Results 15,361-15,380 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: During the period in question, the Department has not incurred any expenditure on public relations. The Department has, however, used the services of one external public relations firm for management training purposes, details of which are outlined as follows. There are no estimated costs relating to external public relation expenditure for 2014. Year Company Function Cost 2012 Carr...

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

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on 27 March 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take up to 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. It is the Department's policy to pursue all debts with the aim of recouping the money owed within the shortest possible timeframe. To this end, the department may withhold any arrears due to a customer and/or implement weekly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance 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 27 February 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 Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 324 and 325 together. While I am aware of the funding challenges facing the Irish Airlines Staff Superannuation Scheme and indeed many other pension schemes at this time, you will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on these developments as these are a matter for the management of the company and the trustees of the relevant pension...

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

Joan Burton: Following a review of the jobseeker’s allowance claim of the person concerned, his weekly means were re-assessed by a Deciding Officer of the Department as €107.00 per week based on his spouse’s earnings for employment. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received in that office on 19 February 2014. It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, was set up to provide short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. This initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta. Tús is designed to break the cycle of unemployment, and maintain work readiness...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The JobsPlus Incentive was introduced on 1 July, 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 full...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The application for disability allowance from the person concerned was disallowed on the 9 April 2014 on the grounds that his weekly means were in excess of the statutory limit allowed for a person in his circumstances. If the person concerned wishes to have this decision reviewed he should request same and send in any additional relevant information to the Department and his claim will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The reply to the previous Parliamentary Question set out the procedure for applying for a PPS Number where the applicant is present in the State. Where a person is resident abroad, either permanently or temporarily, and requires a PPS Number, he or she may apply by means of a postal process. The required forms must be completed and returned along with evidence of identity and address to the...

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: JobBridge has made very significant progress since it came into operation on 1stJuly 2011. As at 3rdApril 2014, 27,506 internship placements have commenced with 6,603 participants currently on a JobBridge placement and 2,588 internship posts currently advertised on the JobBridge website. To date, 209 internship placements have been taken up in County Longford. Of this 53 are currently on a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons who have been prescribed a special diet, including gluten free, as a result of a specified medical condition. The numbers in receipt of the scheme have been declining in recent years from 12,000 in 2006 to a current figure of some 5,800 which is expected to cost around...

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 8 April 2014. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Complaints Procedures (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to delivering a high quality customer service to all its customers. In 2013, the Department delivered weekly social welfare payments to 1.5 million customers, answered 8.3 million telephone calls, processed 2.1 million applications and carried out 1.1 million control reviews. The Department’s wide range of schemes and services are delivered by a staff of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The Government has provided over €344 million for the scheme in 2014, expenditure on a county basis is not available. There...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance is a means tested payment. In order to determine the person concerned means, his file was sent to a Social Welfare Investigator (SWI) for interview. The person concerned was due to meet with the SWI on 8 April 2014 in relation to this matter but the person had to cancel the arrangement. An alternative arrangement will be made by the SWI to interview the person as soon...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 341 and 355 together. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. The person referred to by the Deputy is not in receipt of rent supplement from the Department. The maximum rent limits under the rent supplement scheme are comprehensively reviewed every 18...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Services Card (15 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, a rules based standard for establishing and authenticating an individual’s identity for the purposes of access to public services. This programme of work, which is known as Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE for short, also provided for the introduction...

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 08thApril 2014. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the...