Results 20,321-20,340 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 169 and 170 together. 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 overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Payments (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The minimum contribution that the person concerned must make towards their Mortgage Interest is €32 per week. As the minimum contribution payable by the person, exceeds the current weekly amount of mortgage interest payable, I regret to advise you that the person concerned has no entitlement to the Mortgage Interest Supplement at this point in time.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: In March 2010 the Government decided that the employment and community services programmes of FÁS should transfer to the Department of Social Protection. All staff in FÁS assigned to the transferring activities transferred to the Department. In relation to central and regional support staff, FÁS invited staff from these functional areas to express an interest in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Numbers (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: Non-Irish citizens made up 18% of the Live Register in February 2013 (76,829 persons). The absolute numbers of non-Irish citizens on the Live Register has declined from a peak of 81,266 in February 2010 (a fall of 5% compared to a fall of 1% of Irish citizens on the Live Register over the same period). Non-Irish citizens made up 18% of the total persons at work, according to the Census in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: Further to my response to Parliamentary Question Ref. No. 24048/12 on 15 May 2012, I am advised that the person concerned has not submitted additional or supplementary medical evidence in support of his application. The Deciding Officer’s formal decision disallowing invalidity pension to the person concerned issued in October 2011. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Transport (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: On taking office the Government reformed the transport arrangements for Ministers which has reduced the costs of travel. The Government decision involved confining the use of State cars from 1 May 2011. As a result, the average cost of providing transport has been reduced by 65% - from an average cost of €280,000 per minister in 2010 to a current annual estimate of €100,000 per...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Application Numbers (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together. A major initiative to eliminate FIS backlogs has been in progress since November 2012 and is due to complete at the end of this month. FIS claims, both new and renewal, received on or after 5 November 2012 are currently being processed on receipt. At the beginning of November 2012, there were over 15,000 new and renewal claims awaiting...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Application Numbers (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 179 together. The DA backlogs are currently being eliminated, following the roll-out of a new service delivery modernisation system and a business process improvement initiative. The target is to have the backlog of disability allowance applications processed by the end of Quarter 2 2013. At present, there are approximately 6,700 applications for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Application Numbers (27 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. A major initiative to eliminate carer’s allowance backlogs has been in progress and is due to complete at the end of this month. Back at the beginning of September 2012, when the initiative started, there were over 10,000 carer’s allowance applications awaiting decision. At present, carer’s allowance applications...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The aim of CE remains as an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment and/or further education and training. The programme is managed within this context, with consideration to the availability of resources and the needs of participants and the community. The main cohort of CE participants is made up of the long-term unemployed in receipt of jobseekers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 12th December 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who was of the opinion that the caree was not medically eligible for carer’s allowance. The person in question was also working in excess of 15 hours per week....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (28 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 11th September 2012. 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 Welfare Appeals Office on 19th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: Payment of disability allowance, to the person concerned, was refused by a Deciding Officer following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for disability allowance. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal has been opened and in the context of that appeal, her case was reviewed by a second...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: The European Court of Justice has recently ruled that pensioners living outside the United Kingdom who are receiving a UK State pension are entitled to be paid the UK winter fuel payment. This fuel payment is an annual tax-free payment made to eligible people to help towards their winter heating costs. It is a lump sum and in most cases is paid automatically, but some people need to claim....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (28 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 22nd March 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 Welfare Appeals Office on 25th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension Reform (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: State pension reform is essential to ensure sustainability and to address the challenges of changing demographics including increasing life expectancy. The abolition of State pension transition and the standardisation of the pension age at 66 from 2014 is part of a series of measures aimed at improving the sustainability of pensions in the future. Growing numbers of people want to work or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals (28 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 28th February 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (28 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 15th January 2013. 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 received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Numbers (28 Mar 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors. It is targeted at individuals who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments (Jobseeker's Allowance/Jobseeker's Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (28 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 1st March 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...