Results 31,621-31,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I appreciate what the Deputy is saying. When the collapse happened we focused, and still do to a certain extent, on people who are unemployed because that is the imperative. I acknowledge what the Deputy is saying and as time goes by we should be able to deal with some of those people. In the jobless households there is also an issue, which the Deputy would be familiar with. The key...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: That is perhaps a social issue which we have to negotiate. Maybe the committee could make a recommendation to us that would be helpful in that respect but it does have to be negotiated. To come back to the issue of the €220 million we have saved, there is a broader issue that I referred to in my statement. The demographics mean we have more children, which is great but that means...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Yes, before the budget. In respect of class K contributions, I suggest that the committee might decide to commission one or more of the members to produce a report on it and if it can arrive at a recommendation, make it available. It could be done in a relatively short period of time and might be something that we could revisit during the debate on social welfare legislation. Equally, it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Perhaps the Senator can discuss it with the committee. We have received a lot of representations about it in the terms outlined by the Senator and it is an issue. If the committee does some work on it and could get all-party agreement on it, I would certainly be able to address it. It must also go to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform but the Senator is aware of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: It could be sent to the Department of Finance because, ultimately, it is a matter for the Minister for Finance. I think it was the late Brian Lenihan who introduced it in late 2010.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Could the Senator elaborate?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The committee can decide that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015 - Vote 37: Minister for Social Protection (22 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: On my own behalf and that of my officials, I thank the Chairman and the members.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 44 together. The purpose of the redundancy payments scheme is to compensate workers, under the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 2011, for the loss of their jobs by reason of redundancy. Generally, a redundancy situation arises where an employee’s job ceases to exist, and he or she is not replaced for such reasons as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a social assistance payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to people with disabilities who require full-time care and attention and whose income falls below certain limits. When an applicant is getting certain social welfare payments and providing full-time care and attention to another person, they can keep their main social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Appeals (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was in receipt of illness benefit from December 2008 to August 2013 when he was found capable of work. He appealed the decision and in the meantime received Jobseeker's Allowance up to August 2015.As he did not attend an examination by a Medical Assessor as required as part of the appeal process, the appeal was withdrawn. A new claim to illness benefit was received on 7...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: State pension (contributory) entitlement is calculated by the ‘yearly average’ system, where the total number of contributions paid or credited are divided by the number of years of the person’s insurance record. The maximum rate of pension is payable where a person has a yearly average of at least 48, and there are banded entitlements below that. In calculating the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department routinely reviews ongoing entitlement to all its schemes. The continued eligibility for disability allowance (DA) of the person concerned is currently under review. In order to complete the medical review, a form will be issued to him within the next few days for completion by his doctor. Once completed by his doctor, the form should be returned to this department for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: A breakdown of the average time, where available, to award claims during August 2015 is detailed in the following tabular statement. It should be noted that processing times vary by scheme reflecting the differing requirements to satisfy conditions such as income/means limits and medical eligibility. The processing times provided in the table also incorporate the impact of overall processing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables social welfare customers in receipt of certain payments to pursue full-time education courses and to continue to receive income support in the form of an allowance. The BTEA is paid for the duration of the course of study, subject to the customer continuing to meet the conditions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Long-Term Illness Scheme Applications (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently in receipt of the maximum personal rate of disability allowance (DA) and this rate has not changed since October 2013. If the circumstances of the person in question have changed, he should contact the Department as soon as possible so his entitlement may be reviewed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The additional information that was sought from the person concerned has now been provided. Consequently all payments of rent supplement that are due to the person concerned have been processed and will now be issued.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: A key qualifying condition for the payment of carer’s allowance is that the person receiving care is medically assessed as needing care on a full-time basis, while a person in receipt of carer’s allowance can engage in employment, self-employment, training or education outside the home for up to 15 hours per week and still qualify for the payment. I am satisfied that this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance arrears issued to the person in question by his chosen payment method on 21 September 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (23 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on the 8 September 2015. The claim will be processed as quickly as possible and the person in question will be notified directly...