Results 29,501-29,520 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (21 Apr 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 14thApril 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 Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The marriage bar was a condition of the employment in the public service until 1973. Issues relating to public sector employment and pensions are the responsibility of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. In general, civil and public servants recruited at that time paid a modified rate of PRSI (i.e. not the full Class A rate) which gave coverage for widow(er)'s and orphan's...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 3rd October 2014. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 16th January 2015 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance. A review of this decision was requested on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The household in question is in receipt of disability allowance consisting of maximum basic rate and increases for a qualified adult and three children; a half-rate carer’s allowance in respect of one care recipient; domiciliary care allowance in respect of one child; annual respite care grant; household benefits package and a fuel allowance during the fuel season. The household...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Water Conservation Grant (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: A Water Conservation Grant of €100 will be paid beginning in September 2015 to households that have registered with Irish Water by 30th June 2015. The Grant will be administered and paid by the Department of Social Protection on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Grant will be paid to the occupier who registers with Irish Water in respect...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection will pay over €50m to An Post under a contract for cash payment services to welfare customers this year. This contract which may be extended up to December 2019 will provide continuity of payments to customers at Post Offices. We are all aware of the general societal trend to electronic payments. This trend undeniably presents a challenge for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: At the outset, I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government is totally committed to maintaining and strengthening MABS and its local delivery of services. While work is underway exploring how to optimise resources and governance arrangements to the greatest extent possible, I can also assure the Deputy that there will be no diminution of locally-provided services to the public, no closure...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the disablement benefit appeal of the person concerned was registered on 1stSeptember 2010. An oral hearing was scheduled for 25thJuly 2011 but this was postponed at the request of the appellant’s employer as a case on the matter was open in the High Court. In the circumstances, the Appeals Officer agreed to the postponement...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (21 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for Invalidity Pension by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 22th December 2014. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no trace of any appeal against this decision having been received from the person concerned. In the normal course, an appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (22 Apr 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 14thApril 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 Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Waiting Times (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The average time taken to award a new claim for carer’s allowance is currently 12 weeks. Where a request is made for a review of a decision on a new claim or where there is an appeal against a decision, this will take longer. One way that claimants can assist the Department to make a full and timely decision on their claim is to ensure that the claim form is fully completed and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 16 April 2014. First payment will be on 13 May 2015 and any arrears due will follow shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The Community Development Officer with responsibility for this project is in regular contact with the person nominated for the day to day management of the Community Employment (CE) programme by the project’s Board of Directors. The issue raised has not been raised recently by the project sponsor with the Community Development Officer. This project is currently in its first cycle...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 to 49, inclusive, together. At the outset, I wish to assure the Deputy that the Government is totally committed to maintaining and strengthening MABS and its local delivery of services. While work is underway exploring how to optimise resources and governance arrangements to the greatest extent possible, I can also assure the Deputy that there will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Eligibility (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. Exceptional Needs Payments are provided for in legislation in Section 201 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. An...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned made an application for Rent Supplement on 11th March 2015, following which the Department requested further information to allow the claim to be processed. This documentation has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same a decision on the client's claim will be made.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Equal Opportunities Employment (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 53 together. The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability. To this end, the Department provides a wide range of supports for people with disabilities, which play an important role in supporting increased participation in the labour force by people with disabilities. These supports...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance arrears issued to the person concerned by cheque on 8 April 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Eligibility (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The Respite Care Grant forms part of a range of illness, disability and carer supports provided by my department to people with disabilities and those who care for them. The due date of the grant is the 1 Thursday in June of the year in question. The grant is paid automatically to people in receipt of Carers Allowance, Carers Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. The person concerned was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (22 Apr 2015)

Joan Burton: The Disability Activation Project is (DACT) is jointly funded (more than €7 million) by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Department, and a total of 14 projects (including WALK PEER) are being funded under this programme in the Border, Midlands & West region. The projects commenced at the end of 2012 and will end on 30 April 2015 (the ESF portion of the funding that was...