Results 4,421-4,440 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is a matter for negotiation between the Government and the banks, particularly at the time of recapitalisation. It is one of the criteria mentioned and was a specific part of the framework document published last week. It would be distressing for people if they thought they would also lose their homes. The rescheduling of payments and support available for people through supplementary...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The budget in 2007 provided for new arrangements whereby people can receive a maximum payment equivalent to a half-rate carer's allowance while receiving another social welfare payment, other than jobseeker's benefit or allowance. These measures came into effect in September 2008 and there are currently just over 16,100 people in receipt of half rate carer's allowance and another social...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I never said I was going to cut the half rate for carers.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Nobody ever indicated that I was going to cut it. I never said it was under consideration.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: In fact, I specifically said in a newspaper article that I would not be recommending a change to the half-rate carers' allowance.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: If the Deputy cares to read that interview, which was printed on the day, she will see that I said I would not be recommending it. It arose in the context of a question about major improvements that had been made in the past five years, which led to the social welfare budget now hitting almost â¬20 billion. I pointed to the fact that there had been major increases in pensions, as well as...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106 to 109, inclusive, 113, 121, 123, 128, 134, 135, 153, 315 and 336 together. The average processing times for claims processed in December was two weeks for jobseeker's benefit and five weeks for jobseeker's allowance. That is the average nationally but there are fluctuations between offices. Processing times can vary from office to office for a number of...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Putting more than 200 new staff in place is not waffle.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: These are important people who are ensuring that claims are dealt with as speedily as possible.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: We have also identified priority areas, including Balbriggan, for the Office of Public Works which acquires premises on our behalf. That will ensure that premises can be made available.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The OPW is actively working on our behalf to ensure not only that we will have staff, but also that we will have facilities to deal with people with the dignity and courtesy they deserve.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is correct in saying that of the eight most difficult waiting times in offices, seven are in branch offices. The reason for that, however, is because the decisions are made in the parent office and extra staffing is going into those parent offices.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Whereas I accept there are some offices â just eight in total, I think â where there are quite long waiting times of about ten weeks, in very many other offices the process takes just over a week or maybe two weeks. It is important we acknowledge that.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: In those areas where there is particular pressure, additional staff have been allocated and are being trained. More staff are also moving across from other Departments. The fact we are not recruiting people from outside the public sector but that the people are moving from other offices to our Department will help to speed up the process. We have also requested the Department of Finance to...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: It is important to acknowledge that even in those areas where there are delays in processing the applications, people who are in need of money are not left without it. The community welfare officers pay within a week and continue to pay until the claim is processed.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: I appreciate that community welfare officers are under difficulty, but there is a strong message to send, that even though there are delays in processing in a few areas around the country, nobody in need of money is left without it.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy has referred to two different questions. With regard to carers, the point I made was that the Department of Social and Family Affairs makes the payment to them, but it is the Department of Health and Children that provides respite care, home help, etc.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (3 Feb 2009)
Mary Hanafin: My Department is responsible for ensuring that the â¬20 billion of taxpayers' money goes to the most vulnerable in society. That is a budget we aim to protect.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Jan 2009)
Mary Hanafin: Disability Allowance is a weekly Allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged over 16 and under age 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is subject to both medical assessment and a means test. The person concerned is in receipt of a reduced rate of Disability Allowance of â¬87.40 and a Child Dependant Allowance of â¬26.00....
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Jan 2009)
Mary Hanafin: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which includes mortgage interest supplement, is administered on behalf of the department by the community welfare division of the Health Service Executive. Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of...