Results 30,041-30,060 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (19 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12thMay 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 are received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (19 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The claim from the person in question is currently under review in regard to medical eligibility as the care recipient has turned 16 and their domiciliary care allowance ceased. Having examined all of the documents provided in support of the application and having weighed up the evidence a deciding officer has decided that the person being cared for is not so invalided or disabled as to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Payments (19 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Credited contributions (credits) are awarded in circumstances such as unemployment or illness, to help protect the future social insurance entitlements of insured persons during periods when they may not be in a position to make paid contributions (via Pay Related Social Insurance or PRSI). If a person is in insurable employment, they pay a PRSI contribution each week. PRSI contributions are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (19 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance arrears will issue to the person in question in the next few days.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (19 May 2015)

Joan Burton: My Department pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits package to 415,000 customers, at an estimated cost of €227 million in 2015. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household rather than meet those costs in full. The electricity allowance has a monthly value of €35 for both electricity and gas customers. The...

Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Offices (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I acknowledge the concerns of the Deputies about the retention of the Department's offices in Ballybay. Twenty nine staff occupying two adjoining buildings on Main Street, Ballybay, County Monaghan were redeployed from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to the Department of Social Protection in July 2012. The staff are engaged in the processing of the public services...

Topical Issue Debate: Departmental Offices (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I am aware that some of my points have been made previously. The OPW is the exclusive procurer of office accommodation for the Civil Service and the sole authority in the allocation of space. This is laid out in a memo to the Government and was approved by the Cabinet in December 2012. Therefore, my Department would not make contact with landlords or potential property owners. For reasons...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I am very aware of the funding difficulties which have been encountered by the employers and the trustees of defined benefit pension schemes in recent years. The Pensions Act requires the trustees of a pension scheme to maintain sufficient assets to meet the liabilities of the pension scheme in the event of its wind-up. The trustees are required to report the funding position of a scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Liabilities of a pension scheme can broadly be split between pensions currently payable to pensioners and deferred pension entitlements (i.e., for all active employees and former employees who have not yet reached retirement age and have future pension entitlements from the scheme). The cost of pensions in payment can be determined by reference to the cost of an equivalent annuity or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Applications (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for farm assist on 23 March 2015 and his application was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation. The Inspector completed her report on 20 May 2015 and on 21 May 2015, his claim was awarded. The first payment, including arrears was issues on 25 May 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled in the Department and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from the Live Register and those transitioning into employment. It provides employers with two levels of payment - €7,500 or €10,000 over two years – paid in monthly instalments provided the employment is maintained. The rate of payment depends on the length of time the person is...

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

Joan Burton: The child dependant rate has been restored for the person concerned. Payment, including arrears, will issue with her next one-parent family payment on 21 May 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Carer's allowance (CA) is a payment made to persons who are providing full time care and attention to certain elderly people or to people with disabilities and whose income falls below certain limits. The principal conditions for receipt of the allowance are that full time care and attention is required and being provided, and the means test which applies is satisfied. The department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 May 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 15 April 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned was disallowed on 29 April 2015 on the grounds that she does not satisfy the medical conditions for DA. The person in question was advised of the decision, the reasons for it and of her rights to request a review or to appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. To date neither option has been exercised.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is not available. Information relating to disallowances of returning Irish emigrants is not captured during the claim decision making process. However, information pertaining to overall disallowances on the grounds of the habitual residency condition including those disallowances relating specifically to Irish nationals is contained in the attached...

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

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: Based on current recipient numbers the estimated full-year cost of increasing the duration of jobseeker’s benefit to 12 months for recipients with 260 or more contributions paid is €33 million, and to 9 months for recipients with less than 260 contributions paid is some €6 million. Combined this equates in a full year to approximately €39 million.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 May 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 and 181 together. The purpose of the voluntary contribution scheme is to protect the pension entitlements of those who have already qualified for State pension, by maintaining the yearly average number of contributions which determines the rate at which the pension is paid. A person under pension age who ceases to be covered by compulsory social insurance...