Results 5,701-5,720 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin
- Social Welfare Code. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: They are demand-led schemes. They are designed to be able to support people who fall on hard times with regard to the repayments. If the local welfare officers or others who are dealing directly with these people feel it needs to be tweaked in some way, we can certainly consider that.
- Advocacy Services. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 144 together. The introduction of a personal advocacy service as provided for in the Citizens Information Act 2007 is a priority for the Department. It is proposed to establish the personal advocacy service on a phased basis. An organisational structure has been developed by the Citizens Information Board to meet the needs of the personal advocacy...
- Advocacy Services. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The total funding for advocacy services for this year is â¬6.1 million. There was additional funding included in that in the budget of â¬1.8 million for service development, which would include the advocacy service and the additional post for the PAS. The person has been identified as the appropriate choice for director of the service but sanction from the Department of Finance is...
- Advocacy Services. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No, to my knowledge, the only named post is that of the director, if that is what the Deputy is asking.
- Advocacy Services. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I do not know if the number of posts is specified. I will have to check for the Deputy.
- Price Inflation. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: In the previous Question Time, I indicated that persons over the age of 75 years would not be required to use the social services card. However, I should have stated that they would not be obliged to use it in the first tranche this year. An information campaign will be launched to support them in this regard. Given the discussion on the economic downturn, I wish to reassure people that...
- Price Inflation. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I have discussed the important issue of fuel poverty with the Ministers for Finance, Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Given that fuel price increases affect a considerable number, the Government is anxious to ensure that it does not further disadvantage the vulnerable. The Deputy is wrong in stating that the issue is not being...
- Price Inflation. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: A primary contributor to fuel poverty is not the absence of money to pay for fuel, but the inefficiency of household heating systems. For this reason, the work being carried out by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on housing standards and energy issues is important. It should not just be a case of giving pensioners money to heat houses if that heat is going...
- Price Inflation. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Not necessarily.
- Price Inflation. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: Some 40% of those deaths relate to housing. Given that houses must be of a certain standard, it is important that the Government continue to support initiatives in this regard. Last year, we increased the fuel allowance by one week. Its amount has been increased over a number of years. An income disregard of â¬100 over the contributory pension was introduced for those who could avail of it.
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I welcome the recent research by the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, which clearly demonstrates the considerable progress made by the Government since the publication of its original research entitled, Minimum Essential Budgets for Six Households, in late 2006. This is one of a number of research models and presents some useful information. The updated findings will be studied...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: As I said initially, this is only one of a number of research models. Many models and figures were presented by the various groups I met in recent weeks. They each come up with different measures. One of them is the Vincentian minimum essential budget, which is only one such method. It proposes an income level of â¬265 per week for an unemployed single male. An alternative, which is...
- Anti-Poverty Strategy. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No, therefore, there is no question of us simply adopting one model over the others. The Government has already accepted that there are different cost implications for different groups. The early child care allowance was introduced in the first instance because of the particularly high child care costs involved in rearing very young children. That is why children under the age of six were...
- Industrial Disputes. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The Civil Public and Services Union, CPSU, the union which represents clerical and supervisory grades in the Civil Service, is currently engaged in industrial action in pursuit of a claim for the extension of flexi time bands in the Department. Initially, the industrial action commenced with the withdrawal of co-operation with the implementation of a new time and attendance system by the...
- Industrial Disputes. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I am not aware of any backlog and it is unlikely one would develop at this stage, particularly now that the escalation of the strike has been stood down. It is important that people realise that given that applications must be made in writing, that they will be dealt with. People should download the relevant forms or obtain them from the Department's offices and submit their applications....
- Industrial Disputes. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: No it has not been brought to my intention that there is any danger or likelihood of that happening. It is probably a bit early to be discussing these issues, given that discussions on this matter will take place at the Labour Relations Commission tomorrow and that the advice is to have it resolved before 1 July, which will be next week.
- Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: The question of introducing a paternity benefit payment would depend on establishing an underlying entitlement to statutory paternity leave in the first instance. Responsibility for issues relating to paternity leave rests with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Following commitments made in the social partnership agreement Towards 2016, a working group led by the Department...
- Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It is not possible for the Department of Social and Family Affairs to move ahead without an entitlement being established. However, the establishment of an entitlement to statutory paternity leave comes under the remit of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. That is why we are working together in the working group. The Government has always shown itself to be committed to...
- Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: It is my intention to await the report of the working group, which is due at the end of the year. The group will consider all the implications of the introduction of such a statutory entitlement, including cost and issues relating to competitiveness. These are significant implications which must be considered by each of the relevant Departments. The report is due at the end of the year,...
- Employment Rights. (25 Jun 2008)
Mary Hanafin: I await the outcome of the report.