Results 26,061-26,080 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19 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 papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (24 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 hold an oral hearing in this case on 9 July 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (24 Jun 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. Following consideration of the case the Appeals Officer has referred the file back to the Department for clarification on how the means of the person concerned were assessed and to consider new information which has been submitted. As soon as the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (24 Jun 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 oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 22 October 2013. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 to 309, inclusive, together. The cost of increasing the personal weekly rate of jobseeker’s allowance payable to certain persons aged under 26 years to the maximum personal weekly rate payable to those aged 26 years or over is estimated at €161 million in 2015. The cost includes an increase, where applicable, in the qualified adult rate to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Fund Deficit (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Insurance Fund (Fund) was established by the Social Welfare Act 1952 (as amended) and operates under the terms of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act (SWCA) 2005. Since 2008 the Fund has incurred an operating deficit and by mid-2010 had exhausted all of its accumulated reserves. Since mid-2010 the Fund in accordance with Section 9 of SWCA 2005 has received state subvention to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 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 received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (24 Jun 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 23 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Information in relation to the total amount of money recouped to the Social Insurance Fund from employers on foot of payments made under the Insolvency Payments Scheme for each year from 2003 to 2013 is being compiled at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy in writing as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I was very pleased to sign a contract with An Post for over the counter cash payment services for welfare clients at the end of last year. This was, for the first time, signed on foot of a detailed specification of services and was openly and publicly advertised in a procurement competition for the delivery of these services. It was essential that the procurement competition was fully...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (24 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Where a person states that they have found work, it is normal practice for a jobseeker claim to be closed. However, in cases where the customer informs the Department in advance that they are taking up a short period of temporary work or training (up to 8 weeks), arrangements are now in place to simplify the process of returning to the live register at the end of this period. There are a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,200 schools and organisations which benefits over 205,000 children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 92 together. The Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 provides that a person who takes up employment in the civil or public service on or after 1 April 2004, or is re-appointed following a break of more than 26 weeks, is regarded as a new entrant. In general, new entrants to permanent positions within the civil or public...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Section 12 of the Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides that where an employee has been in a lay-off situation or on short-time for 4 consecutive weeks or more, or for six weeks in the last 13 weeks, he/she may give his/her employer notice, in writing, of his/her intention to claim a statutory redundancy payment. Short-time arises where there is a reduction in the weekly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government has provided over €344 million for the rent supplement scheme in 2014, the purpose of which 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. There are currently approximately 76,000 customers in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance (DA) is a payment for persons between the ages of 16 and 66 with a specified disability which is expected to last at least 1 year who, by reason of that disability, are substantially restricted in undertaking work suitable to their age, qualifications and experience. Applicants must also satisfy a means test and be habitually resident in the State. The application form...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received on the 24th March 2014. The application was not allowed as it was considered that the child does not meet the eligibility criteria for the allowance. A decision letter issued to the person concerned on 23 June 2014 advising of this decision. In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds the applicant may submit...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (25 Jun 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. Notification of the Appeals Officer’s decision issued to the person concerned on 16 June 2013. However, in light of the Deputy’s request for an oral hearing of this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (25 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available at 65, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. Claims to the State pension (transition) are therefore made in respect of people who turned 65 before 1 January 2014. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government has provided over €344 million for the rent supplement scheme in 2014, the purpose of which 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. There are currently approximately 76,000 rent...