Results 33,081-33,100 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The critical reason was that the actuarial review-----

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The last actuarial review was carried out by a big firm of accountants; I think it was KPMG. The review was carried out not long after I came into office, so it was at the height of the employment difficulties. Much of it was based on the then unemployment figures. The deficit in the fund had grown alarmingly at the beginning of our term, up to nearly €2.8 billion. We started the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. One of the PRSI conditions is that a person must have a minimum of 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the governing contribution year. Claims made in 2015 are governed by the 2013 tax year, and only PRSI Classes A, E, H, and P...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Arrears of disability allowance for the person concerned have been calculated. However the person in question has an outstanding debt owed to the department which must be addressed. The Department will be in contact with her shortly to discuss ongoing arrangements to recover the debt which may include with-holding of some of the arrears.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce a 75% Christmas bonus, which is being paid this week to over 1.2 million beneficiaries of all schemes to which the bonus previously applied. Illness Benefit and Family Income Supplement (FIS) were never eligible for the bonus in the past and similar arrangements apply this year. While the short-term Illness Benefit scheme is not eligible for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The part-time job incentive scheme is a non-statutory scheme, which allows people who are long-term unemployed to take up part-time employment for less than 24 hours per week and receive a special weekly income supplement. Participants on the scheme are expected to continue to make efforts to find full-time work. There are currently 381 participants on the scheme with a budget of just under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The disability allowance (DA) application from the person in question was disallowed on 23 October 2015 because a deciding officer decided that he did not satisfy the medical conditions for DA purposes. The person concerned was advised of the option to submit further medical evidence and/or lodge an appeal directly to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The Department has no record of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Following a successful appeal, the person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 9 October 2013. First payment was on 26 August 2015. Arrears issued to the person in question by their chosen payment method on 30 November 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the person concerned, and if the matter cannot be resolved, for the courts through family law provisions. If a court order for maintenance is not being complied with, it is possible to apply to the Court for an enforcement order. In the interim, if a social welfare payment is reduced on foot of a court order for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The data sought by the Deputy, where available, is set out in the following tables with the latest figures. The work place equipment adaptation grant scheme, the employee retention grant scheme and the disability awareness training scheme are demand led schemes that form part of the reasonable accommodation fund for the employment of people with disabilities. Given the small size of each of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: On Budget Day, I was pleased to announce a 75% Christmas Bonus, which is being paid this week to over 1.2 million long-term social welfare beneficiaries, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, and carers. Long-term recipients of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) or Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) are eligible for the bonus if they have been in receipt of their payment for 15...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance arrears, less any overlapping payment received in the period, will issue to the person in question by their chosen payment method on 2 December 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned requested a review of the award date for her application on the 27 October 2015. The award date was revised on review and notification of this decision issued on 26 November 2015. Arrears due will issue with her regular payment on 15 December 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Following a review of carer’s allowance, the person concerned has been awarded an increase of the allowance with effect from 23 December 2010. The first payment at the increased rate was issued to the person’s nominated post office on 26 November 2015. Arrears of allowance due from 23 Dec 2010 to 18 November 2015 will issue shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: This matter is being examined in the Department and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy within the next couple of days.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (2 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: There has been an increase in the number of DA applications being received and decided over the past 18 months. This has led to an increase in the time being taken to process and issue arrears to successful applicants who were in receipt of another weekly social welfare payment during the period covered by the arrears. The Department keeps waiting times for its various payments under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (3 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: All clients in receipt of a long term social welfare payment are entitled to a Christmas bonus payment of 75% of the appropriate weekly payment amount. The person concerned was employed on a Community Employment (CE) scheme from January 2010 to January 2015. Following cessation of their employment on the CE scheme, the client claimed, and was paid illness benefit from 19 January 2015...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Applications (3 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: Illness benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. Only PRSI contributions paid at class A, E, H, and P are reckonable for illness benefit purposes. Following a review of the illness benefit application the person concerned has indicated he was last employed in the UK. Where a customer was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Applications (3 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that my department has no record of a claim for carer’s benefit but has received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 17 November 2015 in respect of two care recipients. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (3 Dec 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 9 November 2015. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.