Results 25,361-25,380 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 336, 342, 382 and 383 together. Under the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, the Department is developing a variant of the JobBridge scheme for the most disadvantaged young people in the 18-25 age bracket who have been identified as having significant barriers to gaining employment. Under this measure, employers will be asked to make work experience...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 369 together. 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 the oral hearing has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer's decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no record of an application from the person concerned for either One-Parent Family Payment or Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance. If the person concerned wishes to apply for either payment, she must complete the necessary application form and her application will be assessed in the normal manner.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (30 Apr 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 hold an oral hearing in this case on the 6 May 2014. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (30 Apr 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 28 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies Establishment (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Report on Pension Charges 2012 was undertaken by my Department, working with the Central Bank and the Pensions Authority, and with support from PWC. The primary objective of the report was to gather information on pension charges levied, to assess whether these charges are reasonable and transparent, to report on the findings and to make recommendations. The report highlights a wide range...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy is aware, the rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. There has been no change in the qualifying criteria for eligibility to participate on the RSS. All new entrants to the scheme from 17 September 2012 are paid the equivalent of their existing rate of social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The State pension is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. As provided for in Budget 2012, from September 2012, new rate bands for State pension were introduced. These additional payment rate bands more...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (30 Apr 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: Disability Allowance Applications (30 Apr 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 13thMarch 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 have been received in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 14th August 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 6th November 2013 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently requested a review of that decision. The case was reviewed by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17thApril 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Voluntary Work Option (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: While the Deputy has not referred to jobseekers specifically, I will respond to his question in the context of people who are in receipt of a jobseeker’s payment. I am deeply conscious of the long and valuable tradition of volunteering in this country and I am committed to ensuring that this continues to thrive. To facilitate the commitment to the voluntary community, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Black Economy Issues (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: A key priority for Government is to ensure that fraudulent activity within the social welfare system is vigorously prevented and combatted. A key element of this is the active policing of the shadow/hidden economy sector where there is a prevalence of social welfare fraud and tax non-compliance. This is as much about ensuring a level playing field for compliant businesses and taxpayers as it...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (30 Apr 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: Community Welfare Services (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: While there is no record that the person concerned has contacted the community welfare service, a community welfare officer will endeavour to make contact with him on his mobile phone as a matter of urgency.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Issues (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Further to my response to PQ 14496/14 on 27thMarch 2014, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no change to the information previously given in this case. The Social Welfare Appeals Office have no trace of any appeal from the person concerned and, despite an extensive search of its records, there is no evidence of any communication relating to an appeal having issued...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 27th March 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.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The total number of persons aged 62 and over currently on the live register is 16,776 at the end of March. A breakdown of this figure is detailed in the following tabular statement. Number of persons aged 62 and over on the live register at the end of March Age Jobseeker’s Allowance Jobseeker’s Benefit Credits Only Total 62 2,657 689 2,482 5,828 63 2,528 639 2,442 5,609 64...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The rate of State pension (contributory) a person qualifies for on reaching the age of 66 depends upon, among other conditions, the average number of contributions paid or credited each year, from the time they enter insurable employment. The homemaker’s scheme was introduced in 1994 to make qualification for State pension (contributory) easier for those who take time out of the...