Results 25,441-25,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant departmental papers were received by that office on 7 March 2014. The appeal, in this case, was referred to an Appeals Officer on 1 May 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a monthly payment to assist with the costs associated with raising children. It is paid to around 616,000 families in respect of some 1.17 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. I am conscious that child benefit is an important source of income for all families. Child benefit as a “universal” payment is paid in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The primary objective of pension policy is to ensure the sustainability of pension provision and in that context to support an environment which will provide an adequate income for people in their retirement. Significant changes in pension policy have been introduced in recent years, particularly in relation to increasing State pension age and supporting the sustainability of defined benefit...

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal in respect of overpayment of carer’s allowance by the person concerned was received in that office on the 14th April 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (6 May 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 disallow 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Assist Scheme Eligibility (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Given the scale of unemployment levels, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives is to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. This policy objective prioritises scarce resources to those in receipt of qualifying welfare payments. Accordingly the employment services and schemes provided by the...

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 May 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 an...

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, following the submission of additional evidence, the Appeals Officer dealing with this case decided to set aside his decision of 8 January 2014 to disallow the appeal and the appeal is being re-opened by way of oral hearing. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The main purpose of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014 is to transpose the provisions of Directive 2010/41/EU on the principle of equal treatment between men and women engaged in an activity in a self-employed capacity, in so far as the Directive relates to ensuring that the spouse or civil partner of a self-employed worker can benefit from social protection in accordance with national...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The client concerned was in receipt of mortgage interest supplement from June 2009 to January 2014. Following a review in December 2013, the Department became aware that arrears on the mortgage had increased significantly in the previous 14 months. The client was advised to contact her mortgage provider with a view to restructuring her loan and to advise the Department of the outcome and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 24 February 2014. The person was advised that he could submit further medical evidence and his application would be reviewed or he could appeal the decision directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office, within 21 days. I understand neither...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (6 May 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 15 April 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (6 May 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: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 10th October 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors whose opinion was that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 8th January 2014 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure on the jobseeker’s schemes of €3.28bn in 2014. To qualify for jobseeker’s benefit or allowance a person must satisfy certain...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments (6 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Domiciliary care allowance is awarded from the month following receipt of the application unless there was good cause for the delay in applying. Domiciliary care allowance was awarded to the person concerned from 1st July 2013 following receipt of the application in June 2013. Additional information has been provided requesting payment of arrears in this case. The application is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (7 May 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 12 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 Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (7 May 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no provision in the 2014 estimates for the Department of Social Protection for the payment of a Christmas bonus. Any re-introduction of a bonus at Christmas would have to be considered in a future Budgetary context. In this regard, it is estimated that it would cost in the order of €261 million per annum to reintroduce the Bonus.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (7 May 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 26th February 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: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (7 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The rent supplement of the person concerned has been reinstated pending a full review of this case. The outcome of this review will be communicated to the person concerned once complete.