Results 20,241-20,260 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection is improving the provision of training and work experience for CE participants on Community Employment overall. Recent developments have focused on CE schemes involved in supporting community child-care services and on CE participants who wish to pursue a career in child-care while on CE. These developments reflect the findings of a number of recent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: In 2013 my Department will spend an estimated €211 million on the fuel allowance scheme providing some 410,000 customers with an additional €20 per week paid in addition to their social welfare payment for 26 weeks. In addition, an estimated €284 million will be spent on the household benefits scheme, providing some 410,000 customers with a package worth almost...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Community Employment Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The person concerned has been a participant in the Blanchardstown Centre for the Unemployed Community Employment Scheme from 19th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Placements (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I wish to advise that the Department has stringent measures in place to regularly monitor internships and to investigate alleged abuse of the Scheme. The Department takes very seriously any allegations of failure to comply with the conditions of the Scheme. It is open to any individual to alert the Department to potential abuse of the Scheme but it is important that they do so in a way that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG) was established in 2010 to advise the Government on the legislation required to give legal recognition to the acquired gender of transgender persons. The Report of the Group, which recommends a scheme for the legal recognition of transgender persons, was approved by the Government on 12 July 2011, and was subsequently published on 14 July 2011. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of Tús is to focus on those people who are long-term unemployed. For this reason, eligibility is at present confined to those on the Live Register for 12 months and in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance. These provisions are to ensure a targeted approach to those currently affected by long-term unemployment. Eligible persons are being identified by the Department by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th February 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in to an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made a claim to jobseeker’s assistance on 14th December 2012. It was not possible to make a decision on his application based on the information received, and, accordingly, he was requested to provide additional documentation in support of his claim. Upon receipt of this documentation his claim will be processed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was paid a total of €100 on his recent jobseeker’s allowance claim. Arrears were withheld as he failed to attend the social welfare local office to explain why he did not collect a number of basic supplementary welfare payments while awaiting a decision on his jobseeker’s allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: Control is an integral part of the day-to-day operations of the Department and all staff involved in the administration of the various social welfare schemes are acutely aware of the need to implement appropriate controls at every stage of the process. Control staffing resources have remained fairly constant over the period 2010 – 2012 and, currently, there are in the region of 650...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department exchanges information with other Government Departments and agencies for the purpose of the control of schemes. My Department has an extensive legal structure to support the sharing of data for the purpose of controlling the entitlement and payment of benefits. These provisions are contained in section 261 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005. The Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: GPs and Hospital Doctors who have successfully registered with the Department are authorised to issue medical certs to customers who present themselves as unfit for work. They also complete medical reports for customers for the various illness and disability related schemes, as required. In the case of Illness Benefit, the Department initially accepts the GP’s opinion regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Issues (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The objective of the social protection system is to promote active participation in society through the provision of income supports, employment services and other services. It does this in order to attain better outcomes in tackling poverty for children and families, people of working age and older people. The Department does not control how benefits are actually spent. It is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Numbers (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The JobBridge Scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation. 15,615 internships have commenced as at 14th March 2013 with 5,939 participants on an internship and 2,377 internship opportunities advertised on as of that date. The recent interim independent evaluation of the Scheme conducted by Indecon Independent Economic Consultants found that 61% of individuals who...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Numbers (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: Partial capacity benefit (PCB), which I introduced in February 2012, provides an opportunity for people with disabilities, to avail of employment opportunities while continuing to receive an income support payment from the Department. The scheme is designed to facilitate greater levels of participation by people with disabilities in the open labour market – to date nearly 1,100...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Working Groups (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: This interdepartmental Working and Retirement Group was initiated to consider cross departmental policy issues that may support longer working and thereby improve the sustainability and adequacy of pensions systems. The sustainability of the pension system is a particular concern because of the demographic challenges Ireland faces, the associated increases in pension and other age related...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: There is a range of prescribed diets for persons with a medical condition. The person concerned does not qualify for a diet supplement payment for her child because diabetes is not covered on the list of prescribed diets that qualify for a diet supplement.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Appeals (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a Jobseeker’s Allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th January 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: A statement of the contributions paid and credited, as shown in the records of my Department, has issued to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 31st January 2013, 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 Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...