Results 28,881-28,900 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: An overpayment of jobseeker’s allowance was determined in the case of the person concerned for the period 1stJanuary 2014 to 22ndApril 2014. The person concerned declared that she was not available for full time employment as she was providing full time care to her son. One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of this income support is that a person be available for, capable of and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (26 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 18thNovember 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers have been received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The family concerned have been in receipt of rent supplement from this Department in respect of their current address since July 2013. It is not possible to pre-approve an increase in their rate of payment several months before it is due to take effect. In the intervening period this family should engage with the housing charity Threshold under the Interim Tenancy Sustainment Protocol,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (26 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 hold an oral hearing in this case on 10thMarch 2015. The person concerned will shortly be notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Qualification for treatment benefit is based on satisfying certain PRSI conditions covering a required total number of contributions to be paid or credited and a required number to be paid or credited in the relevant tax year. In 2013, the person concerned made an application for treatment benefit; this was refused as he did not fulfil the contribution requirements at that time. However,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Economic Adviser to the Tánaiste met with the person named by the Deputy on two occasions in 2015 regarding a proposal to address the mortgage arrears situation. Details of the contractual agreements between the company and the person named were not discussed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: General Register Office (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I understand that this question relates to the dedicated genealogy research room that the General Register Office operates in Werburgh Street, Dublin. At this location members of the public can search indexes of births, deaths and marriages and obtain photocopies of entries they require. The table outlines the total income from searches and purchased photocopies of entries from the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Water Conservation Grant (26 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department continues to consult with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with regard to the staffing and funding needed to administer the water conservation grant on behalf of the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. As I said in my reply of 5 February (Ref No: 4980/15),the Department...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Order for Second Stage (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." When I introduced the Social Welfare Bill 2014 in this House last November, I told Deputies that my aim was to begin the process of restoring living standards for families, older people and low and middle-income workers. I was pleased to be able to provide for modest increases in child benefit and the living alone allowance from the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Review (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 800,000 people in Ireland in receipt of free travel at an annual cost of €77 million per annum. The free travel scheme is available to all people aged over 66 living permanently in the State. Applicants who are under age 66 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in order to qualify for the scheme. The qualifying payments for those aged under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: Part IV of the Pensions Act sets out the funding requirement which applies to funded defined benefit pension schemes. This is often referred to as the funding standard. This standard requires the trustees of a defined benefit pension scheme to maintain sufficient resources in the scheme to meet the liabilities of the scheme in the event of the wind up of a scheme. Where a scheme fails to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 25 February 2015, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person in question by the Department on 11 December 2014. On 6 February 2015, while the medical eligibility of the person in question was being assessed by a deciding officer, the person in question submitted additional medical evidence for consideration. This additional evidence is currently being reviewed. Once a decision has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Eligibility (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The first named person is qualified based on his PRSI contribution record for treatment benefits, including benefits under the hearing aid scheme. His wife is also likely to qualify for a hearing aid grant as a dependent spouse, based on his social insurance record. They should both submit the relevant application forms to the treatment benefit section for approval if they wish to avail of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 January 2015. 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Investigations (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: This matter is the subject of ongoing investigation in the Department. It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the likely outcome of these investigations at this stage.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid over their working life from when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Support Services Provision (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: In addition to basic income support, the Department provides a wide range work related supports for people with disabilities. These include the wage subsidy scheme, the EmployAbility (supported employment) programme and the employment support programme for people with disabilities. The Department also supports the willing able mentoring project. The wage subsidy scheme (WSS) is an...