Results 21,701-21,720 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (27 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...

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this significant and hugely sensitive legislation. With reference to what Deputy Ó Cuív and others have stated, it is important to stress that the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill is a very narrowly confined item of legislation. It is also important to remind ourselves that the Bill is the result of the Government...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: After-School Support Services (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The after-school child care subsidised scheme commenced its first pilot phase on 29 April, 2013, with up to 500 places made available in seven designated Social Welfare local offices located in King's Inn Street in Dublin city centre, Finglas, Cork city, Dominic Street in Limerick city, Dundalk, Mullingar, and Tralee. This initial launch phase of the pilot scheme will allow my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The objective of the Intreo Service is to improve service efficiency and effectiveness and to maximise the potential for people to return to work or develop skills to help them back into the work force through the provision of a new integrated employment and income support service. A main element to the process is the delivery of a “one stop shop” service from an integrated...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department takes the view that internships in the Education Sector are a special case where interns, who under the terms of the scheme are entitled to receive a high quality real workplace experience, are at risk of missing out on that high quality internship experience during academic holidays. I accept that there may be some circumstances where an education sector internship experience...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The implementation of a more intensive and rigorous case management requires that additional resources be devoted to the activation process. However, the implementation of the new Intreo process and the integration of previously separate functions in FÁS, the Community Welfare Service (CWS) and the Department of Social Protection also generates efficiencies and will enable staff to be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Administration (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently in excess of 770,000 in receipt of free travel from my Department and when spousal and companion passes are taken into account, there are over 1.1 million customers with some free travel eligibility. Expenditure on this scheme was frozen at 2010 levels by the previous Government. Expenditure for the free travel scheme in 2013 is set at €77 million. Given the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: EU-IMF Programme of Support Issues (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently no country specific recommendations (CSRs) for Ireland given that we are a programme country subject to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed with the IMF/ECB/European Commission under the Programme for Financial Support. The recommendations referred to by the Deputy are contained in the European Commission's Economic Adjustment Programme for Ireland - Winter 2012...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of additional places allocated to date in the Dublin area is currently 191 as at the 20th June 2013. These places are added to the general Community Employment (CE) allocation for each Division of the Department (3 in Dublin) and are not reported on separately, so it isn’t possible to determine the number of these additional places filled at this stage. Nationally, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The entry age is already set at 18 years of age for these programmes. The Community Employment (CE) Operating Procedures state that CE Drugs Rehabilitation Places (DRP's) are available to persons aged 18 years or over who are in recovery and referred for a rehabilitation place on CE. Application for a drugs rehabilitation place is based on evidence of an appropriate referral following an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: Over 2,000 persons are employed as retained (part-time) fire-fighters, providing services which are vitally important to their communities. Typically, these workers provide services in rural and less densely populated areas but larger urban centres may also have a cohort of part-time workers. Retained fire-fighters who are otherwise unemployed are entitled to a jobseeker’s payment in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on 25 January 2012. The medical evidence submitted with the application was referred to one of the Department's medical assessor who was of the opinion that the person did not satisfy the medical conditions for receipt of the allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and refused the application and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the available evidence, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (2 Jul 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 06th 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 and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Rehiring (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: As an exception to the current moratorium on recruitment, my department has limited sanction to recruit temporary clerical officers to cover critical staff absences and to assist with the roll-out of the Public Services Card. Currently two of these temporary staff are retired civil servants. They are on an annual pay scale of €22,016 - €35,515. Abatement of pension applies,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Citizen Information Services (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) under the aegis of my Department is responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money advice and budgeting) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. The Citizens Information Board delivers on this remit through direct provision, by supporting a network of delivery partners and by funding targeted...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the jobseekers allowance and supplementary welfare allowance appeals from the person concerned were referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Training (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department’s frontline staff cannot and are not expected to be in a position, or have the expertise to, clinically assess the mental health needs of customers. However, the Department has taken initiatives to raise mental health awareness among its staff. Since 2010, Mental Health Ireland has assisted in the delivery of a one-day training course to staff in the Department to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: Partial capacity benefit was awarded to the person concerned following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that the restriction on her capacity for work should be assessed as moderate. An appeal was registered on 14th May 2013 and the Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (2 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 08th 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 these have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...