Results 26,001-26,020 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: According to the records of the Department, the person concerned is not available at the address supplied. Her claim has now been closed as she failed to contact the department regarding a new address. If the client is homeless she will be referred to the Homeless Unit in Castle Street where her circumstances can be examined and reviewed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Details of appointments to the Boards over the last three years are set out in the table below: - 2011 Number of Appointments 2011 Number of appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 93 together. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 28thApril 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. It is not possible at this point to confirm when the appeal process...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Civil Registration Legislation (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The notification, solemnisation and registration of marriages are governed by Part 6 of the Civil Registration Act 2004. Section 51(2) (c) of the Act provides that a registered solemniser "...shall not solemnise a marriage unless the solemnisation takes place in a place that is open to the public". This is currently taken to mean that the place must be a building that is easily identifiable...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Jun 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 convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: You will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on issues arising in a particular pension scheme or any individual complaint. The Pensions Act makes provision for the resolution of disputes arising from the operation of occupational pension schemes. Problems in relation to schemes can arise due to: A breach of enabling legislation, other than the Pensions Act, A...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question in 2012. The application was refused by a deciding officer on the grounds that the care recipient was not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. He was notified of this decision on 11 March 2013, the reasons for it and of his right of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme. The aim of CE is to prepare disadvantaged and unemployed persons for employment by providing work experience and vocational training opportunities for participants within their communities. To support participation on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme, an applicant who needs childcare can apply to take up a childcare place on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (18 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on 18 November 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on 4 February 2014 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently requested a review of that decision. An appeal was also lodged against...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: An individual's classification for social insurance purposes is important as it affects the rate of Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) which they pay on their salary or income. This in turn affects the social insurance benefits to which they are entitled. Generally an individual is classified for PRSI purposes as an employee or as self-employed. Where an individual is classified as an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Fuel allowance is paid for the heating season which generally runs from October to April. It is awarded from the first payday after the date of receipt of application. In this instance the application for person concerned was received on 22 July 2013. The 2013/2014 fuel allowance season commenced on 11 October 2013 and the fuel allowance payment was made to the person concerned from 11...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Special arrangements have been put in place in the Dublin area to protect existing rent supplement customers from entering homelessness under the Interim Tenancy Sustainment Protocol (ITSP). The Rents Unit has been advised that this claimant's landlord is increasing the rent in August 2014. This family has been living in their current address since 2010 and under the terms of the ITSP we...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The application from the person concerned for disability allowance, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on habitual residency grounds and the claimant was notified in writing of this decision on 30 April 2013. The person subsequently appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO). An oral appeal hearing was scheduled in this case and I am informed by the SWAO...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently a participant on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme and is in receipt of €511.60 per week and the weekly PRSI deduction from this is €20.46. CE participants are the employees of schemes and are obliged to pay PRSI at the appropriate class (A8/A9). For the majority of CE participants who are earning €352.00 or less, there is no change as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Administration (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance receives approximately 13,000 telephone calls a month. The average time taken to answer a call in 2014, up to the end of May, was 3 minutes 55 seconds. The Department endeavors to provide the most responsive phone service possible to its customers. A call management system is in place across all headquarter buildings, including disability allowance, which allows...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. There are currently over 780,000 customers in receipt of free travel. The scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Home-makers Scheme (19 Jun 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 workforce...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Until the early 1970s, the only category of lone parent families to receive support under the social welfare system, were widows through the contributory and non-contributory schemes introduced for them in 1935. Schemes for other types of lone parent families began to be introduced in 1970 when the first scheme for deserted wives was announced, followed by provision for unmarried mothers in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Reform (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Reform (19 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 93 together. Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay class A PRSI at the...