Results 10,741-10,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: That was the leagan Béarla, a Theachta.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: My advice is that it will affect few, if any, pension schemes in Ireland that function in the manner described in Article 17 of the directive. It is a particular structure of pension scheme or trust retirement annuity contract and it has nothing to do with the sponsoring employer. It is where they underwrite death or disability benefits - known in the insurance industry as biometric risks -...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed). (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I have received the FLAC submission on the Bill, including its comment on mortgage interest supplement. The Department is looking to address the needs of mortgage holders, having regard to the various commitments in the programme for Government and the recommendations of the mortgage arrears and personal debt expert group. Any changes to the mortgage interest supplement scheme must be...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Deputies Higgins and Ó Snodaigh have continuously bemoaned in today's debate the fact that the cut in the minimum wage has been reinstated, arguing that it would be better to have it done at another time. This morning there was the absurd suggestion that we wait three days, three weeks or three months for the Irish language translation, which would hold up the reinstatement of the cut in...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I was addressing the same amendment as the one in which Deputy Higgins called for a delay in reinstating the minimum wage.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: How?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Is that the amendment?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: On a point of order-----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: It is the Deputy who introduced the argument that the minimum wage should not have been addressed in this Bill. I repeat my opinion that he is far off the mark in trying to find specious arguments for not reinstating the minimum wage.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: He wants to find specious arguments.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Last night his colleague was attacking measures to reduce fraud.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for his remarks. I did not introduce the minimum wage into the debate. It was another Deputy who did and I felt it appropriate to respond to the point. In addressing the amendment, both Deputy Ó Snodaigh and Deputy Wallace made important and significant contributions. I will undertake to monitor the situation referred to by both Deputies because it is an...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The key aspect of fraud prevention and control in this case is to ensure that appropriate sanctions are applied in instances for social welfare fraud. The emphasis is on fraud - wilful false statements, concealment and wrongful claiming - not on someone making a mistake. It is important to state that. Where social welfare fraud has been detected, effective debt recovery is an integral part...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: -----of the change in circumstances. She continues to sign a yearly annual review form stating that she is not married when in fact she has married. In that case, again, the full overpayment would be claimed back from that person. I do not think anybody in the House should disagree with this if we are to maintain the integrity of the social welfare system. In another case similar to that...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I would not be running my restaurant for very long if the people at the back door were taking out food and bottles of wine.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: What I said was that people in the Dáil must get real about the problem that fraud represents to the integrity of the social welfare system. There are three measures in this Bill that are aimed at reducing the level of fraud. The current system for recovery of fraud overpayments is slow. This measure will deal with the two examples I gave, including the case of a person claiming...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I spoke about that last night.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that we face. It is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these problems and to ensure that work is worthwhile. As provided for in the Programme for Government, we will seek to harness expert opinion and experience to consider a number of issues arising out of the operation and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has stated that there is no record of an application for mortgage interest supplement from the person concerned. If the person concerned wishes to make an application for mortgage interest supplement she should contact the community welfare officer at her local health centre.

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (16 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together. The Government has provided various types of support to people affected by the November 2009 flooding. Humanitarian Aid payments were made, both in the immediate aftermath of the flooding and subsequently to enable eligible households to resume living at their home. Flood relief works were also undertaken in some of the affected areas and...