Department submitted an evaluation report on the various schemes...

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Decisions have not been made on several of these issues and will not be made until the budget so it is important we be allowed to take time in the deliberative process. The Freedom of Information Act facilitates that, specifically allowing for exclusion of information where a decision has not yet been made. Every decision related to social welfare is linked to the budget so those decisions...

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It would be possible for me to ask but not to answer regarding all of the proposals in the McCarthy report because decisions have not been taken on any of them. In all of our considerations I have made it clear that we examine how a scheme or payment impacts on other schemes and not just in my Department. I want to ensure any decision made in social welfare that relates to children is...

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The only instruction that we have at the moment is to reduce the social welfare budget. It has not been predetermined as to how that is going to be done. When I say that it leads to a debate, I mean that it allows discussion at Government level and in here to take place, in the knowledge of what people are getting, how many of them are getting it, and so on. The fact that a 5% or 3% cut is...

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It does not help people if they feel that they are being threatened from all sides. In our deliberations, we will not take a red pen to different things.

Public Service Numbers and Expenditure. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: We will be looking to see how we interact with other agencies and Departments, and how the cuts are being examined overall. The most sensitive and most difficult area in which to make change is the social welfare budget. It is still a priority and a policy of this Government, no matter what changes we make, that we protect the most vulnerable.

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The mortgage interest supplement scheme provides support for people who have difficulty meeting their mortgage repayments and whose means are insufficient to meet their needs. The scheme provides a short-term income safety net within the overall social welfare system, to ensure that people do not suffer hardship due to loss of employment. A supplement in respect of mortgage interest only...

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: One of the criteria is to look at the time the person took out the mortgage, and whether he or she had an ability to repay it. That is reasonably valid, because the question could be asked as to whether he or she will be able to repay it. It must be asked if the State should continue to pay the mortgage interest for somebody who this time next year might never be able to attain that level...

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is difficult, but it is a legitimate question. One of the other questions is to ask whether the person is in a house that is greater than his or her needs. In other words, are there other ways in which he or she can get an income? Can a room be let out or can the house be shared? That is a valid question when supplementary welfare is being provided to somebody.

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I have had people in my own clinic who have done this. One man with a large house ran into difficulty, and it was suggested to him that the house was bigger than his needs. He told me he was looking to see if he could let out a room, because it is a tax free income. It would give him the same amount of money as he would get from the mortgage interest supplement.

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There is also a protocol that has attached to the financial institutions. No move is to be made on repossession for six months on people who are making a genuine effort to make repayments. The issue that the Deputy raised regarding hours is being considered.

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is a priority that people need to be supported to remain in their own homes. Mortgage interest supplement is only one way of doing that. The mortgage interest supplement will only apply to a relatively small number of people who find themselves in difficulty in repaying their mortgages. People might find themselves in that difficulty by virtue of lower incomes or having lost their job,...

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are other ways. Somebody may be in negative equity and a number of people are very upset-----

Social Insurance. (7 Oct 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There is a number of people who are in negative equity, but that does not mean that they are not able to repay the mortgage. They are still repaying a mortgage which relates to the loan that they took out but unfortunately, the value of the house has declined and that would impact on them if they sold it. Where real support can be given to mortgage holders is with regard to the...