Results 29,741-29,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (6 May 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 66...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I understand that this question relates to cases of seasonal workers where entitlement to jobseeker's benefit ceases and the person then makes a claim for jobseeker's allowance. I wish to advise the Deputy that jobseekers claims are on average awarded within two weeks of the date of application, however, delays can arise where there is a difficulty in obtaining information in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government's primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by jobseekers and young...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Eligibility (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The social welfare system is primarily a contingency-based system, with entitlement based on a number of defined contingencies such as sickness, unemployment, old age or widowhood. There are two basic principles which underpin the Irish social insurance system. Firstly there is the contributory principle. Under this principle there is a direct link between the PRSI contributions that a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Currently, where a person in receipt of widow(er)'s pension is providing full-time care and attention to a care recipient, s/he can also receive a half-rate carer's allowance. However, when the care recipient dies, title to carer's allowance ceases. I have no plans to change the current provisions to allow for a full-rate carer's allowance payment to be made in addition to another social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Administration (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker's allowance. Farm assist recipients retain the advantages of the jobseeker's allowance scheme such as retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of almost €89...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing barriers which prevent those persons from availing of employment opportunities. To this end, the department manages a number of specific supports and measures to support people with disabilities in moving into employment. Employment-related...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Payments (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The respite care grant (RCG) is available and paid automatically to people in receipt of carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance or prescribed relative's allowance. Other people who are not in receipt of a social welfare payment but who are providing full time care and attentions are also eligible and can apply for the grant. In 2014 RCG was paid to some 86,000 people...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Superannuation Schemes (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I am very aware of the issues and negative consequences arising from the funding difficulties in this scheme. Indeed, many defined benefit pension schemes have encountered funding difficulties in recent years and are working with the Pensions Authority to respond to the difficulties in a manner which will secure the sustainability of pension provision for scheme members. A number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government will continue to ensure that those on low incomes and those who are more vulnerable to energy poverty are supported through the fuel allowance and the household benefits package. The fuel allowance is a payment of €20 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, to 415,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2015. The purpose of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in the delivery of key local services, to tackle disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. Approximately 400 not-for-profit companies and co-operatives are being supported under the CSP in the provision of services with some 2,800 workers being supported in these organisations. Funding of €46m...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Applications (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: This Department registered an application for Farm Assist, submitted by the person concerned, from 23 March 2015. The Farm Assist scheme is subject to a means test and in order to assess means in this case, a Social Welfare Inspector will be inviting the person concerned for interview next week. An invitation will issue to the person concerned in the coming days. If the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 66 together. The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled in my Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Cost (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department is acutely conscious that the vast majority of people on social welfare are claiming the correct entitlement due to them. Nevertheless, it has to be recognised that fraud within the welfare system does occur. In order to protect the integrity of the system and to ensure that we continue to target our scarce resources at those who most need them, a range of measures are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance (DA) is a means tested scheme and the way means are assessed is laid down in social welfare legislation. In summary any income, with some exceptions, belonging to the person and his/her spouse, partner or cohabitant is assessable as means for disability allowance purposes. It is the nature of means tested schemes that there is no entitlement to a payment once means exceed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The appeal has been allowed and the application was awarded on the 30th of April 2015. The first payment is due to issue to the post office on the 7th of May 2015. The arrears of allowance due from 2nd of October 2014 to the 6th of May 2015 were issued by cheque on the 30th April 2015. The person in question was notified on the 30th of April 2015 of this decision.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 30 March 2015. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer's allowance from the person in question on the 10th of December 2014. The application is currently with a social welfare investigative officer for assessment of means and confirmation that all the conditions for receipt of carer's allowance are satisfied. Once the investigative officer has completed and submitted the report a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 2 April 2015. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (6 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer's allowance (CA) from the person in question on the 14th October 2014. The person concerned was refused CA on the grounds that the medical conditions were not satisfied. She was notified on the 11th of March 2015 of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review and appeal. The person concerned requested a review...