Results 21,581-21,600 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (26 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 6th June 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (26 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 27th 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 20th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 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 27th May 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: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 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 19th June 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: Social Insurance Rates (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I refer the Deputy to the reply to his previous question on this matter (Reference No. 30220/13) which was issued on 25 June 2013. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy has previously been advised with respect to plans for 2013 I have published a comprehensive set of performance targets, set out on a on a quarter by quarter basis, on the Department's website . I intend to publish my Department's performance against these targets starting in July of this year with the results of the first quarter available before close of business on 28 June...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: A key objective of the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1st October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to the customer. As part of this process and to support the Department's activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme, it has been necessary to review the administration of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Senator Zappone for putting forward the amendment, although I do not propose to accept it. We had a very long discussion about this and we went through the various sections that set out in some detail what each element of this change means. Essentially, the Department is being given power to recover overpayments, as we are required to do arising from successive reports of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand the sentiments behind the amendment. The social welfare entitlements of European Union citizens moving around the EU are governed by EU regulations and the co-ordination of social security systems. These regulations have direct effect and override domestic legislation which would conflict with their provisions. Under these regulations, EU citizens enjoy the same benefits and...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I shall give a little background on the issue. The EU regulations that deal with family benefits do not specifically deal with child benefit. They encompass a range of benefits designed to support families in one way or another. In the case of Ireland, the benefits designated as family benefits include: child benefit, family income supplement, one-parent family payment, guardians payment...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank the Chairperson and members for the invitation to discuss the 2013 Revised Estimates for my Department. I will try to keep my opening statement as brief as possible. The Department has supplied material for the use of the committee in the changed format designed to better reflect the new performance budgeting approach to the Estimates process. My officials will continue to work...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Deputy asked about the increase in the number of social welfare recipients. The figure for 2008 was 1,208,883, or 1,799,875 million if beneficiaries are included. By 2012, that figure had risen to 1,469,202, or 2,259,807 including beneficiaries. I have made the point before that we have very happy demographics in this country at both ends of the life cycle. Almost every year, without...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Those of us who are privileged to work in the field of social protection see the human side of what can be rather dry figures for other Departments, which engaged in overall financial management. On the point about retired people and pensioners, the Department has absorbed between an extra €190 million to €200 million of additional costs every year. We have never made a big...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Yes; both Deputies mentioned it. That is why we had to go to the people in finance and look for more funding and a supplementary budget at the end of the year.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: It is over €1 billion a year.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: It is an increase of €100 million. The overall spend is over is €1 billion.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Even though, as we have discussed, the pressures on spending and increases in demand are very heavy, we have prioritised additional spending to help people to get back to work. The spend on all employment supports has increased by €100 million, or by 10.7%. The Deputy will recall that in the budget we expanded the number of placements in areas such as the community employment,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I am in the hands of Government accounting. I confess to having a background in commercial and financial accounting, as does Deputy Willie O'Dea. Government accounting is partly traditional cash-based accounting and partly like a holy mystery. One explores and hopes to understand it. I am working on the matter.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Absolutely. The detailed discussions on the budget have not yet commenced. The Department and I are involved in intense training for the anticipated detailed discussions. The Department has a really important role to play in helping the country to get back on its feet. That is why we have a three point mission, namely, to pay people their entitlements, to help people to get back to work...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2013
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: On the question of what are likely to be the at risk of poverty rates in 2012 and 2013, it is very difficult to foresee these rates, as it depends on the trends in household incomes which are affected by employment, wages, migration, dependency rates and social transfers. The Department of Social Protection has carried out an analysis of the social impact of budget 2013 which we have...