Results 26,561-26,580 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not have any proposals to set up an Actuarial Unit within my Department staffed by qualified actuaries. Staff in the various areas in my Department who are engaged in the formulation of the various Budget proposals and ongoing review of schemes have access to a very wide range of information. Staff work closely with the Statistics Unit in my Department and also with the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 22nd January 2014. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 31st March 2014 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently requested a review of the decision and supplied additional...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The Telephone Allowance was discontinued with effect from 01 Jan 2014. The costs of the Telephone Allowance scheme had risen each year previously until the allowance amount had changed and the number of eligible customers had increased significantly. In 2007 there were some 316,000 people receiving the Telephone Allowance, at the end of 2013 there are almost 400,000, an increase of 24%....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: Farm Assist is a means-tested income support scheme for farmers. To qualify for Farm Assist, a person must be a farmer, farming land in the State, aged between 18 and 66 and satisfy a means test. There were just over 10,300 recipients of farm assist at end December last and nearly €99.5 million was spent on the scheme in 2013. The farm assist scheme is based on jobseeker’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together. The rural social scheme provides income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The jobseekers allowance of the person concerned was suspended on the 17/07/2014 as the Department became aware that she was no longer at her address. She last received a payment from the Community Welfare Service in Celbridge on 07/08/2014. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: Following a review of the client’s rent supplement in September 2013, his rent was found to be in excess of the maximum rent limit applicable to his family composition and location. The client was allotted the statutory duration of 13weeks and an additional 10weeks, until 31 March 2014, to have his rent reduced or seek alternative accommodation.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on the 15th September 2014 that her domiciliary care allowance application was successful and that the allowance has been awarded from 1st July 2014. Payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, will be available in the nominated bank account on the 21stOctober 2014 and on the third Tuesday of each month thereafter.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The household benefits package comprises the electricity/gas allowance (€35 per month) and the free television licence scheme (€160 per annum). From 2015 it will also include a quarterly water support payment of €25. The household benefits package is paid to some 411,000 customers, with expenditure estimated at €230 million for 2014. The household benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: While I am aware of the issues arising in relation to this scheme, you will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on developments relating to a particular pension scheme as these are a matter for the management of the company and the trustees of the pension scheme. You will be aware that a number of changes were made to the Pensions Act in recent years to assist both the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: There are no plans to extend eligibility to community employment (CE) schemes for those in regular part-time employment, as the aim of community employment is to enhance the employability and mobility of long-term unemployed from the Live Register and other specified disadvantaged persons through work experience and training. A person can engage in limited part-time or casual work and still...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22ndAugust 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 appeal in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Recruitment (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware there is currently a moratorium on recruitment across the civil and public service. Also, like all other Government Departments, the Department has to operate within an employment control framework (ECF) target determined by the Minster for Public Expenditure and Reform. Therefore, the only source available to the Department to fill critical vacancies is from...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: Entitlement to resume duty following a career break has always been subject to there being a fillable vacancy in the relevant organisation. In this regard the Haddington Road Agreement has had no direct impact on employees seeking to resume duty at the end of their career break. Since the commencement of the Haddington Road Agreement, other factors such as staffing level restrictions have...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on the 24th June 2014 that his domiciliary care allowance application was successful and that the allowance has been awarded from 1st March 2014. The first payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, issued on 15th July 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: The process of evaluating these tenders is a confidential process and is being conducted in accordance with EU and national public procurement rules. As a result, no information in relation to the tenders or tenderers will be released during the process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Review of Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: I thank the Chairman and members of this committee for the invitation extended to me to appear before the committee to consider further the social protection Vote for 2014, to review the mid-year position and to look ahead to budget 2015. My officials have provided members with briefing material which I hope will assist us in our deliberations today. I propose to give a brief overview of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Review of Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: No, it comes from exceptional needs payments.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Review of Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: No, not in that area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Review of Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (17 Sep 2014)

Joan Burton: I commissioned the OECD, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, to prepare a report on introducing a supplementary pension scheme which would be developed along the lines of the successful schemes in Australia and New Zealand. On occasion, I have described it as a shamrock or Celtic saver. It would allow people to save money in a safe way to generate an additional pension,...