Results 16,381-16,400 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 362, 387 and 410 together. The Department does not collect statistics on the FETAC qualifications of JobBridge interns. However, an independent evaluation of the scheme found that 35.9% of interns hold qualifications below primary degree level, with 22.4% of interns having a postgraduate qualification. The evaluation also found that 53.9% of graduate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The changes made in restructuring the community welfare service in Athy and the reasons for the changes were outlined to the Deputy in my reply to PQs Nos. 123 of 23 January 2014 and 128 of 28 January 2014. Similar restructuring has taken place in other areas in the county and these are listed in the table below. As I outlined in my previous replies, the community welfare service in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Anti-Social Behaviour (28 Jan 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 and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently approximately 80,000 rent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, to ensure that the best use is made of all available resources with a view to providing an efficient service to those who rely on the schemes operated by the Department. This includes meeting commitments under the Pathways to Work programme to provide opportunities, support and assistance to people on the Live...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: In response to the Deputy's query, my Department took on two JobBridge interns between September 2013 and January 2014. Neither of the interns were taken on from County Louth.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 20 January 2014 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Appeals (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22 January 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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Services Card (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection, in conjunction with a number of other Government Departments, has developed 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 the Standard Authentication Framework Environment or SAFE for short, provides for a number of levels...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department has to operate within an employment control framework (ECF) target, as determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context, the staffing needs for all areas within the Department, including those relating to the social welfare inspectorate in County Kerry, are continuously reviewed. This takes account of workloads, management priorities and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Pensions Issues (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: A person under the age of 66 who ceases to be covered by compulsory PRSI may opt to become a voluntary contributor, provided certain conditions are satisfied. The Voluntary Contribution scheme can only be availed of by those who have ceased compulsory insurance (as an employed or self-employed contributor) and do not have an entitlement to credited contributions. Application to become a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The British Irish Council meeting, held in Jersey on the 15th of November 2013, discussed the current economic situation in the Member Administrations with a particular focus on youth employment. The Council, building on its previous discussions on youth employment, exchanged views and examined progress on the various policy initiatives and programmes aimed at helping young people into...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: Domiciliary care allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment to the carer of a child, under 16 years, with a severe disability that requires care and attention substantially in excess of that needed by a child of the same age without the disability. The allowance is not means tested. DCA is one of a range of supports provided for children with disabilities. The payment when first introduced in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (28 Jan 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 allow 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: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 8th August 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors whose opinion was that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 11th September 2013 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: Deserted wife's benefit (DWB) is a payment made to a woman deserted by her husband. A six week after death payment cannot be made in respect of a DWB customer. A six weeks payment after death is made where a person who is in receipt of a benefit which includes an increase in respect of a qualified adult, or where the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is in receipt of any benefit in his...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 to 382, inclusive, together. Intreo is a single point of contact for all employment and income supports. Intreo offices provide a more streamlined approach with tailored employment services and supports for jobseekers and employers alike. Intreo offices currently refer jobseekers to Local Employment Services (LES) and will continue to do so when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: My Department operates a range of means tested schemes and these schemes are administered through a network of local and central offices throughout the country. Means testing is an integral part of the administration process to decide if there is an entitlement or a continuing entitlement to a payment and the amount of that payment for a range of schemes and allowances. The means of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax Code (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: Employment under the Community Employment (CE) programme is subject to PRSI, which provides the employee with access to a wide range of long and short term social insurance benefits. CE participants are insured at Class A8/A9 PRSI, which gives them a paid contribution for each week, as with other Class A workers. Where the employee's weekly earnings exceed €352 per week, employee...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Protection (28 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department takes its responsibilities in relation to data protection and internal control very seriously. Every effort is made to ensure that personal customer data is used solely for business purposes and that it is not compromised in any way. Records of data accesses are kept and are subject to audits. All cases of suspected data breaches are investigated. The Department has data...