Results 3,741-3,760 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: If the fund does not have sufficient money, pensioners will not be able to get it.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: One must remember that the legislation relates to insolvent companies and funds in deficit.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Unlike the State pension, which is guaranteed, a guarantee does not apply if a fund does not have sufficient money.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: " "Act of 1979" means the Health Contributions Act 1979;". Amendment No. 2 is a technical amendment to include the Health Contributions Act 1979 in the definitions. Amendment No. 20 is a new section which replaces section 12, as published. It contains mainly technical amendments to the original provision....
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I appreciate the case outlined by Deputy Enright. It is a very difficult situation and it is difficult for families and couples. Unfortunately, unless these measures are taken now, we will not be able to get the correct balance between our income and expenditure. The Government, in this budget and the previous one, made great strides in cutting back on expenditure and the increases in the...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Who said they were well off?
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Of course they are not. Neither are Deputy Shortall's constituents.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I know my constituents better than does Deputy Shortall.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I assure Deputy Shortall I know my constituents quite well and certainly know them much better than she knows them.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I accept there are many families who are suffering as a result of the budget and I appreciate it is very difficult for people. Nobody likes the decisions which had to be taken, but they had to be fair and progressive.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: People of all sectors were hit and people at the higher levels were hit more. When one looks at measures such as the income levy and the health contribution levy, one realises the higher earners are the people who pay the higher percentage. The percentages of the health levy range from 2% up to 5%, so those on higher incomes are paying the highest rate on that. Deputy Shortall mentioned the...
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The people who are earning most will also pay more into that pension. Reform of the public service and Civil Service is a core part of the work we are doing. Fine Gael and the Labour Party came forward with some suggestions, none of which would have come up with the type of savings which had to be brought about in this budget.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: If we had taken even more out of expenditure, serious damage would have been done to education, health and services to people all over the country, and there would have been a justifiable outcry.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It was a difficult situation and the Government had to balance the budget properly and did so.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy also mentioned the interest relief for landlords. That was reduced to 75% for this year.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The pension fund issue was dealt with in the last budget, where the limits were set.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: All the issues that have been raised have been dealt with and are being dealt with.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I appreciate it is difficult for families but at least this way the health levy is progressive, as it goes from 2% to 5%.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: This is being included in the legislation.
- Social Welfare Bill 2009: Committee Stage (28 Apr 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The budget has been well debated. I can assure Deputy Enright that we did go through every Department's expenditure line by line, but where savings have been found the Opposition has opposed every single one without coming forward with other suggestions about where to save money within those same Departments.