Results 27,841-27,860 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Let me take the Deputy through the changes I am happy to have been able to make in the budget. People quoted from the ESRI. The deliberate political choices the Government made to protect and maintain primary social welfare rates were not followed in other bail-out countries, some of which Deputies suggested Ireland should follow. The ESRI, among others, has acknowledged this and pointed...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Deputy Shortall may even know some of the staff involved. This is the first budget in which we have had scope to make positive but modest progress for welfare recipients. That is evidenced by the €65 million we are spending on the bonus for pensioners as well as the €198 million of new welfare improvements that I announced in the budget, which I mentioned to the Deputy, such...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: To my surprise, the Deputy implied that she was completely opposed to any improvement on taxation.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I disagree with the Deputy and think she is wrong. The SWITCH analysis is a list of comparators over a period of time for different groups on different levels of income. The SWITCH analysis in Ireland does not capture where people, in receipt of a social welfare income or otherwise, have medical cards. Deputy Willie O'Dea knows that a medical card is a very valuable resource for people in...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: That is an important addition to housing provision in the State, at a cost of €340 million. It has a drawback, however, which is that if someone is in receipt of rent supplement and find a job, he or she may end up losing the rent supplement payment. For the past three years we have concentrated on reforming the rent supplement scheme in order that, over a period, it will transfer to...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It pays for it.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputy for tabling the amendment. I do not propose to accept it for the reasons I outlined on the last occasion, but the Deputy makes a fair point and I share his concerns. I have asked for the issue to be examined. It would not be appropriate to insert it in legislation because, essentially, it is an administrative arrangement. It might be more difficult and constraining than...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Again, we had a very detailed and lengthy discussion about this issue on Committee Stage. I have pointed out that while having a fixed period sounds very attractive on the surface, in practice our system is rooted in the fact that we allow constant reviews and the input of new information. A very good feature of the Irish system is that if there is more or better information available, that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It is not the policy of my Department to terminate any benefits by phone or on the basis of failing to respond to a phone call. While there is no information available in relation to the specifics of the claim in question, it would be normal practice for all matters relating to the disallowance of a claim to be communicated in a letter directly to the customer concerned. If the Deputy would...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 17th June 2014. The application was sent to a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of the level of care being provided and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer’s allowance were satisfied. The person concerned was subsequently refused...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: All self-employed workers with annual income in excess of €5,000 are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to the minimum payment of €500. This entitles them to access a range of long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow’s, widower’s or surviving civil partner’s pension (contributory) as well as maternity benefit,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Home-makers Scheme (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The homemaker’s scheme was introduced in 1994 to make qualification for State pension contributory (SPC) easier for those who take time out of the workforce for caring duties. The scheme allows up to 20 years spent caring for children under 12 years of age, or incapacitated people, to be disregarded when a person’s social insurance record is being calculated for pension...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: As a result of changing demographics, the adequacy and sustainability of the Irish pensions system has become an increasing concern in recent years. With improvements in life expectancy, more people are living to pension age and living longer in retirement. Given these changing demographics and the incrementally upward pressure of pension provision on State finances, there is a need to...

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Deputy referred to the very sad death of Mr. Jonathan Corrie earlier this week. I again extend my condolences to his family and friends. clearly, he was a person who was at the centre of a very loving family and a loving and supportive network of relations and friends. We should offer our condolences to them. The second point made by the Deputy concerned drugs and drug taking....

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I am not sure how familiar the Deputy is with the issue given how he spoke about it. He is obviously not familiar with the public order units in Store Street on the northside and on the southside of the city centre or aware that public order offences have decreased by 7% in the south central area, around Pearse Street, and 19% in the Store Street area.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: When I spoke about this previously-----

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: You are not Mary Lou and you should withdraw that remark.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: You are not Mary Lou.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: For the first time in a long time, 100 gardaí are finishing their training and there will be another hundred next year due to the reopening of the Garda college in Templemore. Deputy Niall Collins seems to be unaware-----

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: -----of the initiative that the Garda has taken-----