Results 22,121-22,140 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (18 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been in receipt of a basic payment at the rate of €19.10 per week since 30 May 2013, the date she first stayed at her current address in the Eyre Powell Hostel in Newbridge, Co Kildare. She has been paid in full up to and including 24July 2013 at the rate appropriate to a person in direct provision.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: This application for carer's allowance was disallowed by a deciding officer on the 11 of May 2013 on the grounds that the carer is not providing full-time care and attention in accordance with the relevant legislation. The person in question has appealed this decision. A submission is being prepared by the Department and the file and all relevant papers will be forwarded to the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (18 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: Officials of the Department have had detailed discussions with representatives of the Craft Council of Ireland and I am happy to advise that the Department is working closely with the Crafts Council of Ireland on extending participation on JobBridge on a pilot basis to the craft sector. The Craft Council of Ireland has 61 internship opportunities advertised on the JobBridge website since the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department but it does not have a Board. The ratio of the gender balance of these State Boards has not changed significantly over the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The manner in which the assets of a defined benefit pension scheme are distributed on the wind up of a scheme has been examined in some depth and is under consideration at present, along with other defined benefit issues. I am keeping the situation under review and will report back to Government shortly on these issues.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: At its meeting on 30April 2013 the Government considered the EU accession of Croatia and, based on Forfás' analysis and other information available to my Department, agreed to permit access to the Irish labour market for nationals of Croatia upon its accession to the EU from 1 July 2013. The European Union (Accession of the Republic of Croatia)(Access to the Labour Market) Act 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The General Scheme of the Gender Recognition Bill, 2013 was published on 17 July, 2013 following Cabinet approval. The proposed legislation will provide for the recognition of the acquired gender of transgender persons aged 18 and over and who are not married or in a civil partnership. Once enacted, it will mean that a transgender person will have their acquired gender fully recognised by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Agencies Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The recommendations arising the Critical Review on the Pensions Board under the Public Service Reform Plan were approved by Government in April 2013 and were provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013. The governance structure of the Pensions Board is being restructured with two distinct arms as follows: - Oversight of the Pensions Board will be undertaken by a three person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 23rd May 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 30th July 2013 advising of the decision. A review of this decision was requested on 4th August 2013 and additional information was supplied on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence has disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dental Services Provision (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The dental benefit scheme is paid from the Social Insurance Fund. The fund has been under substantial pressure for the last few years due to the current economic circumstances and has required substantial subvention from the exchequer. As part of the cost-saving measures intended to ease this pressure, the range of treatments available under the treatment benefit scheme was reduced in Budget...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: JobBridge delivers valuable internship opportunities for jobseekers and independent research has demonstrated it is an effective and efficient scheme. The independent evaluation, by Indecon Economic Consultants, demonstrated that 61% of interns who completed their placements subsequently progressed to paid employment. The 61% progression rate for JobBridge is among the best in Europe, where...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The introduction of a third band of employers' PRSI contribution rate payable on the balance of all salaries exceeding €100,000 could only be considered in a Budgetary context and would have to take account of the Programme for Government commitment to maintain the standard 10.75% rate of employer PRSI.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 537 and 700 together. The school meals programme operated by the Department provides funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by this Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 538 and 699 together. The cost of increasing the respite care grant by €325 to €1,700 per annum is estimated at €28 million in 2014. The cost of increasing the fuel allowance by six weeks is estimated at €47.7 million in 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013. ENPs are payable at the discretion of the officers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (18 Sep 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: Social Welfare Appeals Status (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned was scheduled to take place on 17th September 2013. The Appeals Officer will consider the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing, and the person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer's decision on 4th September 2013. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...