Results 27,101-27,120 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently 1,400 rent supplement recipients in Waterford, at an approximate cost of €4.2 million this year. Some 326 of those, or almost 25% of these claims, were awarded this year. I want to assure the Deputy that officers administering rent supplement throughout the country have considerable experience in dealing with customers and will continue to make every effort to...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy knows, a major newly refurbished centre was opened in Waterford which has proven enormously successful in providing a very high-quality social welfare service because all of the IT platforms have been improved. As the Deputy also knows, there is a general reception desk, without glass barriers, where people can ask for the information they want. People in Waterford are very...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Nationally, 73,000 individuals or families receive rent allowance. The Deputy knows how popular it is with families. In Waterford, 325, or almost 25%, of the claims for rent allowance were awarded this year. I do not accept that there is not a significant number of people in Waterford whose housing needs are being addressed. I am aware, and I understand what the Deputy is referring to,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Data Protection (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I take it the Deputy is referring to the Data Protection Commissioner’s successful prosecution of a firm of private investigators, MCK Rentals Limited, which recently resulted in convictions against the firm and both of its directors. I congratulate the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner on this successful and important prosecution. The firm illegally obtained...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Data Protection (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: When a public representative or some other third party rings the Department on behalf of somebody, staff in the Department have to follow a standard procedure to ascertain that the person in question has the authority to act in that manner. Given that 1.8 million phone calls are received each year, or 35,000 a week, it is clear that a significant proportion of the Department's public...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Data Protection (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: There is a protocol, as well as regular information and training programmes, in the Department in respect of people's personal data not being utilised in any way that falls outside the law and the Department's regulations. In addition, the Data Protection Commissioner closely oversees the Department's work in that respect, as the commissioner's primary function is to protect people's data....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Decisions on the awarding of social welfare payments such as jobseeker's benefit or allowance are made by the deciding officers appointed under the terms of the Social Welfare Acts. In making decisions, deciding officers are bound by the provisions of social welfare legislation. Each case is dealt with on its merits and in accordance with the facts of the case. Social welfare legislation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not wish to go into the facts of the particular case, of which the Deputy is aware. As it is the subject of an oral appeal, there then will be an opportunity to discuss the case in greater detail. However, when a person makes an application, to some extent the decision reached by a deciding officer depends significantly on statements and remarks made by that person to support his or...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: In this particular case the information that was supplied and the information supplied by the employer was in regard to a misconduct episode-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: -----which gave rise to a dismissal. The deciding officer had the facts as presented by the individual and also supplied by the employer when the case was examined, which confirmed what the applicant had represented when they came in as being part of the particular circumstances of the case. They have now decided to have an oral appeal and that will afford a greater opportunity to check out...

Other Questions: Departmental Customer Charters (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The overall aim of the Department of Social Protection is to provide people with the information, financial support and other services they require in a timely and customer-friendly way. The Department demonstrates its ongoing commitment to a strong customer service ethos through the customer charter and action plan. The plan sets out a range of mechanisms to deliver a high quality of...

Other Questions: Departmental Customer Charters (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: We have had many debates in this House on allowances, including the carer's allowance, family income supplement and domiciliary care allowance. Deputies O’Dea and Ó Snodaigh, in particular, have raised these, and Deputy Catherine Murphy herself had questions on the domiciliary care allowance. The whole allowance system has been transformed dramatically. In fairness to the staff...

Other Questions: Departmental Customer Charters (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Since the economic collapse from 2007 and 2008 onwards, there was a vast increase in the number of people seeking to be assisted by the Department of Social Protection. As the Deputy knows, the number claiming in a very wide range of areas increased enormously, most notably among those who lost their jobs. Consequently, the pressure on the system increased enormously. As the Deputy is...

Other Questions: Departmental Customer Charters (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: We have revamped the service. I will take any details the Deputy has and ensure that they are examined.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I am very conscious of the important role of the post office around the country, not only in respect of social welfare payments but also the extent to which it is now becoming a one stop-shop where people can pay bills, purchase mobile telephone top-ups, use the passport application facility, pay local property tax or Garda fines and carry out a range of banking and other financial services....

Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I am glad to say the post offices won the contract for over-the-counter cash services. Increasingly people with bank accounts who receive a State pension on retirement choose to use their bank account. I do not know whether the Deputy is suggesting that such customers should be forced to use the post office when they have a bank account. The same is true for people who receive child...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) is a key resource in the provision of opportunities for long-term unemployed persons, lone parents, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. At the same time, CE provides valuable support to community and voluntary organisations in the provision of vital supports to local communities.At the end of September, 2014, there are over 1,030 CE schemes with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government will continue to ensure that those on low incomes and those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty are supported through the household benefits package and the fuel allowance. The Department will spend €230 million this year on the household benefits package for almost 415,000 customers. The fuel allowance, worth €520 per year, is paid for 26 weeks from...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: JobBridge is an administrative scheme on which participation is voluntary and, accordingly, there is no formal appeals process. However, there are complaints and queries procedures which interns, host organisations and other interested parties may use to raise any concerns that they may have with regard to the operation of the scheme. All complaints and queries, are processed through the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Administration (21 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a universal payment made to families with children. It assists those families with the cost associated with raising children. It is paid to almost 1.2 million children in over 600,000 families. The estimated expenditure in 2014 will be €1.9 billion. The cost of the administration of the scheme is in the order of €7.5 million per annum. The Department of...