Results 20,621-20,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: At present, the Department is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the redundancy statistics by county, sector or gender. Work on the reporting facility of the redundancy payments system is ongoing. It is hoped that it will be possible to provide these types of data in the near future but I am not in a position to specify a date for this to happen. The Department will communicate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013, announced a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for those currently unemployed. One element of this package is the development of a new initiative with local authorities to provide 3,000 work opportunities in 2013. This is in line with the commitments set out in the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 53together. The Department is committed to providing new Intreo Centres in these areas. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for providing the Department with its office accommodation requirements and my officials currently meet with officials of that office on a fortnightly basis to discuss progress on delivery across the country. I...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The €100 rate of jobseeker’s allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22-24. Where a person is in receipt of a rate of jobseeker's allowance described above and he or she participates in a course of education, training, Community...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 52 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Issues (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: There do not appear to be any implications for my Department from the Judgement of the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in the case of Servet Kamberaj v Istituto per l’Edilizia Sociale della Provincia autonoma di Bolzano (IPES). My Department does not treat third-country nationals who are long-term legal residents any differently to Irish, EU or EEA citizens in relation to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Administration (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: Decisions on statutory social welfare schemes are made by statutorily appointed Deciding Officers (DO). The DO must satisfy him/herself that the person: - is aware of all the information that could adversely affect his/her entitlement; - was given an opportunity to comment and to submit any facts or information to correct any inaccuracy or incompleteness in the information; and - any...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as defined on the Department’s website. This requirement is based on Government policy and Departmental guidelines and has been the rule since CE commenced in 1994. They may, however, be eligible for participation on other programmes, although they may not qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department has not directly undertaken research on identifying a minimum essential standard of living for households. However, as part of its overall function of research into poverty and social exclusion issues, the Department has indirectly supported research related to this area, namely through a social policy project approved by the Irish Research Council under its Research...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The €100 rate of jobseeker's allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22-24. The measures encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Home Care Packages (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: This is a matter for my colleague in the Department of Health.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The contribution that people provide in caring for members of their own family is critical for society. It was for that reason that the Government last year adopted the National Carers’ Strategy with a view to giving greater public recognition to carers and their work. Carers receive significant income supports from the Department of Social Protection so that people can continue...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Policy (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a universal payment that assists parents with the cost of raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. The estimated expenditure on child benefit in 2013 is around €1.9 billion and it is currently paid to around 611,000 families in respect of some 1.16 million children. In line with a commitment in the Programme for Government I established...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (24 Apr 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 12 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 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Travel (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The St Patrick's Day period offers an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Ireland abroad, promote our political and economic interests, and demonstrate our strengths as a location for trade and investment. In Milwaukee on Thursday March 14, among other engagements, I met with the Mayor of Milwaukee, Mr Tom Barrett; members of the Milwaukee Irish Fest, which promotes and celebrates Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (24 Apr 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 1 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 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for One-Parent Family Payment on 11 April 2013. The application is currently with a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation and she will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Homeless Persons Supports (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The €100 rate of jobseeker’s allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. A rate of €144 applies to claimants aged 22-24. The measures encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Resolution Processes (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: The Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to assist people in mortgage distress. The approach differentiates between mortgage information and mortgage advice. The first two elements involve the enhancement of the website www.keepingyourhome.ie and the establishment of a Mortgage Arrears Information Helpline within...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (24 Apr 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 and 128 together. The Department of Social Protection’s capital allocation for 2012 was not used for current expenditure purposes in 2012. The table below details the monthly profile of the 2013 Capital Allocation for the Department of Social Protection. The total capital allocation provided for in the 2013 REV published last week is...