Results 24,841-24,860 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The control process is an integral part of the day-to-day operations of the Department and all staff involved in the administration of the various social welfare schemes are acutely aware of the need to implement appropriate controls at every stage of the process. The exclusive function of the Department’s Special Investigation Unit, SIU, is to investigate and report on fraud and...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 251, inclusive, together. The Department of Social Protection receives reports of possible fraud from members of the public in relation to the operation of its schemes. A dedicated phone number and a facility on the Department’s website is available for this purpose. It should be borne in mind that while there is often a perception of fraud,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department made no payments to law firms in respect of legal fees for services rendered to it in 2013. The Department’s legal advisors are the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Attorney General. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: An Education and Training Options Fair opened in the Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley at 12 noon on Thursday 27 February and was due to run until 7.00 p.m. Such Fairs are among the regular events which the Department organises throughout the country to help jobseekers return to work, training and education, and are a key component of the Department’s strategy to reduce unemployment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The issue raised by the Family Resource Centre Community Development Project in St Michael’s Estate, Inchicore, relates to the Community Lynks Special Drugs Community Employment (CE) scheme which is funded by the Department. The Operating Procedures for CE schemes outline the required ratios of supervision to number of participants; 1 to 25 participants on mainstream CE projects....

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned was disallowed Jobseekers Allowance by a Deciding Officer of the Department who was not satisfied that he was genuinely seeking employment based on the evidence presented in support of his application. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 March 2013. The case will be referred to an...

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 13th February 2014. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The total number of persons on labour activation measures who are not included in the live register figures at the end of January was 85,028 which compares to a total of 70,768 when the Government came into office. A breakdown by scheme of the number of persons on activation measures in both January 2014 and February 2011 is detailed in the tabular statement. Scheme Jan 2014 Feb 2011 Back...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: 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 aftermath of emergency events such as the recent severe weather...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local and Community Development Programme Planning (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Local Development Companies support the delivery of a range of programmes and schemes for the Department of Social Protection including Tús, the community work placement initiative, community employment, the rural social scheme and enterprise support to the long term jobseeker wishing to pursue a self-employment option. The Companies deliver the JobClubs and the Local Employment Service...

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

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the tabular statement. Scheme Jan 2012 Jan 2013 Jan 2014 Activation Back to work allowance scheme - employee strand 162 14 9 Back to work enterprise allowance scheme - self employed strand 10,772 10,812 10,160 Short-term enterprise allowance 1,201 1,002 488 DSP part-time job incentive 190 215 296 TUS - community work placement...

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 6th 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 Deputy’s request for an oral hearing of this case will be brought to the attention of the Appeals Officer....

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

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 30th of May 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. She was notified of this decision and the reason for it on the 9th of July...

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that cost details for room hire and travel and subsistence are not maintained on a scheme by scheme basis. It is therefore not possible to provide the information sought by the Deputy in relation to Domiciliary Care Allowance oral hearings. General Social Welfare Appeals Office expenditure under the headings of room hire and travel and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the gap between Community Employment (CE) scheme years is to maximise the number of places for new entrants. The vacant place can then be taken up by another eligible person. A full 52 week placement is deemed to be of sufficient duration for the majority of participants to become “job-ready”. Where further participation is deemed of benefit to the participant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Development Projects (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: As part of the regular re-contracting process undertaken for the Community Services Programme, the company in question submitted its business plan for the future contracting period beginning in 2014. The business plan was assessed as being weak as it did not adequately demonstrate a need for the service nor was it possible to conclude that good value for money would be delivered over the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Citizens Information Board The procedures followed when appointing members to the Citizens Information Board are in accordance with the Revised Code of Practice for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (12 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: As announced in Budget 2013, an additional 2,000 places were made available on Community Employment (CE) nationally. Of these places an additional 52 places were awarded to CE schemes based in County Mayo. These additional places were allocated in July 2013, following an invitation for CE schemes to submit an application for increased numbers. The Department continuously monitors the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (12 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The figures provided by the Deputy do not entirely correspond with the rates of payment under the State pension (contributory) and it may be that one of the pensioners is in receipt of another payment, such as the State pension (non-contributory). From 1 September 2012, people awarded a State pension (contributory) with an average of 29 contributions paid or credited will generally be paid...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (12 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 20th January 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take up to 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.