Results 25,521-25,540 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Communications (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: In the past the Department did not routinely record telephone calls, with the exception of one sensitive area where callers are advised of the situation. The call recording functionality in question is provided by the Department’s contracted supplier. Calls recorded are stored in a secure environment for 90 days and only a limited number of staff in the area concerned have access...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (13 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: Departmental Schemes (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The management and administration of Community Employment and Job Initiative Programmes is under on-going consideration by the Department. No decision has been made to date.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 21st 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 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in service delivery and disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. The programme is funded by the Department with day-to-day management of contracts undertaken by Pobal. Contract holders must deliver tangible services that are capable of generating non-public revenues from their operations by way of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The deciding officer is awaiting a report from the social welfare investigator in order to determine the weekly means of the person concerned. The investigator has confirmed that the report will be forwarded as a matter of urgency. A decision on the person’s application will be given on receipt of the social welfare investigator’s report and the person will be notified directly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The client concerned is advised to make application for rent supplement to the Meath/ Westmeath Rents Unit if he is wishing to move to the Slane area. The application should be forwarded to the following address; Meath/ Westmeath Rents Unit, Department of Social Protection, ORS Building, Marlinstown Business Park, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection delivers services to customers in North Kildare via a Social Welfare Branch Office located in Maynooth. 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 an Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Local Office. The Department is committed to the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person in question on 24 February 2014. The person concerned has been awarded Carer’s Benefit. She was notified of this decision on 23 April 2014, with her first payment including arrears issuing on 1 May 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (13 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 16 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The Labour Court recommended in July 2008 (LCR19293) that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for Community Employment (CE) scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS, the Agency responsible for CE at that time. Notwithstanding the position of this Department (which now has responsibility for CE) in rejecting that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (13 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 29 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a disability allowance appeal from the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 April 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 May 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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (13 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, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 19 November 2013. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The representation in question was addressed to an Officer who was on leave at the time and the post was not opened in her absence. However, the letter was acknowledged last week and a review of the person’s entitlements is currently ongoing. The person in question will be notified of the outcome as soon as a decision has been made.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, and the Social Welfare Tribunal. None of the bodies under the aegis of the Department have been merged, or abolished since 2011. The Pensions Board was renamed the Pensions Authority on 7 March 2014. The Public Service Reform Programme provided...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Travel (13 May 2014)

Joan Burton: There are three formal meetings and one informal meeting of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) Ministers scheduled for the rest of the year, together with a possible meeting on the youth guarantee. The business of EPSCO is shared with a number of other ministerial colleagues and attendance at any or all of these meetings will depend on the proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (14 May 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97, 101, 106, 109 and 111 together. 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. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (14 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was overpaid a total of €1,849 Jobseekers Allowance for the period 1 March 2012 to 18 December 2012 following a review of their income from their spouse’s insurable employment. The decision to assess an overpayment was appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, where an Appeals Officer upheld the decision of the Deciding Officer. There is...