Results 28,901-28,920 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on the 26th February 2015 that her domiciliary care allowance application was successful and that the allowance has been awarded from 1st January 2015. The first payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, will issue on 16th March 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Eligibility (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The family income supplement (FIS) is designed to provide support for employees, with families, who have low earnings. To qualify the applicant must be engaged in full-time remunerative employment as an employee for at least 38 hours per fortnight (19 hours per week). In addition, the weekly family income must be below the threshold for the particular family size. There is no requirement for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been contacted by his local Community Welfare Officer and issued with an application form for an exceptional needs payment. A decision will be made on the application, when the completed form, along with the relevant invoice, is received.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The persons concerned were receiving a number of different social welfare payments during 2013. Due to the complexities involved it is not possible, unfortunately, to provide the information requested within the allotted timeframe. However a detailed statement of amounts paid to the persons concerned is currently being prepared as expeditiously as possible and will issue to the deputy by...

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

Joan Burton: The Department made no payments to the law firms mentioned in respect of legal fees for services rendered to it in the years 2011 to 2014. The Department’s legal advisors are the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Attorney General. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the...

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

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access maternity benefit, adoptive benefit, guardian’s payment and long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A...

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

Joan Burton: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 10 October 2014. The application has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. Once the SWI has submitted his/her report to DA section, a decision will be made on the application and the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: People who have received an overpayment from the Department have a liability under law to refund the overpayment as they have received money to which they were not entitled. (Section 338 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended) refers). My Department has a responsibility to ensure that all overpayments are refunded in full. Social welfare overpayments arise where a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (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, including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The oral hearing of this case was held on 28 January 2015 and not on 07 January...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Expenditure (3 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The financial supports available to carers in Ireland, are among the highest rates of income support in Europe. Expenditure on carers has increased significantly in recent years and it is estimated that the overall expenditure for 2015 will be €822 million which is €11 million higher than the expected outturn for 2014. This does not include the value of other welfare payments...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's 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, including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Referral to Select Committee (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection pursuant to Standing Orders 82A(3)(a) and (6)(a) and 126(1) of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Yield (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy, along with revenue from self-employed, is set out in the table. Social Insurance Fund PRSI Income from 2007 to 2014 (€,000) - Employers Employees Self-Employed TOTAL* 2007 €5,762,011 €1,539,147 €420,852 €7,722,010 2008 €5,944,892 €1,633,708 €405,582 €7,984,182 2009...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for carer's allowance by the person in question was disallowed on 15 October 2014. The person in question appealed this decision on 1 December 2014. All the necessary papers, along with a submission from the deciding officer, have been recently submitted to the Social Welfare Appeals Office (SWAO) for determination. The SWAO has been made aware of the request for an oral...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Relocation (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department’s Clerical Officer transfer list for Carrick-on-Shannon was put in place when the Central Applications Facility was established in 2004 to facilitate transfer requests for locations associated with the Decentralisation Programme. The Department’s HR Division has advised that the list currently in use comprises applications from 2004. The Public Appointments...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access 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, adoptive benefit and guardians payment (contributory). Self-employed workers may also access social welfare supports by establishing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Appeals (4 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, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the decision on 16 July 2014. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Properties (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is the exclusive procurer of office accommodation for the civil service and the sole authority for allocating space to the civil service. The acquisition and leasing of accommodation (including the rental costs and duration of leases) are a matter for the OPW, who have been tasked with the management of the State’s property portfolio. The OPW has a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: State pensions account for the single largest block of social welfare expenditure, and expenditure on pensions is increasing annually due to demographic pressures. This year, the Department of Social Protection will spend an estimated €6.675 billion on pensions – 34.4% of all welfare expenditure and an increase of €168 million over 2014. While there have been significant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (4 Mar 2015)

Joan Burton: Before I introduced the reforms, the One Parent Family Payment was a passive scheme with limited engagement by the State with recipients. For many lone parents, most of whom are women, this has meant long-term social welfare dependency, associated poverty and social exclusion for them and their families. Social transfers have provided a hugely important buffer in reducing poverty....