Results 32,281-32,300 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 2nd October 2015. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned.

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

Joan Burton: Persons in receipt of disability allowance (DA) may voluntarily take up work of a rehabilitative nature while remaining in receipt of their payment. In such cases a person can earn up to €120 per week without payment being affected while earnings of between €121 and €350 per week are assessed at 50% for means test purposes. Where the person can no longer continue in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (22 Oct 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 23 September 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection delivers front office services to customers in the area concerned via a Social Welfare Branch Office. Branch Offices are operated by Branch Managers who are contracted by the Department to deliver its services in locations where the Department does not have an Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Local Office. The Department is committed to the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: The National Fuel Scheme (fuel allowance) applies to persons in receipt of long term Social Welfare payments. The allowance is subject to a household means test and is paid only to those who live alone or with certain exempted people such as a qualified spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or qualified child(ren); other people who are getting one of the qualifying DSP payments and who would...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: EU Regulations (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: The question of whether a Romanian disability payment is exportable to this country is a matter for the Romanian social security authorities to determine. Under the EU Regulations for the Coordination of Social Security Systems, contributory payments that are payable by any of the Member States of the European Union are exportable to any of the other Member States. However, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: I refer the Deputy to the replies to previous Parliamentary Questions Nos 88 of 5 February 2015, No 71 of 2 April 2015 and No. 82 of 16 July 2015 regarding this case.

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

Joan Burton: As advised in the reply to the Deputy's most recent question on this matter (Question No. 269 of 22 September 2015), the documentation submitted by the person concerned to the Designated Person on 24thJuly 2015 was not the required documentation which had been sought. It was also advised that further notification had been sent to the person concerned on 7thAugust 2015 informing her of this,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that a review of the entitlement of person in question to Disability Allowance (DA) from July 2014 has been completed. It has been established that the person concerned had an entitlement to DA up to 3rdNovember 2014. The person in question was disallowed from 4thNovember 2014 as there was a change of circumstances as a result of which she was deemed not to be habitually resident...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit Expenditure (22 Oct 2015)

Joan Burton: Maternity benefit is an income maintenance payment awarded to eligible women for a 26 week period while they are on Maternity Leave. As with all social insurance payments entitlement to Maternity Benefit is predicated on a minimum number of contributions being paid. In 2016 it is estimated that my Department will spend approximately €266 million on maternity benefit, in respect...

Northern Ireland: Statements (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I wish to share time with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock. I welcome the opportunity to speak on the situation in the North. I fully support the talks that are under way and hope they conclude successfully. I am encouraged by the updates from the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, and the Minister of State with responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Activation Projects (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The ICTU Training Options programme was one of 14 individual projects supported under the Disability Activation project in the Border, Midlands and West region. The Training Options programme was provided in 8 ICTU centres in Counties Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Longford, Westmeath, Galway, Roscommon and Mayo and allowed participants to return to education in an informal setting with resources...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the persons concerned was registered in that office on 7 October 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: Household Benefits Scheme (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The Department will spend approximately €227 million this year on the household benefits package for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Legislative Measures (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department has a legislative basis to issue maintenance assessments to a liable relative where there is a one-parent family payment (OFP) in payment. However, this arrangement does not currently extend to other social welfare schemes. As a result, once the OFP recipient’s youngest child reaches the age of 7 years, and their entitlement to the OFP payment ceases, the liability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned commenced claiming jobseeker’s allowance from this Department on 26 September 2011. Claims for jobseeker’s allowance are subject to periodic reviews in order to establish that there is a continuing entitlement to receive this payment. Following four such review interviews with the person concerned on 31 July 2015, 13 August 2015, 21 August 2015 and 28...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that the Department has received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned. In order to determine her circumstances, her file was forwarded to a local Social Welfare Inspector. The inspector has been in contact with the person concerned to arrange an interview. A decision on her entitlement to DA will be given on receipt of the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Budgets (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The 2015 Revised Estimates Volume provided for total current and capital expenditure by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) of €19,378 million in 2015. The Expenditure Report 2016 published by the Department of Public Expenditure on Budget Day forecasts an out-turn of €19,912 million in 2015. This forecast takes account of the costs associated with: - the announcement on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Lansdowne Road Agreement (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: A provision of €698,000 has been included in my Department’s 2016 Pay Allocation to cover costs arising from the Lansdowne Road Agreement. Any other pressures on the staffing budget that may arise during 2016 will be met from within the Department’s 2016 Pay Allocation unless specific approval is received from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (3 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. Child benefit is paid to around 619,000 families in respect of some 1.19 million children, with an...