Results 10,661-10,680 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Department has developed, in conjunction with a number of other Departments, the specifications for a Public Services Card (PSC) under the Standard Authentication Framework Environment, or SAFE, programme. The specification provides for identification features, including a photograph. The aim is to develop a card that acts as a key for access to public services in general, identifying...

Written Answers — Industrial Relations: Industrial Relations (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 59 together. The need for reform of the Joint Labour Committee system was clearly signalled in the Programme for Government. A very detailed report, the Independent Review of Employment Regulation Orders and Registered Employment Agreement Wage Setting Mechanisms, setting out a reform mechanism was finalised in April of this year and circulated to...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The role of the Citizens Information Board is to support the provision of information, advice and advocacy on a broad range of public and social services. To this end, the Citizens Information website, www.citizensinformation.ie, was developed to meet customer demands for fast, easy access to comprehensive information on rights and entitlements. The website covers a broad range of subjects...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (15 Jun 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 delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in...

Written Answers — Programme for Government: Programme for Government (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 342 together. The regulation of debt collectors is not a matter for this Department.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The rules which determine eligibility for FIS do not distinguish between public sector workers and private sector workers. There are currently approximately 24,410 people in receipt of a weekly family income supplement (FIS) payment of which 2,517 (10%) are recorded as public servants. During 2010 the number of public servants in receipt of FIS ran at approximately 11% of the total number of...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Increasing pensions coverage, particular amongst the lower paid and those with gaps in their employment, is a priority for the Government. The introduction of an auto-enrolment system is one of the best ways in which we can do this. An inter-departmental/agency group, chaired by the Department of Social Protection is developing the legislative, regulatory and administrative infrastructure...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Programme for Government sets out a commitment to resource a Jobs Initiative within the first 100 days of the start of the Government's term in office. These measures are intended to assist in employment generation, provide opportunities for those who have lost their jobs, and thus generate confidence in the economy. We delivered on this promise with the announcement of this initiative...

Written Answers — Proposed Legislation: Proposed Legislation (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I have made enquiries of the Registrar General and he has informed me that the general review of the provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 is expected to be completed in the coming months. There are a range of complex issues to be considered in relation to the scope and implementation of any proposed changes to the provisions of the Act. Some of these issues may have...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Workers whose weekly earnings are above €38 and below €356, and for whom employers pay PRSI contributions at the rate of 8.5%, fall into PRSI Sub-classes AO and AX. The Programme for Government contains a commitment to halve the lower 8.5% rate of PRSI up to end 2013. This commitment is being implemented with effect from 2 July, 2011. A lower rate of employers' PRSI for workers earnings...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rural social scheme (RSS) is to provide income support for farmers and fisherpersons who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Persons are engaged for 191⁄2 hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities for around 2,600 men and women and 130 supervisory staff. The scheme...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The average number of weeks taken to award a disability allowance claim for the period January to April 2011 was 17 weeks. The department does not hold statistics on a county by county basis for processing times for disability allowance applications. To be eligible for disability allowance, a claimant must (inter alia) satisfy a medical assessment, a means test and be habitually resident in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned had an outstanding self-employment PRSI liability, which he fully discharged in May 2011. Following confirmation that his liability had been discharged, his pension entitlement was reviewed, and he was awarded an increase in his weekly rate, with effect from 28 January 2009. Arrears of State pension (contributory) due in respect of this increase, have been authorised,...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The application for carer's allowance from the person concerned was received on the 17 January 2011. He was awarded carer's allowance at the weekly personal rate of €204.00 from the 20 January 2011. He was notified of this decision. The arrears, less the amount paid in respect of another social welfare payment pending the decision to award carer's allowance, will issue to the person...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: There are ten internal audit staff employed by my Department, headed by a qualified accountant. The staff includes one information systems internal auditor. It also uses the services of an outsourced IT audit specialist. The internal audit unit carries out a continuous programme of audits on financial and internal control issues across the many business units and payment schemes of the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Jun 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 — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The pension rights of scheme members are protected through trust law and by provisions in the Pensions Act 1990 as amended. As supplementary pension schemes are usually established under irrevocable trust, the assets of the scheme are legally separate from the assets of the employer and are not available to any other creditors where the employer becomes insolvent. Under trust law, trustees...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Responsibility for policy and funding of the employment and community services of FÁS transferred to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1 January 2011. It is envisaged that the integration of FÁS staff into the Department will commence later this year. Insofar as the training activities of FÁS are concerned, options regarding the provision of further education and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received on 17 February 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors who found that the child was not medically eligible for domiciliary care allowance. A letter issued to the person concerned on 15 April 2011 advising her of the decision to refuse the allowance. In the case of an application which is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 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...