Results 12,681-12,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: From 1st January 2011 policy and funding responsibility for FÁS functions in relation to employment and community employment services was transferred to this Department in accordance with the provisions of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011. Responsibility for FÁS training programmes rests with the Minister for Education and Skills. The payment rates on community...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (24 Nov 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 — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (24 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. €11.1m and €13.8m were paid out in respect of the companies concerned. Rebates to employers and lump sums paid directly to employees are paid from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). The total amount paid out in redundancy rebates to employers to date in 2011 is €185.3m. My Department does not compile information on rebates paid out...

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 12 October 2011 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "— recognises the severe impact on families, individuals and communities as a result of the closure of businesses and loss of employment arising from the exceptional and difficult economic circumstances; — recognises the vital role played by spending on social welfare in enabling people to...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Sinn Féin Members must take responsibility for their actions and votes in this House.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The Sinn Féin approach fails to accept the Government is entitled on behalf of the people to look at how taxpayers' money is spent with a view to securing better outcomes. The better outcomes north of the Border are cuts of €4 billion. We are entitled to compare North and South.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Deputy Ó Snodaigh claimed there was better access to public health systems in the North. However, Sinn Féin has signed up to €4 billion in cuts there.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The Sinn Féin motion fails to acknowledge the Government's efforts will be directed at protecting those most vulnerable within the social welfare system.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Given the timing of this motion and that I am not at liberty to discuss any of the decisions that may or may not be made as part of the budget next week-----

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: -----I have to confine my points to the general principles underlying the social welfare system and, more importantly, to the Government's strong commitment to tackling poverty in our society through the social protection system and other measures.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: There is an urgent need for structural reform of the social protection system, both its delivery and its design, so as the significant welfare budget, over €20 billion, is targeted in the best possible way. The Government has maintained its ambitious timetable for reform by establishing an advisory group on tax and social welfare.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: We have asked the group to put its initial energies into examining child and family income supports. The Government has plans to tackle poverty and promote child well-being. The Department of Social Protection provides a wide range of supports to families and their children through the social protection system. Easily the best known is the child benefit payment, paid on a universal basis to...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: That is a fact.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: It is fact.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The last time I heard, Sinn Féin was very proud to be in government in the North. I have just read out the rates for child benefit there.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Many media commentators do not seem to like the fact that child benefit is a universal payment, paid to all families with children to cover that part of their life cycle where the demand on income is at its peak whereas the capacity to earn income is often constrained through caring responsibilities. Child benefit redistributes our income from times when we have less need of it to times when...

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Parents do their best for their children whether or not they are well off. We should distinguish between households in which there is an income gap and other households because most of our children are loved and that is important.

Social Welfare Benefits: Motion (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: With regard to tackling poverty, much of the research shows that children most at risk of being in poverty are in families with low educational levels because it is difficult for the parents to get a job. The research is similar in the UK and the US and it shows that children in those families are at a greater risk of growing up and going from being a child in an income poor household to an...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The Labour Court recommended in July 2008 that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for community employment (CE) scheme supervisors and assistant supervisors, and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS. Notwithstanding the positions of the Department in rejecting that liability for these costs falls to be met from public funds, this matter has been the subject of...