Results 10,421-10,440 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Having considered all the evidence and following a second medical examination, the appeals officer disallowed the appeal for the person concerned. Payment of invalidity pension was terminated with effect from 5th November 2009. The decision of an appeals officer is final and conclusive in the absence of fresh facts or evidence. With regard to the latest information received on 19 May 2011...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 24th March 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors, who found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on 19th May 2011 advising the person concerned of the decision. In the case of an application which is refused on...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (24 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, and (2) 39 contributions either paid or...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The living alone increase is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are under 66 years of age who are living alone and receiving payments under one of a number of invalidity type schemes. It is not a benefit in its own right and cannot...

Written Answers — Electronic Payments System: Electronic Payments System (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 191, inclusive, together. Government policy aims to facilitate and promote greater use of electronic payments in the economy in the interests of developing a modern payments environment in Ireland. My Department plays an important role in this regard. The Department currently issues well over 80 million payments in respect of over 50 welfare schemes...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Late last year agreement was reached between the Health Service Executive (HSE) and unions representing the Community Welfare Officers that the staff of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) would transfer to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1st January 2011 on a secondment basis initially. The period of secondment is to last for 9 months until the end of September 2011....

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Tús is a community work placement initiative which will provide up to 5,000 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. Some €30 million has been provided in the Department's Estimates in 2011 to fund the roll-out of the initiative. This initiative is delivery via the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in...

Written Answers — Citizen Information Services: Citizen Information Services (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The citizens information website is divided into fourteen categories, which are all accessible from the www.citizensinformation.ie homepage: Birth, Family and Relationships; Consumer Affairs; Death and Bereavement; Education and Training; Employment; Environment; Government in Ireland; Health; Housing; Justice; Money and Tax; Moving Country; Social Welfare; and Travel and Recreation....

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: Work is being finalised on the development of the National Internship Scheme so that it will be ready for launch by the beginning of July. The scheme will be operated on the basis that host organisations who meet the eligibility criteria will advertise internship positions. Individuals wishing to take up an internship will contact a host organisation directly and then partake in a selection...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 24,581 people in receipt of a weekly family income supplement (FIS) payment of which 2,566 (10%) are public servants. The number of civil servants who are receiving FIS is included in the figure for public servants. A separate breakdown for civil servants is not currently available.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of this case took place on 29 March 2011 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been determined. The Social Welfare Appeals Office...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (24 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 29th March 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 9th May...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The position remains as advised in Question No. 79 which was answered for the Deputy on 12 May 2011. The Health Service Executive (HSE), who decide on all entitlements under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, has advised that if the person concerned is experiencing exceptional financial difficulties then they should contact the community welfare officer at his local health centre.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (24 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 Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The average waiting time for a domiciliary care appeals dealt with by way of a summary decision in 2010 was 26.8 weeks, while the average time to process an oral hearing was 49.1 weeks. These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its finalisation. These include all activities during this period including time spent in the Department for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 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. The person concerned will be informed when arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 2011)

Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned was refused mortgage interest supplement as she has sufficient income to meet her mortgage interest costs and that this decision has not been appealed. The HSE further advised that there is no record of an application for a basic supplementary welfare allowance payment.

Order of Business (25 May 2011)

Joan Burton: On behalf of the Labour Party, I wish Victor a happy and active retirement. The ushers of the House are very important for Members, particularly for new Deputies for whom there is not a book available on how to be a Teachta Dála and who rely on the guidance of the ushers, particularly individuals such as Victor. I wish him and his family well and I wish him a long, happy and active retirement.

Official Engagements (25 May 2011)

Joan Burton: He has not.

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (25 May 2011)

Joan Burton: As Minister for Social Protection I do not have a role in the administration of individual cases in regard to the operation of the Community Employment programme (CE). The administration of individual cases under CE is a day-to-day matter for FÁS as part of its responsibility under the Labour Services Act, 1987, as amended by Part 3 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act,...