Results 10,381-10,400 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283, 284 and 285 together. The Department has been accepting new claims for domiciliary care allowance since 1 April 2009. Statistics relating to the period prior to April 2009 are not held by this Department and are a matter for the HSE, as the previous administrator of the scheme. The following table sets out the number of domiciliary care allowance...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Figures regarding the numbers of disability allowance appeals which received a favourable decision in 2008, 2009 and 2010 are given in the table that follows this reply. Overall, the number of appeals determined by appeals officers which had a favourable outcome for appellants - either allowed or partially allowed - were 3,288 (35%) of 9,423 determined in 2008, 3,695 (37%) of 10,027...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Figures in regard to the numbers of cases received by category for 2008, 2009 and 2010 are given in the tables that follow this reply. Overall, the number of appeals determined by appeals officer which had a favourable outcome for appellants (i.e. either allowed or partially allowed) were 3,288 (35%) of 9,423 determined in 2008, 3,695 (37%) of 10,027 determined in 2009 and 4,747 (27%) of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: I understand the Deputy's question relates specifically to jobseekers schemes. In determining entitlement for jobseeker's allowance, a customer must satisfy a means test. The time taken to process individual claims varies significantly having regard to the circumstances in each case. Straightforward means-tested cases are "fast-tracked" by deciding officers in local offices. More complex...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The payments relating to disabled children administered by the Department include domiciliary care allowance and carer's allowance. Domiciliary care allowance is a payment to the parent or carer of a child who has a disability so severe that it requires the child to need care and attention or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. The child must be likely to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (17 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The dental treatment benefit scheme is an employment-based scheme, available to customers and their dependent partners who have paid a certain number of PRSI contributions. For claims made in 2011, customers aged over 25 years need the following to qualify: (1) a total of 260 Class A, H, E, or P PRSI contributions paid since first starting work; (2) 39 contributions either paid or credited...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Government supports and encourages people to make provision for an adequate income in retirement. It does this through the provision of a State pension (contributory) which is currently 33% approx. of the gross average industrial earnings and through generous tax relief on supplementary pension savings. It is important that an individual's pension savings is invested wisely and that...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme is a means-tested payment broadly similar to the jobseeker's allowance scheme. It features a different means test, which takes account of the specific nature of farming. Unlike jobseeker's allowance (JA), farmers claiming this payment do not need to be available for work outside of the farm in order to qualify. Fish assist is not a separate scheme. It comes under JA...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Eligibility for domiciliary care allowance is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted. The Department uses a set of consistent and objective guidelines in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that a revised decision favourable to the person concerned has been made by Department who will, in due course, be in contact with her regarding this decision. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive has advised that it has received correspondence from the landlord in relation to the rent limit applicable to the property in question and has further advised that the matters raised are under review. A reply will issue to the landlord of the accommodation concerned in due course.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Payment of illness benefit to the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. I am advised by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly...

Written Answers — Services for People with Disabilities: Services for People with Disabilities (18 May 2011)

Joan Burton: In the absence of specific information, it is assumed the question refers to a person with a disability who is leaving the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dún Laoghaire and seeking to return to the open labour market. In such circumstances, the person with a disability should register with his or her nearest FÁS Employment Service Office for a vocational guidance interview. These...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (19 May 2011)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to...

Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (19 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Skills Development and Internship Programme proposed by the previous Government did not commence and has now been replaced by the National Internship Scheme.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (19 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Work Placement Programme was established to provide an opportunity for people who are unemployed to take up voluntary, unpaid work experience placements. The rationale for the Programme is to keep people as close to the the labour market as possible during a time of job shortages and increased competition for jobs. The 7,500 places under the Work Placement Programme are still in...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (19 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Programme for Government states that a new National Employment and Entitlements Service will be established under the management of the Department of Social Protection. The objective is to integrate the employment support services currently provided directly by the Department of Social Protection with those currently provided by FÁS into a single service. This service will also process...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (19 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1st March 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Social Welfare Services on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for...