Results 26,341-26,360 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: There are a number of Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) companies which have been assisting and supporting their clients with a facility to make direct deductions from their social welfare payments for bill paying purposes through historical arrangements put in place by Cork MABS and the Lough Credit Union, using the Household Budget facility operated by An Post. This arrangement is...

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

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation. There are approximately 76,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014.In general, persons engaged in full-time education are excluded from receiving rent supplement. However, those participating in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation. There are approximately 76,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. Information on the number of rent supplement claims for new tenancies by constituency is not available. However, the number of rent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Employee PRSI is not charged where weekly earnings are €352 or less. Where weekly earnings exceed €352, employees become liable for PRSI and PRSI at 4% is charged on all earnings. While the effect of paying PRSI on all earnings once the €352 employee PRSI threshold is exceeded, is an issue, the yield from those paying PRSI contributes to keeping workers on lower...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme supports 76,249 recipients at an estimated cost of €863 million in 2014.The OFP scheme is in the process of being reformed. These reforms are reducing on a phased basis, the maximum age limit of the youngest child at which an OFP recipient’s payment ceases to 7 years from 2014 for new entrants and from 2015 for existing recipients. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation. There are approximately 76,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. I do not intend to abolish the rent supplement maximum rent limits. However, a review of the maximum rent limits has commenced and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The one-parent family payment (OFP) scheme supports 76,249 recipients at an estimated cost of €863 million in 2014.The OFP scheme is in the process of being reformed. These reforms are reducing on a phased basis, the maximum age limit of the youngest child at which an OFP recipient’s payment ceases to 7 years from 2014 for new entrants and from 2015 for existing recipients. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Death Certificates (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I am very much aware that where a death occurs in tragic circumstances that the cause of death registered on the death certificate can cause distress to loved ones. In this regard, I will shortly introduce, by regulation, a short form death certificate that will omit the cause of death. Currently, under sections 41 and 42 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 a coroner or a medical practitioner...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Yield (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I refer the Deputy to the reply to PQ 30232-14. I will revert directly to the Deputy with the figure as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Rights (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme, which operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984, which, in turn, derives from EU Council Directive 987/80, is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These entitlements include wages, holiday pay, sick pay, payment in lieu...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Data (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment in County Louth, as with the rest of the country, is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. However, the Government also recognises the need for additional measures to address unemployment in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The client is in receipt of their maximum entitlement to rent supplement based on location, family configuration and means .

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I understand the Deputy is referring to entitlement to a jobseeker’s scheme by persons who have completed a Youthreach programme. Youthreach is a programme directed at unemployed young early school leavers aged 15-20. It offers participants the opportunity to identify and pursue viable options within adult life, and provides them with opportunities to acquire certification. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 374 together. As the Deputies will be aware, Gateway is a work placement initiative for county and city councils. The initiative aims to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. Similar to Tús, participants are selected by a random process conducted by the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (15 Jul 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 11 June 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: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on 15 May 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 12 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Data (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: It is not a requirement for persons for whom temporary emergency accommodation is arranged by the New Communities Unit to have a letter of housing need from their Local Authority; therefore this Department does not hold such information. Furthermore, this Department is not party to the details of those in such circumstances who may be registered or on a waiting list for social housing as such...

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

Joan Burton: The back to education (BTEA) programme is a second-chance education scheme for jobseekers, lone parents and people with disabilities who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Under the BTEA, income support is provided to allow jobseekers undertake a second-level or third-level course to improve their education and skills. In May 2014, I announced a number of enhancements to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation. There are approximately 76,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. A new review of the maximum rent limits has commenced within the Department and will feed into the budgetary process. This review...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. SWA is designed to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes or who...