Results 22,741-22,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Issues (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: JobsPlus is a new simplified scheme which replaced the Employer Job (PRSI) Exemption (effective from 20th June 2010) and Revenue Job Assist (which commenced on 6 April 1998) schemes and is more targeted at channelling full time job opportunities to the longer term unemployed. JobsPlus provides an immediate financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 51 together. As the pension system in Ireland has developed, pensions policy has continued to evolve. In recent years there has been a particular focus on the sustainability of the State pension system because of the demographic issues that Ireland faces; the associated increases in pension and other age related costs; and the deterioration in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Voluntary Work Option Issues (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I am deeply conscious of the long tradition of volunteering in this country and the contribution that it makes to Ireland’s social fabric. In recognition of the vital role played by the voluntary community, the Department operates a Voluntary Work Option scheme for customers on the jobseeker schemes. Under these arrangements jobseekers may engage in voluntary work within the State...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Skills Development (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Skillnets is a state-funded, enterprise-led support body dedicated to the promotion and facilitation of training and up-skilling as key elements in sustaining Ireland's national competitiveness. They support and fund networks of enterprises engaged in training under a Training Networks Programme. If persons wishes to pursue a part time education course they may be able to do so while...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Information and Communications Technology Issues (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: My Department has, over a considerable number of years, made extensive use of a number of computer systems to administer social welfare schemes and to provide payments to its clients. For the past number of years, it has been engaged in a multi-year Service Delivery Modernisation Programme designed to deliver a high quality, proactive service to our clients. As part of that process a new...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Education and Training Provision (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand that the Deputy is referring to supports to a person on a social welfare payment from the Department attending a full-time third level course of study. The back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling those eligible to certain social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to ensuring that claims and appeals are processed as expeditiously as possible. There are currently 20 Medical Assessors, including the Chief Medical Adviser and the Deputy Chief Medical Adviser, employed by the Department. Due to the retirement of several Medical Assessors in recent years a number of vacancies have arisen. In response, the Department in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: JobsPlus is a new simplified scheme which replaced the Employer Job (PRSI) Exemption (effective from 20 June 2010) and Revenue Job Assist (which commenced on 6 April 1998) schemes and is more targeted at channelling full time job opportunities to the longer term unemployed. JobsPlus provides an immediate financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Report from Social Justice Ireland titled “A Universal Pension for Ireland” recommends a move to a universal based pension system based on residency which would replace the State pension contributory and non-contributory, widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s (contributory) pension, qualified adult allowance and which would be financed by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Under HAP, responsibility for recipients of rent supplement with a long-term housing need will transfer from the Department of Social Protection to housing authorities. Officials in the Department of Social Protection are working with those in the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG), who are leading the project, to assist with the necessary legal, policy and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 82,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Refunds (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: A four year limit on the return of PRSI contributions was introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act 2009 and has been in effect since 1 January 2010. The time limit governing the refund of PRSI contributions is in line with the arrangements of the Revenue Commissioners governing the refund of tax.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The customer was awarded her full entitlement to rent supplement and arrears on 9 October based on her household composition and circumstances.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme (DCA), which was published in April 2013, makes a number of recommendations in relation to the medical eligibility guidelines pertaining to the scheme. Amongst these recommendations is the deletion of the advisory list of conditions more likely or less likely to be considered to qualify a child for DCA, (Appendix 8). In practice, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 106 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 82,000 rent supplement recipients of whom...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 107 together. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average time taken to process disability allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 31.5 weeks and 40 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. The current average time taken to process invalidity pension appeals decided by summary decision is 35.1 weeks and 41.7...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I would like in the first instance to refer the Deputy to the Annual Social Welfare Services Statistical Information Report, 2012 which provides most of the information requested by him and is available on www.welfare.ie. For convenience, I have set it out in the following tabular statement. State pension (non-contributory) 2011 2012 2013 - to date Registered 7,344 9,035 7,409 Awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Payments (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently some 11,000 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement for which the Government has provided almost €42 million in 2013. Statistics are not available on the number of applications for mortgage interest supplement that are currently pending.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested is contained in the following tables. Participants as at 30 September 2013 Programme Participants Supervisors Total CE 21,560 1,378 22,938 JI 1,077 40 1,117 RSS 2,584 130 2,714 Tús 6,752 344 7,096 CSP 1,764 308 2,072 Gateway - - - Total 33,737 2,200 35,937 Target participant numbers end 2014 Programme Total CE 25,300 JI 1,100 RSS 2,730...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government is implementing a number of programmes to assist young unemployed persons and keep young jobseekers close to the labour market. There are five main approaches being taken to tackle youth unemployment: education, training, job search assistance/guidance, work experience, and encouraging job creation. These actions range across a number of Departments and Agencies and include: -...