Results 20,861-20,880 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (9 May 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 website www.keepingyourhome.ie was substantially redesigned and now acts as the key online access portal for comprehensive mortgage arrears information. It is one of the two measures set up to provide mortgage information, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was, until the end of March 2013, paid Rent Supplement in County Kildare, at an address that the person themselves secured (in an area for which they listed two previous addresses) and which was, within the current rent limits for an adult and three young children. We have not received a new application for Rent Supplement from the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The personal rate of State pension contributory is a non means-tested payment based on PRSI contributions paid to the Social Insurance Fund over a working life. To qualify a person needs to: - enter insurable employment by age 55 for State Pension (transition) and age 56 for State Pension (contributory), - have paid 520 full rate social insurance contributions - have a yearly average...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that carer's allowance (CA) is in payment for the person in question in respect of two care recipients. One of the care recipients currently qualifies for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) which will cease when she turns 16 this month. In order for a child under 16 years to be considered to be medically eligible for CA, DCA must be in payment for that child. Once the child...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department would like to offer its condolences to the family of the deceased. I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 14 June 2012. The application was awarded on 11 of January 2013 and payments issued to Post Office from 17 of January 2013 with the final payment issued on 27 of March 2013, six weeks after the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Work Initiatives (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Sections 472A and 88A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 provide tax incentives for both employers and employees, to help the long-term unemployed to return to employment. The relief under Section 472A, known as the Revenue Job Assist scheme, allows qualifying employees, in addition to their normal tax credits, to claim certain income deductions, including additional deductions for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Post Office Network (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection envisages a payments environment that will ultimately deliver all payments to customers electronically. This is in line with wider Government policies and objectives such as better public services, better and more effective ePayments and is aligned to the objectives of the National Payments Plan published by the Central Bank recently. The progression to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Rights Issues (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The ruling by the European Court of Justice was in response to a reference by the High Court seeking clarification of the interpretation of European law emanating from EU Directive 2008/94EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. Given this matter remains before the courts it would not be appropriate that I comment further on any aspects of or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Administration (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I should point out that disability allowance is one of the core weekly social welfare payments which the Government is committed to protecting, and therefore, the weekly rate has not been reduced. However, in the course of Budget 2013, the Government had to make some very difficult decisions and in order to protect those core weekly social welfare payments, we had to look very carefully at...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely collated by my Department. I am, however, informed that at the end of April 2013 there were 43,375 persons currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance that have not, to date, made any PRSI contribution. A tabular statement breaking this number down by age and administrative area is set out below. Jobseeker’s Assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (14 May 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 19th April 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Statistics (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rural social scheme is to provide income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case on 14th May 2013. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person in question is currently receiving carer’s allowance for one child. I confirm that the department received two further applications for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on the 19th January 2012. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipients are not so disabled as to require full time care and attention and she...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Homeless Persons Supports (14 May 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: Disability Allowance Applications Waiting Times (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I confirm that an application for disability allowance has been received from the person concerned. The application was referred to a social welfare investigator for a means investigation. I understand the investigator will be in contact with the person shortly to clarify some aspects of his means. A decision on the person’s entitlement to disability allowance will be made on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (14 May 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 October 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 11th ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 20th February 2013 in relation to two care recipients. The application is currently with a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of means and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance are satisfied. Once the investigative...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 4th October 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 5th December 2011 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently lodged an appeal against...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The criteria for participating on the Community Employment Programme are based on age and length of time in receipt of various qualifying social welfare payments. The qualifying social welfare payments include: - Jobseekers Benefit; - Jobseekers Allowance; - One Parent Family Payment; - Widows/Widowers Contributory Pension; - Widows/Widowers Non-Contributory Pension; - ...