Results 22,581-22,600 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Review (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently in excess of 770,000 people in receipt of free travel from my Department. This increases to in excess of one million if companies are included. Expenditure on this scheme was frozen at €77 million, the provision in 2010, by the previous Government. Given the increasing number of recipients and the funding pressures, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Statistics (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of persons unemployed or signing on the live register with computer science qualifications at a diploma, graduate and post graduate level, the total number of graduates unemployed, and the unemployment rates for graduates and the unemployment rate of computer science graduates are not available from my Department. The occupation details previously held by each live register...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by my Department that rent limits for the Celbridge area were increased on 17th June 2013. The customer was subject to review as their rent was in excess of the higher rate applicable based on their personal circumstances. The Department advised the customer to bring their rent within the set limits or source alternative accommodation on two occasions, most recently on 9th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Appeals (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned resided in Direct Provision accommodation up to June 2008, pending a decision from the Department of Justice regarding her permission to remain in Ireland. Her claim to child benefit has been disallowed for the period prior to June 2008 as she did not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition. This decision was appealed on two occasions, in March 2008 and again in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The customer concerned was informed by the Department on 13th September 2013 that her application would be processed immediately on foot of receipt of outstanding documentation. This information has not yet been provided to the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 28th June 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who provided an opinion that the child was medically eligible for the allowance. Following a decision on her claim, she was notified on 27th August 2013 that the claim was awarded. The first payment and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Issues (10 Oct 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 20 September 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: Departmental Offices (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware the Department assumed responsibility for the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the HSE in October 2011 and the FÁS Employment & Community services in January 2012. The Department is currently examining the operation of all its services in the context of the Pathways to Work commitments and the development of Intreo services nationally. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Remuneration (10 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: There are no public servants in the Department on a salary in excess of €185,350 which was the Taoiseach's annual salary at 1 July 2013. This figure equates to the Government's pay ceiling.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Eligibility (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme is to provide short term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments. There are currently some 11,000 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement for which the Government has provided almost €42 million in 2013. To ensure that those who are in mortgage difficulty engage with their...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Payments (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The objective of the Department’s working age employment supports, including the back to education allowance, is to remove barriers to employment in order to help people to enter or remain in employment. This is an integral part of the implementation of the Pathways to Work policy and the activation of jobseekers. The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Public Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: European Court of Justice Rulings (15 Oct 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. It is anticipated that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Legislative Programme (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: On the 19 July, 2013, the Cabinet approved the drafting of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2013. One of the proposals I am seeking to introduce in this Bill is to amend the Civil Registration Act 2004 by making it an obligation in the birth registration process to include the father's particulars on a birth certificate so as to ensure that the child will have a record of the father....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together. The Government finalised its consideration of the Budget having regard to all of its commitments, including the commitment in the Programme for Government to maintain welfare rates. The outcome of this process will be announced today. The household benefits package currently comprises the electricity or gas allowance, the telephone...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3September 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Given the scale of the unemployment crisis, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120, 156 and 157 together. In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle all forms of unemployment, including youth unemployment, is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (15 Oct 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 August 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (15 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested scheme. In this specific instance, the person concerned had means exceeding the statutory limit and the person was informed of this decision. If the person is not satisfied with the decision, they appeal it to the Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (15 Oct 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 3 October 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...