Results 3,801-3,820 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Other than from the social welfare budget.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, I find that comment offensive.

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Section 1(6) of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 provided that Sections 8, 22, 24, 26 to 29 (Part 4) and Part 5 of that Act would come into effect by Commencement Order. The position in relation to those sections is as follows: Section 8 was commenced by Statutory Instrument No. 112 of 2009 and will come into effect on 1 January 2010. Section 22 provides for the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The legislation governing entitlement to Disability Allowance currently provides that a person shall be disqualified from receipt of the allowance while she or he is resident, whether temporarily of permanently, outside the State. This is a standard provision in legislation and applies equally to a range of other schemes operated by the Department. Exceptionally, Disability Allowance may...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The details requested are not immediately available in my Department but are being compiled and my officials will write to the Deputy when this information is available.

Written Answers — Equal Opportunities Employment: Equal Opportunities Employment (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: My Department currently exceeds the 3% national employment target of people with a disability set out in the Disability Act 2005. The following table sets out the number of staff with a disability employed in my department since the introduction of monitoring by the National Disability Authority under the Disability Act 2005. This information is based on self disclosure questionnaire/census...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I thank the Deputies for contributing to this Social Welfare Bill, which takes into account not only provisions that need to be implemented regarding social welfare but also other provisions, particularly from the Department of Health and Children. The Department of Finance must also be considered in this regard because of the timely nature of this Bill. As I indicated last night, a number...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The senior Traveller training centres provide approximately 1,000 places. Youthreach provides approximately 3,700 places. Adult literacy, which is hugely important,-----

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----provides approximately 50,000 places. The Department will give the young people coming in details of their local VECs, of where courses are available, and of FÁS training programmes so that they can immediately get the information and get themselves signed up to courses. Obviously, it is important that they would do courses that can help them-----

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----to gain future employment.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Indeed, FÁS is offering a range of places, in everything from engineering-related courses to pre-employment courses. Whether it is sports and leisure or electronics and industrial servicing, courses range right across the spectrum.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are additional places, as I have indicated. As announced at the time of the budget, between the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Education and Science, it is proposed that an additional 23,500 places are being provided and this provides more than enough scope to facilitate such 18 and 19 year olds. Bearing in mind there are a number of these young people who will not...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is important that one builds in a time because it would get out of control.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: We have made a genuine effort on this, in reducing the time, which will help facilitate people. Perhaps the following has been clarified for Deputy Enright. There was a little confusion on the back to work enterprise scheme. In fact, there are now two separate schemes that can be accessed. This is an important development. There are many people, particularly those who, unfortunately, have...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----and it is a jump for them, we did not reduce the rates. If they got social housing in the morning or if they were put on the RAS scheme in the morning, they would end up having to pay more.

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: For example, I mentioned that in Dublin city tenants must pay €25.80. In Dún Laoghaire the figure is €25 and in other counties around the country it is even more. It is important to align the two more closely. When I mentioned the rent reductions I indicated that different percentages would be applied. Of course the rents for different types of accommodation have not all reduced to...

Social Welfare Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: This Bill ensures the encouragement and support of people in going back to education and work, as well as introducing the measures crucial to budgetary matters.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 533, 538 to 540, inclusive, and 551 together. In order to incentivise 18 and 19 year old jobseekers to avail of education and training opportunities and try to prevent their becoming welfare dependent from a young age, changes are being made to the Jobseeker's Allowance. The rate of Jobseeker's Allowance that will be paid to new claimants under the age of 20...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Payment of Illness Benefit, to the person concerned, was discontinued from 22 November 2008 following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. An appeal was opened 27 November 2008 and, in the context of that appeal, her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor on 2 January 2009 who also expressed the opinion she was...

Written Answers — National Carer's Strategy: National Carer's Strategy (22 Apr 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are no plans to reconsider the decision not to publish a National Carer's Strategy at this time. During 2008 an interdepartmental group, chaired by the Department of the Taoiseach, with secretariat support provided by my Department, undertook work, including a public consultation process to develop a National Carers' Strategy. However, because of the prevailing economic situation, it...