Results 24,761-24,780 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Department has provided over €344 million for 2014. Recipient numbers have been in decline following a peak of over 97,000 in 2010. Following an extensive review of the private rental market revised maximum rent limits were introduced from Monday 17 June 2013 until 31 December 2014. Despite the overall...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Data (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 36 and 38 together. The rural social scheme (RSS) currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 participants and 130 supervisory staff. While overall responsibility for the RSS rests with the Department, its day-to-day operations are delivered by 35 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta (known as the Implementing Bodies)....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 40 together. The potential risk to An Post business into the future has been the subject of in-depth discussion over the past week. I think this is only right, given the importance of the network to the social fabric of our society. In this regard, I am very happy to provide my own support for the post office network and the valuable work being...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: JobPath is a new programme of employment activation aimed specifically at the long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market. The allocation of additional resources to the activation of long term unemployed people was the focus of an updated “Pathways to Work” policy statement published in July 2013 (PTW 2013). The Department examined various resourcing and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Any person of working age who does not qualify for jobseeker’s benefit may claim means tested jobseeker’s allowance. Subject to means and other qualifying conditions, self-employed persons may claim jobseeker’s allowance if their business ceases or there is reduced demand for their services. Typically over 80% of jobseeker’s allowance claims from self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The organisation concerned, in a submission to the Department, has raised issues in relation to reduced rates of jobseeker’s allowance for younger persons. The reduced rates encourage young jobseekers to improve their skills and remain active in the labour market in order to avoid the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and will help them to progress into sustainable employment on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Class A employer PRSI is payable on earnings at the rate of 10.75% in respect of weekly earnings in excess of €356 and at 8.5% on weekly earnings of €356 or less. As part of the 2011 Jobs Initiative, the Minister for Finance announced the halving of the 8.5% rate of employer PRSI to 4.25%, as a means of helping job creation and improving labour cost competitiveness,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Projects (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I understand that the focus of the Deputy's question is around the Community Employment (CE) Drugs Rehabilitation Advisory Group which was established following the transfer of CE Schemes into the Department of Social Protection. As the Deputy is aware, there is special provision under CE to address the social and learning needs of persons emerging from drug mis-use in order to support them...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The qualifying criteria for the treatment benefit scheme is based on PRSI paid during a person's working life. In order to qualify, a person aged over 66 must have: - 260 contributions paid at either Class A/E/H/P since first starting work, and - 39 contributions paid or credited in either of the 2 years before turning 66. The person concerned does not meet either condition and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Irish Language Issues (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: It is an objective of my Department to provide a quality customer service in both Irish and English in response to customer demand. The Department provides a service through Irish in line with the requirements of the Official Languages Act, 2003. The Department has an official language scheme in place, the purpose of which is to ensure better availability and a higher standard of public...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Gateway is part of a suite of initiatives being offered by the Department of Social Protection which are designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. A budget of €19m has been earmarked for the initiative in 2014. Gateway is fulfilling the obligation in the Government's programmes Pathways to Work and the Action Plan for Jobs which sets out specific...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Following a review of the person's claim, a deciding officer decided based upon the information available that her means were in excess of the statutory limit for receipt of disability allowance and the claim was disallowed from 3 December 2013. The person subsequently submitted further documentation and her claim has been sent to a social welfare inspector for a full report on the person's...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: While I am aware of the debate to which the Deputy refers, the only significant change in this area, of which I am aware, is the recent communication from the Department to job-seeking clients aged 62 years and older. Up until Budget 2014, older jobseekers were required, as part of their entitlement to a jobseeker's payment, to comply with the Department's activation measures when requested...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that representations, from the Deputy, on behalf of the person concerned, were received on 24 February 2014. The representations and attachments, in this case, have been accepted as grounds of appeal and a supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) appeal was registered on 3 March 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Eligibility (5 Mar 2014)

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 lieu...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Services Card (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Personal Public Service Number (PPS Number) is an individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. Before the introduction of the PPS Number (previously Revenue and Social Insurance Number), an Insurance Number was used to record an individual’s Social Insurance contributions. In the case of the person referred to by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. However, the Government also recognises the need for additional measures in the interim while the economy recovers. This is the rationale behind the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle long-term unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. However, the Government also recognises the need for additional measures in the interim while the economy recovers. This is the rationale behind...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Details of average processing times for the main disability related schemes for 2010 to 2013 which are provided in the following tables point to significant improvements in appeal processing times, particularly in cases where an oral hearing was required. In the case of disability allowance appeals, the average processing time for an oral hearing reduced from 51.1 weeks in 2010 to 36.2 weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. 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. The Department’s strategic policy direction is to return...