Results 24,821-24,840 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection delivers services to customers in Bandon via a Social Welfare Branch Office. Branch Offices are run by Branch Managers who are contracted by the Department to deliver its services in locations where the Department does not have a local office. We are aware of previous representations made in connection with this office and changes in operational...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Pensions are a long-term investment aimed at ensuring that people have an adequate income in retirement and Government policy supports this aspiration through generous tax reliefs. In general, people are only permitted to access their pension savings at the retirement age defined in their pension schemes. Schemes may have early retirement provisions from age 50 and when retirement is caused...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Expenditure (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme was to provide short-term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only. There are currently approximately 8,900 people in receipt of mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Gateway was introduced by the Department to deliver on the policy objectives set out in Pathways to Work and is designed to bridge the gap between unemployment and re-entering the workforce. Responsibility for delivery of this initiative rests with individual county and/or city councils. Gateway has a target to provide for 3,000 placements focusing on those who have been unemployed for 24...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The wage subsidy scheme (WSS) was formally launched in 2005 and was one the employment support schemes for people with disabilities which transferred to the Department from FÁS in 2012. The scheme is aimed at employers with a view to incentivising the employment of people with disabilities in the open labour market. The WSS is payable where the employee works a minimum of 21 hours per...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Budget changes which apply to PRSI have impacted on all employees who are paying an A class PRSI contribution and earning more than €352, including those on Tús. The majority of Tús participants earn €352 or less and there will be no change as the 0% rate of Employees PRSI that applies. As the Deputy will be aware, taxation procedures are primarily a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The age limit for receipt of domiciliary care allowance (DCA) is 16 years. The person concerned stopped receiving DCA payments when the child reached the age of 16 years in July 2013. A letter issued in March 2013 advising that payment of the allowance was due to end in July 2013 and that the child could apply for disability allowance in his own right.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer has considered both the illness benefit and disability allowance appeals of the person concerned. Having fully examined both appeals the Appeals Officer has decided to disallow the illness benefit appeal and has decided to allow the disability allowance appeal. Both appeals were decided by way of summary decision and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently four Intreo centres in operation the County Mayo – Achill, Belmullet, Castlebar and Ballina. The standard opening hours in an Intreo centre are 9.15 to 17.00 Monday to Thursday and 9.15 to 16.30 on Fridays. These opening hours are in operation in Castlebar and Ballina Intreo centres. The opening hours in the smaller centres in Achill and Belmullet are 9.30 to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: One of the primary aims in the transfer of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1 October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to customers. As part of this process and to support the Department’s activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme and the development of Intreo services nationally, it has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 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 3 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 and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: In August 2013 the person concerned attended her Social Welfare Local Office and was advised that she should submit her back to education allowance (BTEA) application 2 weeks before the start of her course. At no time did she state her intentions regarding the course, i.e. that she planned to partake in a single semester only. In January 2014 she submitted her application and the Deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 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 4 March 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 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

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: Community Employment Schemes Issues (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Employment under the Community Employment Scheme is currently insurable under the Social Welfare Acts for all social welfare benefits and pensions. Community Employment (CE) Supervisors pay PRSI at the standard A1 rate. If a CE Supervisor reaches State Pension age and has 520 weekly full-rate PRSI contributions (10 years contributions), they would be due the full State Pension. If a CE...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (11 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 6 February 2014. 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: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 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 28 February 2014. 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: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. 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 evidence or new facts. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.3 million for the scheme in 2014. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENPs...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 28th August 2013. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. He was notified of this decision on the 28th of November 2013, the reasons...