Results 26,861-26,880 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Regarding mothers and children who were in mother and baby homes, it is very important that they receive a full account and that the commission be established in a manner that will yield the information, the history and background they desire in a reasonable timeframe. As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs has engaged with Opposition party spokespersons and...

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: On the matters pertaining to the Defence Forces, on the suggestion made in the media that the personnel who had been part of the guard of honour at the funeral of the former Taoiseach, Mr. Albert Reynolds, had had to borrow or swap uniforms, both the Minister and, more importantly, the Chief of Staff and the officer in command have indicated that that was the first they had heard of it. I...

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I understand the university (amendment) Bill will be taken in the middle of next year. Perhaps the Deputy can submit a topical issue to receive a detailed response on the various surveys of higher education. In some of them, Ireland scores extremely well but many of them are undergoing constant revision. A topical issue debate, in which people have time to provide the fine detail, would...

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government is committed to continuing to work to ensure the remains of people who seem to have been, for the most part, summarily and brutally executed and buried in lonely sites around the country. It behoves parties whose one-time sister organisations were involved in this to give the maximum support to the moves to recover the remains. Some minutes ago, Deputies in the Chamber from...

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: This is proposed legislation so, inevitably, it will be debated fully as people require in the relevant committee and during the debate on the Bill in the Dáil. Much of the work has been completed and the proposal of the Minister is to bring it before the Dáil and the relevant committee within a reasonably short period of time.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The maritime area and foreshore (amendment) Bill has been drafted and will be taken in the House by the end of this session. The Deputy will be aware that I reached agreement with our partners in government following my election as leader of the Labour Party to have a commission on low pay which is a mechanism that has been used very successfully in other countries. The minimum wage and...

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The insurance Bill will be before the House next year, as will the health (transport support) Bill. The heads of the Bills in question have not been cleared by the Government.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Work on the Bill is at an advanced stage and it is hoped it will be before the House in this session. The Chief Whip met the drafting staff this morning and progress is positive.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The criminal justice (legal aid) Bill will be before the House in the middle of next year, as is the case with the greyhound industry (amendment) Bill.

Order of Business (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Consultations are ongoing on the criminal justice (proceeds of crime) Bill and I anticipate publication next year at the earliest. The gambling control Bill will be published next year.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The dental benefit scheme continues to provide for free annual examinations to qualifying customers who fulfil the PRSI eligibility criteria. The free dental examination has been retained in order to encourage people to continue to attend for check-ups and to ensure that good oral health is maintained. Any changes to the dental or other treatment benefit schemes would have to be considered...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The client's Rent Supplement claim is awarded and all payments are up to date.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The PPS Number is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. This covers its use for DSP purposes as well as use by other agencies (in accordance with legislation - Section 262 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 provides the basis for the allocation, use and sharing of the PPS Number). Before a PPS Number can...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance (DA) by the person concerned was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 23 October 2013. He appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. An appeals officer, having considered all the evidence available in the case, disallowed the appeal and the person in question was notified of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Section 48 of the Pensions Act sets out the manner in which the assets of a defined benefit pension scheme are distributed in the event of the wind up of a pension scheme. These rules prioritise the benefits of pensioner over the benefits of active and deferred scheme members. The priority given to the distribution of assets to deferred scheme members is the same as that given to active...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The only application for domiciliary care allowance on record in respect of the person concerned was received in April 2012. The application was not allowed as it was considered that the child did not meet the eligibility criteria for the allowance. A decision letter issued to her on 15 June 2012 advising of this decision. In the case of an application which is refused the applicant may...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: It is the policy of my Department to request medical reports from General Practitioners when customers are applying for social protection illness related schemes, including disability allowance, invalidity pension and carer’s allowance. The design of the medical evidence report part of the application forms is undertaken in consultation with the Chief Medical Advisor and the Medical...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (2 Oct 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. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table. - 2011 2012 2013 2014 - Percentage of vacant positions filled by panels created through...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability which is expected to last at least one year; who are aged over 16 and under 66 and who are substantially restricted in carrying out employment otherwise suitable to their age, experience and qualifications. DA is subject to a medical assessment, a means test and a habitual residency test. I confirm...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ombudsman's Reports (2 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Statistics on the number or nature of cases that are referred to the Office of the Ombudsman or to the Courts are not held by the Department. The number of complaints recorded by the Department from January 2011 to date: “Officer Named” Complaints Non Officer Named Complaints Total Received Year 2011 103 1,631 1,734 Year 2012 102 1,465 1,567 Year 2013 171 1,044 1, 215...