Results 28,621-28,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: It is a condition for receipt of Carer’s Allowance (CA) that a carer must not be employed outside the home in excess of 15 hours per week. The person in question was awarded Carer’s Allowance (CA) from 30th March 2006. In 2014 a continuing eligibility review of the CA payment was carried out. Following this review and taking all available information into account a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government’s introduction of the sovereign annuity initiative provided an option to the trustees of defined benefit pension schemes to reduce pension scheme liabilities and benefit from the premium available through sovereign annuities over traditional annuities. Sovereign Annuities were initially launched in 2012 and I am pleased to say that data from the industry would indicate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker’s allowance application of the person concerned was disallowed as the means of the person concerned could not be determined. This decision was appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, and the appeal was disallowed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: As detailed to the Deputy, in reply to Parliamentary Question No 42 of 22nd January 2015, the outstanding documentation requested from the client concerned has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same the client's entitlement can be assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned was refused Rent Supplement on 16/12/14 as both he and his wife were in full time employment. If there has been a change in the client's circumstances, they should provide documentary evidence to the Department confirming same so that their entitlement to Rent Supplement can be reassessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was awarded jobseeker’s benefit at the rate of €363.30 per week from 30 January 2015. This figure contains a personal rate, a qualified adult allowance rate that takes account of earnings and child dependent allowance for three children. While the rate of jobseeker's benefit reflects a five-day week the first payment was for four days and a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: There is no record of an application for an exceptional needs payment from the person concerned. If he wishes to make application he should contact his local Community Welfare service at 045 887830.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, to date, no appeal in respect of disallowance of carer’s allowance has been received from the person concerned. In order to make a valid appeal the person concerned should write to the Social Welfare Appeals Office outlining her up to date grounds of appeal i.e. the reason why she disagrees with the conclusions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a jobseeker’s payment, a person must meet certain conditions, including the requirement to be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking full-time work. A range of sanctions, including disqualification, closure or disallowance of the jobseeker claim, may be imposed where a client fails to meet the stated conditions. A jobseeker claim may be reviewed at any...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies Reports (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice service) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. The Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Employer PRSI is payable on earnings at the rate of 10.75% in respect of weekly earnings in excess of €356 and at 8.5% on weekly earnings of €356 or less. As part of the 2011 Jobs Initiative, the Minister for Finance announced the halving of the 8.5% rate of employer PRSI to 4.25%, as a means of helping job creation and improving labour cost competitiveness, particularly in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department will spend approximately €227 million this year on the household benefits package, including more than €54 million for the free television licence scheme, for approximately 415,000 customers. Free television licences are available as part of the household benefits package for people who are permanently resident within this jurisdiction and who are over 70 or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Report on Pension Charges 2012, undertaken at my request, was the first comprehensive study of the area. The report, which can be accessed on the welfare.ie website, was undertaken by my Department working with the Central Bank and the then Pensions Board. It gathered information on the level of pension charges levied during the pension-saving cycle from initial set-up, to on-going...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget Measures (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department recently published the social impact assessment of the main welfare and tax measures for 2015, including the new water charges package. Social impact assessment is an evidence-based methodology which estimates the likely effects of welfare and tax policies on households across income levels and social groups. The assessment was prepared by the Department, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: As stated to the Deputy in my replies to Question No 182 on 27 January 2015 and Question No 76 on 5 February 2015, the person concerned submitted an application for One Parent Family Payment on 30 October 2014. The One Parent Family Payment scheme is subject to a means test and in order to carry out a means test a customer must be available for interview or contactable at a given address....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: According to the records of this Department, the person concerned has not submitted a recent application for an exceptional needs payment. It is open to the person concerned to make an application to her local community welfare service.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1stDecember 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 case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Gender Recognition Bill 2014 provides that, where a gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person’s gender shall, from that date, become for all purposes the preferred gender so that if the preferred gender is the male gender the person’s sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender the person’s sex becomes that of a woman. A person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the acquisition and maintenance of office accommodation for the Department of Social Protection. The research rooms were relocated from Irish Life Mall to Werburgh Street in September 2013. This was done as part of a cost saving, lease rationalisation programme undertaken by the OPW. Customers seeking access to records for genealogical...