Results 27,341-27,360 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The rural social scheme (RSS) 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 participants and 130 supervisory staff. The funds...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Initiative (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: JobPath is the Government’s new labour market activation service aimed specifically at the long-term unemployed and those most distant from the labour market, with the primary objective of assisting such persons to gain sustained employment. JobPath will augment and complement both the Department’s own employment services as well as the services contracted under existing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Pension schemes in Ireland are generally set up under a trust. The management of the scheme is a matter for the employer and the trustees of the pension scheme. The obligation on the sponsoring employer will be set out in the trust deed and scheme rules. The trustees of the scheme are required to act in the best interest of all scheme members. The Pensions Act provides a framework for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: There are approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. I am acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation in areas of high demand, including those in receipt of rent supplement, in the current market. However, raising rent limits may not be the solution to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Administration (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The aim of the JobBridge scheme is to assist in breaking the vicious cycle whereby jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market following education or training, or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills. At any one time, JobBridge will provide up to 8,500 work experience placements for jobseekers, in organisations in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker Schemes Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker’s schemes provide income support for people who are seeking their first job or have lost work and are seeking alternative employment. A fundamental qualifying condition for both the jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance is that a person must be available for full-time work. Where a person is employed for up to three days in a week, they may claim...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Poverty (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Inclusion Monitor, the official report on progress on poverty using national and EU indicators, reports that the rate of consistent poverty for children in 2012 was 9.9 per cent or 115,000 children. This compares with an average of 8.7 per cent for the years preceding the crisis (2005-2008) or 91,000 children. Using the at-risk-of-poverty measure, 18.8 per cent of children were in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Services for People with Disabilities (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing any barriers which prevent those persons with disabilities from participating in activation programmes and employment. A wide range of activation programmes are available to persons with disabilities including access to SOLAS training courses, community...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: All existing welfare payments have been fully maintained for 2015 – there will be no reductions. In addition, I announced on Budget Day a number of initiatives costing €198 million with four key objectives. These are: - Assisting long-term unemployed families to return to work by providing continued financial support; - Helping all families in the State with the cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Social insurance contributions (PRSI) are paid into the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) which finances a broad range of payment benefits. The social insurance system is mandatory and insures nearly all workers and the self-employed for a range of contingencies such as old age, ill health, maternity and unemployment. The range of contingencies covered is dependent on the Class of PRSI paid. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department undertakes a number of data matches with other government departments and agencies on a systematic basis, including the Revenue Commissioners. The main data that DSP receives from Revenue relates to PAYE and P35 details, self-employed data which are used to determine eligibility for insurance based payments. In addition, the Department transfers benefit/pension payment data...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Initiative (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: JobPath is a new programme of employment activation aimed specifically at the long-term unemployed (over 12 months) and those most distant from the labour market. Jobseekers will be referred to the programme for a 52 week period and will retain their existing social welfare payment while on the programme. Subject to successful finalisation of contracts, it is anticipated that JobPath will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Responsibility for water policy including water affordability, water charges, the rates set and the question of exemptions and allowances lies with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government.The Department of Social Protection will spend €230 million this year on the household benefits package for almost 415,000 customers. The fuel allowance is paid for 26 weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: There are approximately 73,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. There have been no reductions to rent supplement announced as part of Budget 2015. I am acutely aware of the difficulties people are experiencing in maintaining affordable rented accommodation, including those in receipt of rent supplement, particularly in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Initiative (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: JobPath is the Government’s new labour market activation service aimed specifically at long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market, with the primary objective of assisting such persons to gain sustained employment. JobPath will augment and complement both the Department’s own employment services as well as the services contracted under existing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made a new claim for Supplementary Welfare Allowance on 16thOctober 2014. This claim was awarded at the correct payment rate appropriate to her age in line with current social welfare legislation; since 9thJanuary 2014 new claims for persons aged 18 to 24 receive payment at a reduced rate of €100 per week. The person concerned had previously been in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Services for People with Disabilities (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 178 together. The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing barriers which prevent those persons with a disability from availing of employment opportunities. The Department provides a wide range of income and work-related supports specifically for people...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2015 (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I announced, on Budget Day, a number of welfare initiatives which will benefit older people who are in receipt of a welfare payment. These initiatives included the re-introduction of a Christmas Bonus, an increase in the Living Alone Allowance and support for welfare recipients with the cost of water services. The Christmas Bonus was abolished by the previous Government in 2009. I am...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned submitted an appeal application in relation to their jobseekers allowance claim. The file of the person concerned was reviewed and the appeal submission from the local office was completed on the 30thof October 2014 and has been forwarded to the Appeals Office for decision.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Widow's Pension Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s contributory pension, a person must satisfy certain social insurance conditions and be a widow, widower or (since 1 January 2011) a surviving civil partner, and not be in a cohabiting relationship. The contributions must have been paid on one of the spouse/civil partners’ social insurance...