Results 24,661-24,680 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: They also said the promissory notes could not be dealt with, yet we have dealt with two. The remaining one deals with the link between sovereign debt which the Deputy's party created-----

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: -----and bank debt.

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Fianna Fáil, uniquely, decided to do this.

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Tackling unemployment is our immediate priority and will remain so for the foreseeable future. In the long term a looming pensions problem needs to be addressed. It is not enough to help people to get back to work unless we also take steps to provide security of income for them in retirement. I have protected the State pension-----

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I want to see us improve the level of occupational and private pension cover.

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: That also is a key area on which I am working as Minister.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 194 together. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: General Register Office (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the acquisition and maintenance of office accommodation for the Department of Social Protection. The lease on the accommodation in the Irish Life Mall, where the research rooms were located, ended in August 2013. As part of a cost saving, lease rationalisation programme the OPW decided not to renew the lease. As a result the research...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department has to operate within an employment control framework (ECF) target, as determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context, the staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed. This takes account of workloads, management priorities and the competing demands arising, to ensure that the best use is made of all available...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Eligibility (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no difference in the medical eligibility criteria governing payment of carer’s benefit and carer’s allowance. In respect of both schemes, the person being cared for must be in need of full time care and attention.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Redeployment (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Public Service Agreements (PSAs) covering the period 2010-16 (the Croke Park and Haddington Road Agreements) provide for agreed redeployment arrangements to apply in the Civil Service and in other parts of the Public Service. Under these Agreements, redeployment generally takes precedence over all other methods of filling a vacancy. It facilitates the movement of staff both within and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a jobseeker’s payment, an unemployed person or part-time worker must, in the case of jobseeker’s benefit, have sufficient PRSI contributions and have lost at least one day of employment or, in the case of jobseeker’s allowance, satisfy a means assessment. In addition, both schemes apply only where a person is employed for no more than three in a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is eligible for and has been in receipt of rent supplement since January 1999. His rent is within the allowable rent limit for a single person living in self-contained private rented accommodation and he is receiving the correct amount payable to him.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Under the Social Welfare code an orphan is defined as a child, both of whose parents are dead, or a child whose parent or parents have abandoned and failed to provide for them. A child who is residing with a parent, adoptive parent or step-parent is not regarded as an orphan. In cases where both parents of a child are dead, and an application is made for guardian’s payment, the death...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, as statistics in respect of processing times for mortgage interest supplement as a subset of supplementary welfare allowance appeals are not maintained separately in that office, the information requested by the Deputy is regrettably not available. I am advised however, that the average time taken to process supplementary welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no record of the Social Welfare Branch Office in Boyle or the Activation Unit in Roscommon Control office referring customers to the training course mentioned. If the deputy wishes to provide details of the referral, the matter will be examined and he will be notified of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: People who have incurred an overpayment from the Department of Social Protection have a liability under law to refund the amounts involved - Section 338 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended) refers. They have received monies to which they were not entitled and the Department has a responsibility to ensure that all overpayments are repaid in full. Interest or penalties...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (4 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The application for the person concerned is currently with a social welfare inspector, who has requested from the person an up to date bank statement. When this is received the inspector will be in a position to complete his report and a decision will be made by the deciding officer on receipt of the inspector’s report.