Results 21,321-21,340 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20th March 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 case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme is based on jobseeker's allowance. It was introduced in 1999 to replace 'Smallholders Unemployment Assistance' for low income farmers, without the requirement to be available for and genuinely seeking work. Farm assist recipients retain all the advantages of the jobseeker's allowance scheme such as retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Jun 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 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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Jun 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 26th 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th April 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 case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department has a statutory obligation to record and collect all overpayments. It is the customer’s responsibility to declare all income of which he or she is in receipt, including any social welfare payments. The person concerned was assessed with an overpayment of rent supplement of €20,231.38 as he had failed to advise that he was in receipt of a Disablement Pension....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th May 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 case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government will continue to ensure that the social protection system incentivises rather than blocks the return to work for unemployed people, including the taking on of seasonal work. The activation measures available for jobseekers do not discriminate between persons seeking seasonal work and those seeking typical work. Hence, those seeking seasonal work can avail of the same range...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Since the commencement of the scheme on 1st July 2011, eligibility for a JobBridge internship is based upon a person being in receipt of certain specified social welfare payments or signing for credits for at least 3 months (or 78 days) out of the last 6 months. It is critical to prioritise scarce exchequer resources at those most in need and as such there are no plans to amend this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The maximum family rate of jobseeker's allowance for two adults is €312.80 per week or €156.40 per person per week. The spouse of the person concerned has recently been awarded jobseeker's allowance at €156.40 per week. The jobseeker's allowance of the person concerned was adjusted to €156.40 per week in order to keep the combined family payment within the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (11 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Galway Citizens Information Service (CIS) is funded through the Citizens Information Board to provide information, advice and advocacy services to the citizens of County Galway. There are offices in Galway city, Tuam, Clifden and Rosmuc. In addition, outreach services are provided in a number of towns, including Headford, Portumna, Loughrea, Gort and Oranmore in the east side of the county....

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Penrose for raising this extremely important issue. The Pensions Act sets out the order in which the assets of a pension scheme are distributed in the event of the wind-up of a pension scheme. The statutory order of priority is of no consequence, as the Deputy knows, where a scheme winds up with sufficient assets to meet all of its liabilities. In the event of the wind-up of...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I appreciate the comments of Deputy Penrose, who clearly has a wide knowledge of this area. I am aware how worrying this is for the type of people Deputy Penrose has referred to who are coming close to retirement. Many defined benefit pension schemes have been contributed to by employees and, it must be said, employers in good faith. It is unfortunate that what has happened on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Birth Certificates (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 106 together. In order to properly identify the parties to a marriage, the requirements under section 46(7) of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, include, inter alia, the authentication of birth certificates. This step is necessary to help ensure that the intended marriage is not for unlawful purposes. In this regard, it is not possible to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a jobseeker's allowance appeal, by the person concerned, together with the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal were received in that office on 04th June 2013. The case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Eligibility (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. One of the contribution conditions for invalidity pension is that the claimant must have 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete contribution year before the date of claim. Only classes A, E or H contributions are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Appeals (12 Jun 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 24th June 2013. The person concerned will be 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: Social Welfare Overpayments (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19th April 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 13th May...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Estimates for the Department published on Budget day provides for expenditure of €20.243 billion on schemes, services and administration in 2013. Of this, just under €580 million or 2.9% of total estimated expenditure will be spent on administration. The Department provides a very wide range of schemes and services. These include social insurance schemes where...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (12 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20th 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. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in to an Appeals...