Results 23,441-23,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (26 Nov 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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Constitution of Ireland sets out the basic laws describing how Ireland should be governed, the main institutions of the State and the rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens. It also reflects the values at the heart of Irish society. The Constitution can be changed only by a referendum in which every citizen of Ireland, over the age of 18, is entitled to vote. Whilst there is no...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new facts. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Eligibility (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme, which operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984, which, in turn, derives from EU Council Directive 987/80, is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These entitlements include wages, holiday pay, sick pay, payment in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (26 Nov 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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 6 December 2013. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: 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 29.7 weeks and 38.3 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 418 and 420 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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The client is in receipt of rent supplement since 12/11/2012. The supplement is currently in excess of the maximum rent limit of €850 per calendar month, for her household composition and location. Consequently, she has been requested on a number of occasions to have her rent reduced or seek alternative accommodation. Following a review on the 12/07/2013 the client’s rent was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 421, 422 and 424 together. The Paris Summit was the second in a series of meetings of EU heads of state devoted to discussing youth unemployment. The purpose of the summit was to enable EU leaders and Labour/Social Protection Ministers to share national experiences in dealing with youth unemployment, take stock of the implementation commitments made in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The most recent statistics available from the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey show the level of youth unemployment has fallen from an average of 75,000 in 2010 to 63,000 in the most recent twelve months for which data are available. The level of employment of young people appears to have stabilised, and indeed the employment rate (proportion of the population with jobs) for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The most recent statistics available from the CSO’s Quarterly National Household Survey show the level of youth unemployment has fallen from an average of 75,000 in 2010 to 63,000 in the most recent twelve months for which data are available. The level of employment of young people appears to have stabilised, and indeed the employment rate (proportion of the population with jobs) for...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The key provisions I am introducing today relate mainly to occupational pensions. They address difficult issues of equity and fairness and have been under careful consideration for some time. The issues date back over much of the past decade and have been raised in both the 2007 Green Paper on pensions and the 2010 national pensions framework, both of which were published with much fanfare...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: As Senator Bradford stated there are a number of reasons pension funds in Ireland got into trouble. Most importantly, significant promises and commitments were made by employers in good faith about levels of pension coverage when people retired but, unfortunately, the Irish economy crashing was a key contributor to very difficult performances by pension funds. Another issue is that funds...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (26 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The new provisions include post-retirement increases if they form part of the figure of 50% for expected benefits in a double insolvency, or if payment of the increases is the final point in the order of priorities order in the case of a single or double insolvency. On retrospection, based on advice received, the legislation will apply to any scheme which is wound up after the legislation has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (27 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 81,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €403 million in 2013. The aim of rent supplement is to provide short term income assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. Revised rent limits under the rent supplement scheme have come into force with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (27 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2nd September 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Structures (27 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department’s Management Board consists of the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary, ten Assistant Secretaries, the Chief Appeals Officer and the Chief Medical Adviser. An organisational chart to Principal level is attached showing total staff reporting to each Assistant Secretary. There are some 6500 people in the Department. The Department has undergone considerable...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Appeals (27 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20 November 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (27 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: It is proposed to take Questions Nos. 113 to 119, inclusive together. The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework. The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide...