Results 5,241-5,260 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Benefits. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Obviously, there would be a throughput of new people. I agree with the Deputy there are unacceptable delays in some offices. Those offices are being examined by the Department with a view to establishing what additional staffing, overtime or temporary staff are required. A high level review of staffing generally is being finalised and should conclude next week. Additional posts have been...
- Social Welfare Benefits. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I do not envisage the budgetary changes will put an added burden on any of the administrative measures that need to be taken.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Staffing is a matter for the Department and the Secretary General, and that is the reason the high level review is being undertaken.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No Minister determines how many people go to a particular office or who those people are. It is interesting to hear on the one hand that people are looking for a cutback in the number of people working in the Civil Service or public service but on the other they want to see more staff allocated.
- Social Welfare Benefits. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: There are 1,343 people working actively on this. There is huge pressure on staff in many offices. We recognise that and that is the reason we have taken the measures of allocating extra people, providing overtime and putting in temporary staff. This is being kept under constant review, particularly in the offices where there is a particular delay. I repeat, nobody need be destitute or in...
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: A range of education and employment supports are available to persons in receipt of welfare payments to assist and facilitate their return to the active labour force. These measures include the back to work allowance and back to education allowance. The back to education allowance is designed to encourage people on certain social welfare payments to improve their skills and qualifications...
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Deputy is correct in saying that the overall aim of the budget and of the Government is to ensure that people return to work. The responsibility for that rests with all of us. She will have recognised that the budget contained specific measures for small companies and new start-up businesses, and taxation measures that come under the ambit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I believe that was a very positive contribution. It is also very important that the back to education scheme facilitates people on social welfare. The Deputy will be well aware that a few years ago there was serious abuse of the scheme, not, let it be said, by unemployed peopleââ
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: ââbut by people using Ireland as a base to try to get this scheme.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: There is a justification for having timelines. For example, we do not want someone who has just completed his or her leaving certificate examinations drawing the dole.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It does and can happen, but we do not want it to happen.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: They could then remain unemployedââ
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: We do not want to have a student complete the leaving certificate in Juneââ
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: ââand be unemployed until October which would be three or four months.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No, but a person could be unemployed for a shorter periodââ
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: ââand yet not be a legitimate person to benefit from the back to education allowance.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: That would be one reason for having a longer timeframe. People who get statutory redundancy can access it immediately.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: That is one group that can.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The people who are on the employment action plan can get it after nine months. It is important that we ensure it is targeted. I am open to keep this under review. We have seen abuse of it in the past. I am afraid that if we shorten it too much, particularly to three or four months after doing the leaving certificate, we would end up with the wrong people getting it.
- Employment Support Services. (21 Oct 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Statutory redundancy applies to people who have been in employmentââ