Results 15,341-15,360 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86, 87 and 96 together. It is the Department’s policy not to release the names of host organisations participating in the JobBridge scheme. However, over 12,000 host organisations have participated in the scheme since its inception on 1stJuly, 2011. As at 10thApril 2014, 27,781 interns had participated in JobBridge, of whom 6,666 are currently on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Development Initiatives (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 89 together. This Department is aware of the proposals being advanced by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for the future delivery of local and community initiatives in Fingal. My understanding is that Blanchardstown Area Partnership and Fingal Leader Partnership plan to merge their operations and that Fingal County...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff. Funding of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 to 95, inclusive, 100 and 101 together. In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to reduce unemployment (including long-term and youth unemployment) is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The JobsPlus Incentive was introduced on the 1stJuly, 2013 and replaced the existing Employer Job (PRSI) Incentive Scheme and the Revenue Job Assist. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term on the live register. The incentive is payable, on a monthly basis, over a two year period if the employee is retained in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are 1,726 carer’s allowance appeals currently registered with that office. The workload of the appeals office has increased dramatically in recent years. Up to 2009 the average number of appeals received was 15,000 per annum, whereas in 2012 the number of appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) is an option for those in long-term receipt of jobseeker's payments (for 12 months or more). There are 25,300 places available on the programme for 2014 and a budget of €358m has been earmarked for it this year. An integral part of a participant’s CE experience is the provision of accredited training under the CE Individual Learner Plan (ILP). All...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available at 65, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. State pension age will increase further to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. The State pension (transition) was introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (16 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The figures requested by the Deputy relating to the main health-related payments received and finalised during 2013 and to the end of March 2014, are provided in the following table. A total of 4,501 invalidity pension appeals were received during 2013. A total of 6,968 invalidity pension appeals were finalised during that year. 80.4% of the appeals which were finalised had a successful...

Topical Issue Debate: Youth Unemployment Measures (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Since entering office, the Government has made firm and steady progress on increasing employment and reducing unemployment. Some 61,000 more people were in jobs at the end of 2013 and unemployment has decreased from a crisis peak of 15.1% to 11.8% now. Data published by EUROSTAT, the EU's statistical agency, show that Ireland's unemployment rate is now in line with the eurozone average,...

Topical Issue Debate: Youth Unemployment Measures (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The youth guarantee will be run on a national basis. While it is unlikely that the Department will operate a specific scheme for each of the more than 60 local offices, as well as sub-offices run by contractors to the Department, there will be flexibility to tailor the implementation to local conditions with regard to the cohorts or groups of young people to be selected for engagement in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Court Recommendations (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313, 350 and 351 together. Funding has been allocated for enhanced redundancy of community employment scheme supervisors in the past. To be considered an application for enhanced redundancy must first be made by the employer, Mid-West Cavan Community Employment Project. In this case, no application has been received by this Department from this employer to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments Waiting Times (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a redundancy payment, an employee must: - have at least two years continuous service; - be in employment which is insurable under the Social Welfare Acts; - be over the age of 16; and - must have been made redundant as a result of a genuine redundancy situation meaning that the job no longer exists and he/she is not replaced. It is the responsibility of the employer to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to reduce unemployment (including long-term and youth unemployment) is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy is working. Employment rose by 61,000 during 2013, which represents a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I would like to acknowledge at the outset the valuable contribution that carers make to society. In recognition of this fact, carers receive significant income supports from my Department - among the highest rates of income support in Europe. For example, a person getting certain qualifying payments and also providing full-time care and attention to another person can keep their main social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 4 March 2014 and that the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The information...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13 February 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department incurs expenditure on costs associated with legal cases from Vote 37 Department of Social Protection and the Social Insurance Fund. The following table sets out legal costs paid by the Department for the period 2011 to 14 April 2014 - Year Amount € 2011 1,239,266 2012 453,262 2013 560,825 1/1/2014 – 14/4/2014 289,248 Total: 2,542,601 Costs...