Results 23,101-23,120 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Social welfare legislation provides for the disregard of certain compensation awards when assessing the means of a person for social assistance purposes. These compensation awards are those made: i. by the Hepatitis C and HIV Compensation Tribunals; ii. by the Residential Institutions Redress Board; iii. to persons who have disabilities caused by Thalidomide; and iv. under the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Review (6 Nov 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 operation of the scheme. An implementation group, comprising officials from the Department of Social Protection, other relevant departments/ relevant bodies and parent/representative groups has been established to action the administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of invalidity pension appeals from 2011 to 2012 and to date in 2013 is contained in the table below. There has been a rapid and sustained increase in the number of appeals received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2009 which has placed extraordinary pressure on the office. Up to 2009, the average number of appeals received was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Applications for disability allowance are normally medically assessed at desk by one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who assesses the available medical evidence with reference to evidence based protocols and guidelines. The Medical Assessor then presents his/her medical opinion to a Deciding Officer, who makes a decision on the basis of the overall scheme rules, taking account...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 102 together. 68% of all JobBridge placements to-date have been in the private sector with 21% of placements in the public sector and 11% in the community/voluntary sectors. This equates to 4,847 internships to-date in the public sector. Of the 4,847 placements in the public sector, 1,341 jobseekers are currently on the scheme and 3,506 jobseekers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Report on Pension Charges (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94 to 96, inclusive, together. The Report on Pension Charges 2012 was undertaken by my Department, working with the Central Bank and the Pensions Board, and with support from PWC. The primary objective of the report was to gather information on the level of pension charges levied, to assess whether these charges are reasonable and transparent, to report on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The overall objective of the pension system in Ireland is to provide an adequate and sustainable basic standard of living through direct State supports and to encourage people (through tax reliefs) to make supplementary pension provision so that they may have an adequate replacement income when they retire from work. Ireland’s State pension has been successful in lifting older...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (6 Nov 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 15October 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 Benefits Eligibility (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for pay related social insurance (PRSI) at a rate of 4%, which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). However, they are not entitled to jobseeker’s benefit. This compares to employees in respect of whom a combined 14.75% rate, under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Reform (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: In 2011 I established the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare to meet the commitment made in the Programme for Government. The Advisory Group is charged with, inter alia, examining and reporting on issues involved in providing social insurance cover for self-employed persons in order to establish whether or not such cover is technically feasible and financially sustainable. Any...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Amendment No. 1 seeks to insert in page 6, line 21, after “income” the words “in excess of €6,000”. Similarly, amendment No. 2 seeks in page 6, line 29, after “income” to insert “in excess of €6,000”. I do not propose to accept these amendments. The purpose of the section is to abolish the exemption from PRSI applying to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The amount of administration needed would probably not justify going below the €3,000 threshold. I cannot give an absolute undertaking on that because other Ministers, other governments and other Seanaid might make different decisions, but the administration cost of going below the current amount would not be worthwhile. On the advice of the Revenue Commissioners, the current amount...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: No, they are not disqualified.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I was asked a different question.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I am sure Senator Moloney can clarify it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I was asked whether self-employed people benefit from PRSI. The benefits have been shown by the OECD and the recent actuarial review of the Social Insurance Fund by KPMG. This was not work by the Department of Social Protection or the Revenue Commissioners but was independently done. Given the benefits they acquire, which are broadly maternity benefit, widow's, survivor's and retirement...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Senator will have to take the matter up with the Minister for Finance when he attends here to debate the Finance Bill because he made the proposal. He stated it in the budget announcements of December 2012 which we are carrying into the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill because it affects PRSI. My understanding of previous responses made by the Minister is as follows. Almost everybody...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: We hope so.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Committee Stage (6 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: In respect of the reference to unearned income, which was raised by Senator Norris, I point out to him, given that he is a very distinguished Joycean scholar, that the definition for "unearned" dates back to before Joyce's time. Broadly, if I can remember my income tax law, there are categories of earnings from employment, trade or a profession where one carries on an activity and income...