Results 3,681-3,700 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy makes it sound like somebody is about to be sent to prison against his or her will. This is about identifying appropriate courses for people and trying to encourage them to take them. Nobody is going tell a person they cannot attend but the Deputy himself has identified people who hang around and who can be found in a pub at 11 a.m. on a Monday morning. These are the people who...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: They will stop being disruptive if their money is cut off.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The targets for the requirement of being available for courses must be those who are full-time unemployed. The people doing part-time work are in many cases not actively seeking work for the remaining two days, but at least they are in employment. Education and training should be available for as many people as possible because the more people upskill the better chance they have in the long...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The difference in the contribution is quite significant. Self-employed people pay 3% whereas employees pay approximately 14%, which includes approximately 10% from the employer. The important thing for them is to be able to access some assistance. This is happening. They can do it based on their current accounts. They are the very people who need to train and upskill. I know of a number...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The important point here is that we are talking about the jobseeker's allowance. When one gets that allowance there is a presumption that one is available for and actively seeking work. One must question whether a person incapable of going into education or training because of drug addiction or personal circumstances is actively seeking work. Perhaps that person should not be on the...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: One is meant to be available when on the jobseeker's allowance. That in itself allows some flexibility.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The intention is to try to steer people into the courses and training most appropriate for them in an effort to support them.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: That is what we are aiming to do.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 7: In page 6, line 48, to delete "section 67, or" and substitute "section 67,". This amendment provides for the exclusion of children leaving the care of the Health Service Executive because of cuts to the jobseeker's allowance on the grounds that applying this measure to these vulnerable individuals would be inherently inequitable. To preserve equity, the amendment...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy appreciates how difficult that would be to achieve. As she said, by the time of the next Social Welfare Bill, which presumably will be within the year, after the next budget, if there are such examples we might be able to legislate for particular difficulties. We can certainly look at them.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 8: In page 6, line 52, to delete "claim under this section."." and substitute the following: "claim under this section, or (d) a claimant has attained the age of 18 years and has not attained the age of 20 years and at any time during the period of 12 months before he or she has so attained the age of 18 yearsâ (i) he or she was in or was placed in the care of the...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I accept the point that there is always a need for changing courses and ensuring they are suitable. I equally accept it is important that people use the skills they have, although I can see a carpenter being very successful at beauty, working with some of us. The skills might be instantly transferable. A great number of additional places have been put in place this year, right across...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I know, but as regards advising people on the courses they do, this does not mean each facilitator having to sit down with each individual participant and working through his or her needs. All the groups I mentioned can work at this too, and then it can be signed off.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: There are plenty of people there to do it, apart from the facilitators. Adult guidance people, for example, offer a very valuable source, as do the local employment services and the partnerships. There is a plethora of bodies, all of which can advise and give information. Hopefully, some of these people might actually take responsibility for themselves as well and take the information....
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: To conclude, giving the clear information is important and will be done. It does not matter from whom they get it or to whom that person is answerable. It is important they get the information from somebody, who at least has their interests at heart, whether it is somebody in the LES or an adult person with the VEC - they are all paid for by the State.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It does not matter whether they answer to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, to me or to anybody else.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: What matters is that the young person is able to access the type of information and guidance he or she needs to be able to avail of the courses on offer.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the VEC lies with the Minister for Education and Science. If the Deputy tables a question to him, she will get that information.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Responsibility for the partnerships lies with the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. If the Deputy tables a question to him, she will get that information. In so many areas, we talk about trying to cut out duplication and agencies overlapping. This is an example of where those agencies and groups will work in a co-ordinated way with young people so that more of them can...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It does not have to be in the legislation.