Results 30,421-30,440 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Expenses (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The total amount spent on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments by my Department for the period 2011 to 12 June, 2015 is outlined in the following table. Description 2011 2012 2013 2014 up to 12 June 2015 Total Subsistence €1,188,212 €1,575,093 €1,554,823 €1,503,576 €546,114 €6,367,818 Taxi €34,552 €92,739...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Data (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework. The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Eligibility (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The respite care grant (RCG) is paid automatically in June of each year (usually on the first Thursday of the month), to carers who are in receipt of a qualifying payment on the first Thursday in June. The relevant payments are carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, domiciliary care allowance, and prescribed relatives allowance. The Respite Care Grant is not paid on a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, to date, no appeal in respect of disallowance of invalidity pension has been received from the person concerned. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Expenditure (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 216, inclusive, together. The cost of providing for a restoration of the free six-monthly scale and polish treatment and contribution payments towards extended gum treatment and fillings for qualified customers under the dental benefit scheme would depend on the fees to be agreed with dental contractors for such treatments and on the numbers opting to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14thApril 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 Data (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The following table relates to the number of disability allowance recipients by county at the end of May 2015. Wicklow Wexford Louth Tipperary Mayo 3051 4122 3075 5158 3740

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned should inform the Department of the date their previous tenancy ceased. On receipt of this information, any entitlement to Rent Supplement arrears can be assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (16 Jun 2015)

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

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (16 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The number of Jobseeker's Allowance recipients aged 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 at the end of May was 24,799. A breakdown of this number by age is detailed in the following tabular statement. Number of Recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance aged 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 at end of May 2015. Age of Recipient Number of Recipients on Jobseeker’s Allowance 18 2,989 19 5,146 20 5,445 21...

Deaths of Irish students in California: Statements (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: For the families who have lost sons and daughters in Berkeley, there are no words. Words wash away like water. This tragedy brings us together, as families and as a community, both here and in America, to mourn the loss of these wonderful, beautiful young people. On behalf of the Government and the Labour Party, I express my deepest sympathy to the families and friends of Olivia Burke,...

Topical Issue Debate: Clerys Closure (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputies for raising this very important issue. This is an incredibly difficult time for the staff of Clerys who gave so much to the company and who have been treated appallingly. I hope the business owners involved in these transactions have some sense of business ethics, propriety and fair play, particularly for the workers, the employees of the concessionaires, the...

Topical Issue Debate: Clerys Closure (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: I again thank Deputies Mary Lou McDonald, Dara Calleary, Joe Costello and Eamonn Maloney for raising this issue. Many of the people concerned have been employed in Clerys for all of their working lives, in many cases alongside family members. Among the group of people I met this morning was a man who had more than 40 years service and who told me that Clerys was his family. We can all...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: All claims for one parent family payment (OPFP) are subject to periodical review on an ongoing basis in order to ensure that the payment is being made in accordance with the relevant social welfare legislation governing the scheme. In this regard a review was carried out on the OPFP claim of the person concerned specifically to clarify the position with regard to the living arrangement...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: At the end of May 2015 there were 1,029,296 recipients of weekly social welfare payments which are payable to persons of working age. Note that some people may be recipients of payments from more than one scheme, and that payments for a small number of these schemes can also be receivable by people over the age of 65. A breakdown of this number is detailed in the tabular statement. Number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. Jobseeker’s Allowance Recipients at the end of May 2015 Less than 1 Year 1 to 2 Years 2 to 3 Years 3 to 4 Years 4 to 5 Years Greater Than 5 Years Total 80,655 46,311 29,767 22,038 18,879 58,823 256,473

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 58 together. Successive Governments and this one most notably, have consistently stated their commitment to maintaining the post office network as set out in the Programme for Government. The post office is seen as a key piece of financial and social infrastructure for both urban and rural areas. Part of the strength of the post office brand, and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The first person concerned is in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance at the weekly rate of €296.80 and comprises: Personal rate €188.00 Increase for Qualified Adult €124.80 Sub Total €312.80 Less Means € 16.00 Total weekly rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance €296.80 The second person concerned is not in receipt of a social welfare payment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The cost of increasing the State Pension Contributory (SPC) and the State Pension Non Contributory (SPNC) by €10 per week is €204.3 million and €50.8 million respectively in a full year. The cost of increasing all pension rates – SPC, SPNC, Widow/er/Surviving Civil Partner Contributory Pension (aged 66 and over), Death Benefit (aged 66 and over) and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Reform (17 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is the main policy instrument for assisting families with the costs of raising children. It is a universal payment that is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years, or to the age of 18 who are in full-time education or who have a disability. It is paid to over 615,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children, at a cost of €1.9...