Results 21,121-21,140 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Other Questions: Job Initiatives (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Intreo is the new employment activation and supports service model that the Government promised to deliver in the programme for Government and under the Pathways to Work initiative. It integrates the employment services and community programmes formerly provided by FÁS, the community welfare services formerly provided by the HSE and the income support services provided by the...

Other Questions: Job Initiatives (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Intreo and the Pathways to Work scheme have now been rolled out completely in 12 offices and partially in a further four offices around the country. I invite Members, including committee members, to visit some of the new Intreo offices because they are such a change in how people experience a social welfare office. We are also taking people’s photographs when they sign on as...

Other Questions: Jobs Initiative Inquiry (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was originally a participant on the job initiative, JI, scheme, which was then operated by FÁS. Her engagement on this scheme ceased in 2004. Recruitment of new participants or re-engagement of former participants to the JI scheme has been closed since November 2002 and, accordingly, it is not possible to reinstate her as a JI participant. In 2004 she was working...

Other Questions: Jobs Initiative Inquiry (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I will inquire of the officials. As the Deputy appreciates, the case has a long history, going back to 2001 and 2004 when the Department of Social Protection was not involved in the area. As the Deputy said, the person concerned was originally a participant on a JI scheme. The scheme ceased in 2004 and the company closed. As the Deputy indicated, responsibility for the JI scheme...

Other Questions: Jobs Initiative Inquiry (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I certainly will look further into the matter to ascertain whether there is any further information that may be of assistance to the Deputy and will raise it with the officials.

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 14 together. The Pathways to Work strategy represents the single biggest ever change to how the State engages with and provides services to people who are unemployed. It is delivering on the programme for Government commitment to set up a co-ordinated employment and entitlements service and involves a multi-annual programme of complex legislative,...

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Has the Deputy received his personal services card and photograph yet?

Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: As I stated, 12 Intreo offices are now completely live and at least another four are pretty much converted. I personally have visited most of them. Another 63 offices are to be rolled out by the end of 2014. I must confess to Deputy O'Dea that I must rely on the good offices of the Office of Public Works, because it is acting as the Department's agents in this conversion and at times,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of €1,115 million in 2013 on the disability allowance scheme, an increase of €29 million (2.7%) over 2012. There were almost 102,400 recipients of disability allowance at the end of March. However, the Government was able to reduce the net savings required in Budget 2013 to €390 million, €150...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programme (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013, announced a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for jobseekers, including the provision of 10,000 additional work placements across a number of schemes. The additional placements on community employment, Tús and JobBridge have already been rolled-out and are in the process of being filled by the sponsoring...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 12 and 57 together. There are currently approximately 86,000 recipients of rent supplement for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013 and €423 million in 2012. Expenditure on the scheme up to end April 2013 is approximately €127 million. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Eligibility (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 51 together. The family income supplement or FIS payment is designed to provide income for employees on low earnings with families. The FIS payment preserves the incentive to remain in employment in circumstances where the employee might only be marginally better off than if he/she was unemployed and claiming other social welfare payments. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Review (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Question Nos. 15 & 39 together. As part of the forthcoming Social Welfare and Pensions Bill, 2013, I am introducing reforms to the Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) scheme to ease the transition of former recipients of the one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme with young children to the JA scheme. These reforms will create a transitional arrangement specifically...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Review (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Where a person states that they have found work, it is normal practice for a jobseeker claim to be closed. However, in cases where the customer is taking up a short period of temporary work or training (up to 8 weeks), arrangements are now in place to simplify the process of returning to the live register at the end of this period. In these cases, instead of closing the claim, payment is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit Issues (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The total expenditure on maternity benefit in each of the years 2010, 2011, 2012, and to date in 2013 is set out in the following table: Year Expenditure 2010 €323,938,363 2011 €309,140,618 2012 €303,139,000 2013 (01.01.2013 to 19/05/2013) €107,242,779

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Review (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government fully recognises that the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) scheme represents a very important support to parents and guardians who live with, and care for, children with a disability. Likewise, the disability allowance (DA) represents an important income support to people who are unfit for work. DCA is now in payment in respect of over 26,500 children, an increase of over...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Habitual Residency Conditions (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is not available and there are no plans to capture these data. Habitual residence is just one element of social welfare claim conditions that must be satisfied and applicants must also satisfy the other conditions to receive a payment. Each case received for a determination on the HRC is dealt with in its own right and a decision is based on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: European Court of Justice Rulings (29 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. Following the ECJ ruling, the matter will now revert to the High Court for consideration. Given this matter remains...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Property Taxation Collection (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012 allows for a person who is liable for the local property tax, and who is in receipt of certain social protection payments, to have local property tax deducted from their payments. The Revenue Commissioners have agreed with the Department of Social Protection the schemes to be included in the deduction at source facility for local property tax as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Application Numbers (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below. Invalidity Pension Claims Year Received Awarded Disallowed Total decided 2010 8774 3445* 3411* 7614 2011 14621 2107# 4697# 12829 2012 11510 6352 11423 17775 A breakdown of Invalidity claims awarded and disallowed is not available from December 2010-June 2011. A dual payments system was in operation from...