Results 23,621-23,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 October 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 to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 September 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: Pensions Legislation (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The provision in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No.2) Bill will not apply to schemes which are excluded from the requirements of the Funding Standard.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together. A table giving the number of JobBridge internships with Donegal Education and Training Board follows. There have been a total of 82 JobBridge internships with Donegal ETB, of which 36 are currently active and 46 have been completed. Of the 46 finishers, the Department’s records indicate that 3 of these interns went directly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: My Department is currently preparing an analysis of the Budget 2014 tax and welfare packages. This Social Impact Assessment will include an analysis of the distributive and poverty impacts of these changes on different family types as well as the impact on at risk of poverty levels. Social impact assessment is an evidence-based methodology which uses a tax/welfare simulation model developed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 October 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 papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: In light of the late availability of some information and given the complex and sensitive issues involved in this case, further enquiries are being made to establish the accurate information which will enable this Department to provide a full and comprehensive response. We will contact the Deputy’s office as soon as this is available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: In light of the late availability of some information and given the complex and sensitive issues involved in this case, further enquiries are being made to establish the accurate information which will enable this Department to provide a full and comprehensive response. We will contact the Deputy’s office as soon as this is available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the persons concerned, and if they cannot resolve the issue, for the Courts through Family Law provisions. However, in every case where a one parent family payment (OFP) is awarded, the Department seeks to trace the other parent, referred to as the Liable Relative, in order to ascertain whether he or she is in a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The amendment broadly entails placing a debt on employers and we discussed this on Committee Stage. Defined benefit pension schemes are set up and maintained by employers on a voluntary basis. There has never been a statutory obligation on them under Irish law to contribute to their pension scheme, although scheme rules can place some level of obligation. However, a robust regulatory...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I will comment briefly by stating I understand the Senator's intentions. However, for a company in which a debt is placed on an employer, from a particular legal perspective this may have consequences for the employer in the sense there now is an enhanced obligation. This may well have consequences on the employer's overall balance sheet position, fund-raising capacity and debt capacity....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Senator Norris for his very nice comments and his taste. ARFs are approved retirement funds. All retirement products have taxation implications which can change the nature of the return. In a defined benefit contribution scheme, there is, as the Senator said, a requirement to invest in an annuity-type product. The reason for that is very simple if one thinks about it. In respect...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The question of what one does with somebody's lump sum on retirement is a very delicate and tricky investment strategy. In terms of regulation, a company director and experienced businessperson may be in a rather different place when it comes to managing their retirement fund than somebody whose practice has been in the medical or legal field and who is not used to managing investments. It...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: This debate is not about my scarf, but I am happy to take compliments for Irish workmanship.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: It is compliments to the Irish craftspeople.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: It was this time last year at the National Crafts and Design Fair.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Senator Darragh O’Brien recalled the time when the late Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, took a whole series of pension schemes along with their assets and liabilities, onto the State’s balance sheets. I think it was the first time I heard of the practice of giving people extended years, which seemed to be fairly common in universities, not in institutes of technology or...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Briefly, the role of the Minister for Finance is to pony up the money that has been extracted from taxpayers to meet this shortfall. Otherwise, the pensioners could be left completely bereft in a case of a double insolvency, the E double.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The others are provided for in terms of scheme restructuring. This refers to a specific case, which has been a relatively rare event, but if it happens and people are left with nothing, the EU directive, which I believe was issued in 2008, comes into effect. This legislation gives effect to that.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (3 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The origin of many of the difficulties lie in the financial collapse. I appreciate Fianna Fáil's very fine sentiments now but it is what happened in 2008 and the way in which funding in the country was structured-----