Results 23,741-23,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (11 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 19th 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 papers have been received from the Department, the appeal in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (11 Dec 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: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The rent supplement has been reinstated for the client in question. The payment was temporarily suspended due to an issue regarding the client's address. All arrears will issue accordingly at the end of the month.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (11 Dec 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 currently over 80,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Placements (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was launched on 1st July, 2011 as part of the Government's Jobs Initiative. JobBridge provides work experience placements for those on the Live Register for a 6 or 9 month period to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Sick Leave (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of sick days taken by staff of the Department over the last 3 years is as outlined in the table below. The detail requested is being provided in respect of the years 2010, 2011 and 2012 which is the last year for which a complete record is available. The Deputy should note that the functions and staff of the Community Welfare Service transferred into the Department from the HSE...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Numbers (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: A total of 390,577 live register claims were closed during the first 11 months of 2013. A detailed breakdown of this number by claim duration and closure reason is contained in the tabular statement. Live Register claim closures 1 January to 30 November 2013. Claim Duration Closure Reason <3mths 3-6 mths 6mths-1yr 1-2yrs 2-3yrs 3-5yrs >5yrs Grand Total Found Work 59,724...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that state pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This will begin in 2014 with the abolition of the state pension (transition) thereby standardising state pension age for all at 66 years. The state pension age will be further increased to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028. These changes apply to all fully insured...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is not available. My staff have provided statistics on the number of claim disallowances and appeals lodged for the first ten months of 2013 in the attached table for the main Departmental schemes. I am however informed that appeals lodged are not solely in respect of disallowance of a claim for a social welfare payment but may arise on foot of a means...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application for a rent supplement on 10th October 2012. As the application was incomplete, a request for further information was sent to him on 18th October 2012 detailing 12 items that were required in order to assess the application. As of 21st January 2013, 8 of the required items had been submitted and a request was sent for the 4 remaining items; to date...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence has disallowed the appeal of the person concerned. However, on receipt of further information from the person concerned, the Appeals Officer has decided to re-open the appeal by way of an oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the date, time and venue for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Appeals (11 Dec 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 January 2014. The person concerned will be notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection (DSP) is consolidating and improving the provision of training and work experience for CE participants in particular for those who wish to pursue a career in childcare. For CE participants who work directly with children, a dedicated programme comprising formal learning and supervised work experience will become a mandatory part of participation. This...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand that the Deputy is inquiring about the number of successful appeals on disability allowance awaiting processing in the Department. There are currently 260 successful disability allowance appeals awaiting attention all of which were recently received from the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Department is currently working hard to eliminate backlogs of new disability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: EU Directives (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: There is only one Directive related to the Department of Social Protection that falls into the category mentioned by the Deputy. The provisions of EU Directive 2010/41/EU (on the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity) require, amongst other things, the provision of social protection and maternity benefit to spouses and civil...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (11 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: No costs have been incurred in the Department as a result of Oireachtas members initiating legal challenges in the Courts in any of the past five years.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (12 Dec 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 convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (12 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received in respect of the child concerned on the 18th September 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors whose opinion was that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 7th October 2013 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (12 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the Disability Allowance appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 12th December 2013. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. An Oral Hearing in respect of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance appeal for the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (12 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: East Clare Community Co-Operative Society Limited has received funds under the Community Services for a number of years. The funds are provided as a contribution to the management and delivery of a range of services to the community of Scarriff and its environs. The Community Services Programme requires that those in receipt of funds operate on a community business or social enterprise...