Results 24,781-24,800 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: I assume the Deputy’s Question refers to access to jobseekers allowance for people previously engaged in self-employment. A self-employed person may apply for jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or their income reduces to a low level due a lack of demand for services. Jobseekers allowance is a means tested payment and income from self-employment activity is assessed by...

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

Joan Burton: The JobBridge scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. Over 26,000 placements have commenced to-date and there are currently over 6,500 jobseekers participating on the scheme. This is broadly in line with the budget for 2014 which provides for a weekly average of 6,740 places to be filled, our objective as part of the Y6 is to increase this number to...

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

Joan Burton: Incorrect payments can occur for a number of reasons, including customer or third party error, Departmental error or fraud. The Department makes every effort to ensure that the correct payment is made to the correct customer at the correct time and has measures in place to help ensure that this occurs including ongoing reviews of claims, staff training, detailed scheme guidelines,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The following table outlines the number of participants on Community Employment (CE), TÚS and the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) at the end of 2011, 2012 and 2013 in Co Kildare. Scheme 2011 2012 2013 Community Employment Scheme 664 615 817 TÚS 85 164 254 Rural Social Scheme 22 22 22 Total 771 801 1,093 The Deputy will be aware the number of places available on a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government’s approach to tackling the unemployment problem is to focus resources on those individuals most at risk of long-term unemployment with age being a significant determinant. The Department of Social Protection keeps a detailed breakdown of the profiles of jobseekers. Data on each client’s age, past occupation, and his/her education, is collected at the point of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Application Numbers (5 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no backlog in claim processing in Invalidity Pension. As at the end of February 2014 there were 2,050 Invalidity Pension (IP) claims registered, actioned and awaiting information to finalise a decision. This includes approximately 270 cases which are being investigated under EU regulations or bi-lateral agreements. These cases are more complex and take longer to decide....

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 13th February 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

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

Joan Burton: The Youth Guarantee will be run on a national basis. The Ballymun Pilot is being mainly funded by the European Commission. Such specific funding for other pilot programmes is not available. Moreover, it is unlikely that the Department will operate a specific scheme for each of its 60+ local offices. However there will be flexibility to tailor the implementation to local conditions (for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95, 122 and 126 to 128, inclusive, together. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that 13,444 appeals are currently registered with that office, of which 2,751 are disability allowance appeals, 1,645 are carer’s allowance appeals, 1,422 are jobseeker’s allowance (means) appeals and 1,101 are jobseeker’s allowance (payments)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Suicide Prevention (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department recognises the need for training in the area of suicide awareness for frontline staff and has put a number of supports in place to assist them in supporting customers who identify themselves as having thoughts of suicide. In 2013, with assistance from the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), the Department provided ‘Safetalk’ training to 282 frontline...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 21st November 2012. This application was considered by a deciding officer with the benefit of the opinion of one of the Department’s Medical Assessors, who considered that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance as the medical reports furnished did not indicate that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Carer’s allowance is a means-tested payment for carers on low incomes who are habitually resident in the State and who look after certain people in need of full time care and attention. Reviews of customer income, capital, investments and other relevant circumstances are undertaken on an ongoing basis. Customers are required to co-operate with such reviews. The person concerned was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no record of any disability allowance appeal having been received in that office from the person concerned. However, I understand that the person concerned did appeal the disallowance of his application for invalidity pension and that his appeal has been examined by an Appeals Officer, who decided to disallow the appeal on a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 07th November 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: Social Welfare Code Reform (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Since the Government took office in March 2011, I have implemented an unprecedented programme of policy reform in the social welfare system and organisational change in the Department of Social Protection. The Department successfully completed the most significant merger in the history of the Irish public service, while at the same time reducing expenditure and meeting increased demand for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Implementation of the Youth Guarantee is a medium-term policy of the Irish Government. It is envisaged that the guarantee as it affects those aged under 18 years will be implemented within 2 years, i.e. by the end of 2015. The guarantee of an offer of training, education or work experience for those aged 18-24 years after a four month period should be implemented on a phased basis. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2nd December 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 January 2014. 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 Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (6 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on the 26th November 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 have been received in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (6 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, including that adduced at oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new...