Results 34,301-34,320 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (20 Apr 2016)

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 disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to around 620,000 families in respect of some 1.19 million children, with an estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: Pathways to Work 2016-2020 sets a comprehensive programme aimed at helping jobseekers to return to work. Together with the national and regional Action Plans for Jobs, Enterprise 2015, the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, the Further Education and Training Strategy, the National Skills Strategy and the Review of Apprenticeships, it is designed to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 12, inclusive, together. The following table provides the estimated average weekly numbers of weekly payments underlying allocations in the 2016 REV for each of the schemes covered by the Deputy’s questions. Scheme Average number of weekly payments in 2016 Jobseeker’s Allowance 239,260 Jobseekers Benefit 38,300 Supplementary Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 15, inclusive, together. The information that the Deputy has requested is detailed in the table. The costings are based on 2016 recipient numbers, and include the cost of proportionate increases in reduced rates and the qualified adult rates of payment. It should be noted that the costings do not take into account changing trends (increases or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 26 January 2016. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 15 March 2016. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 28 April 2016. Payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 28 April 2016. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 14 April 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. The 2016 Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the jobseekers’ scheme of €2.8 billion. It is a fundamental qualifying condition of both schemes that a person must be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 21 March 2016, 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: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: Firstly, I would like to convey my sympathy and that of the Department to the person concerned for their bereavement. The person concerned was refused carer’s allowance on the grounds that he failed to co-operate with a social welfare inspector (SWI) and, as a consequence, the SWI was not able to complete his report nor to establish means. The person concerned was notified on 4...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on 8 March 2016 that his application for a TV Licence had been approved with effect from the expiry date of his current licence. The application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned was awarded on 8 April 2016 and the first payment issued to the person’s nominated post office on 14 April 2016. Arrears of allowance due from 26...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 4 December 2015. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: There is already an agency arrangement in existence in relation to the person in question. There is a procedure to be followed in order to vary this arrangement. In the first instance, the person applying to be the new agent must complete and return the form that the department has issued to her. There is also a section which must be completed and signed by the treating physician of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 26 November 2015. Payment will issue to his nominated post office on the 21 April 2016. Any arrears due from 26 November 2015 to 20 April 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 11 April...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Data (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. The average waiting time for carer's allowance (CA) applications at the end of March is 19 weeks. At the end of March there were 5,851 CA applications awaiting decision. The current...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department involved a significant reduction in staff numbers for 2015 and a further reduction for 2016. Within these constraints, the Department is focusing on prioritising the filling of critical posts. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 January 2016. Unfortunately, the average time taken at present to decide a new application is running at19 weeks. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working hard to make this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward an application to be assessed for entitlement to the Mid-Leinster Rent Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The client concerned was requested to provide verification of her current income from employment on 12/4/16. This documentation has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same, the client's entitlement can be re-assessed and claim re-instated accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new...