Results 25,561-25,580 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Post-graduate courses that lead to a higher diploma in any discipline or the professional diploma in education (PDE) are the only eligible post-graduate courses supported under the back to education allowance programme (BTE). The professional masters in education (PME) will replace the current PDE from September 2014 and eligibility will be extended to this. Other postgraduate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 128 together. The Judgement to which the Deputy refers, involved a challenge by a claimant in regard to the process involved in determining eligibility on her claim for domiciliary care allowance (DCA). The Department has decided to appeal the Judgement to the Supreme Court. The Department is examining the issues arising from the Judgement and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Applications (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal was registered on 18 February 2014 and in accordance with statutory requirements the Department was asked for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: In addition to its own network of offices, the Department delivers a front-line service to the public at various locations throughout the country through a network of Branch Offices. Each Branch Office is operated under a contract for services by a Branch Manager who acts as an agent for the Department in that particular location. When a Branch Manager position becomes vacant, a review of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (15 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 29 May 2014. The person concerned will be notified shortly 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: One-Parent Family Payments (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The one parent family payment of the person concerned was suspended as the Department became aware that she was no longer at her address. The person concerned should provide proof of her current address to her local social welfare office and a review of her claim will be undertaken as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: Child benefit customers are obliged to notify the child benefit office in writing of any change in their circumstances. As part of the ongoing child benefit eligibility review programme a review certificate issued to the person concerned on the 25 March 2014. The Deputy subsequently made representations on her behalf on the 23 April 2014 and provided the Department with an updated address....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (15 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 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 functions independently of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned submitted a letter to the Department regarding guardianship of her grandchildren in March 2013. Her claim was disallowed, as she was not considered the qualified person for receipt of the payment. This decision was confirmed in writing and was the subject of a reply to a PQ (Ref. No. 26529-13). There is no record of further correspondence having been received in August...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (15 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 17 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: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (15 May 2014)

Joan Burton: There are approximately 35 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) under the remit of my Department. Prior to the recent integration of services from the Health Service Executive (HSE) and FÁS into the Department, approximately 23 of these devices had previously belonged to those organisations. In 2013, the cost of maintenance of the original 12 AEDs and associated staff training was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Review (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by almost 90 private transport operators. There are currently over...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Registration of Births (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The loss of a child in any circumstances is an extremely tragic event and I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to those families who have lost a child. The voluntary registration of stillbirths is provided for in section 28 of the Civil Registration Act 2004. The definition of a “stillborn child” is contained in section 2(1) of that Act and provides that a stillborn child...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348, 378, 406, 410 and 425 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (27 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 employment. The revised estimates for the Department of Social Protection provide for expenditure of €3.3bn in 2014 in respect of the jobseeker’s schemes. It is a fundamental qualifying condition for these schemes that a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (27 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: Departmental Offices (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that the Department’s Facilities Management Unit does not hold a file relating to the issue raised. OPW is responsible for the Department’s Property Management issues and may have some relevant documentation.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The most recent application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 24th 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 currently takes 10 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a basic supplementary welfare allowance of €186.00 per week which is the maximum rate payable for a single person. He has applied for payment in respect of a child dependant and he has been requested to submit further information to allow a decision to be made.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility (27 May 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently in receipt of all payments from this Department to which she is entitled.