Results 12,861-12,880 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: Bankers.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: A redundancy lump sum claim in respect of the person concerned was received on 26 July 2011. Redundancy lump sums claims received at the start of May 2011 are currently being processed.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has outstanding PRSI liabilities in respect of the years 1991/92, 1994/95 and 1995/96. Details of the outstanding amounts were provided to him on 28 September 2011. It is a condition of the State Pension (Contributory) scheme that all self-employment PRSI contributions due by an individual have been paid before entitlement to the pension can be determined.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: Further to my response to PQ Ref. No. 31614/11 on 26 October 2011, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal, by the person concerned, was assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration on 13 October 2011. The Appeals Officer referred the case back to the Social Welfare Inspector for clarification on certain issues. The case was reassigned to the Appeals Officer on...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. Following...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 December 2010. 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 2...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Dec 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 he was capable of work. An appeal was registered on 09 September 2011 and the Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with statutory requirements, the Department was asked for the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 December 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...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: A redundancy lump sum claim in respect of the person concerned was received on 12 July 2011. Redundancy lump sums claims received at the start of May 2011 are currently being processed.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (7 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Following the submission of additional evidence the Appeals Officer agreed to review the case and in light of the additional information has re-opened the appeal by way of granting an oral...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Order for Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Social Welfare Bill will give legislative effect to certain social welfare measures announced in the Budget Statement of 5 December 2011, which are due to come into effect from 1 January 2012. The German Chancellor, Ms Angela Merkel, said recently that Europe faces its toughest hour since the Second World War. We are certainly dealing...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: The home-grown problems have been made greatly more difficult by the global financial crisis and the euro crisis in particular. We have only a modest role as a country to play in resolving the euro crisis.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: The job of getting the books balanced is one which is definitely within our control. It is vital that this Government secures economic recovery in our country.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: To do this we must put the public finances back on a sustainable footing. We must bridge the gap between Government expenditure and revenue which is currently filled by borrowing. At present, there is a shortfall of €16 billion in the Government's finances. Unless the rate of borrowing is reduced, the burden of debt servicing will take up an increasing proportion of tax revenue. This...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: We have also remembered those who are working on low incomes and not claiming social protection.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: They are equally entitled to be served by the attentions of this Government in helping to remove some of the burden of the universal social charge. We have minimised, in so far as is possible, the spending reduction in social protection because we recognise that people are totally dependent on the support provided by the State to enable them to eat, keep themselves warm, provide shelter for...

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: There are many people who are new to need as a result of this deep and prolonged recession. On the outside they are coping but behind closed doors they are just about making ends meet.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I want to make sure that these people do not slide helplessly into a cycle of deprivation and long-term welfare dependency. I want to protect them from the worst consequences of this very deep recession by delivering on this Government's promise not to cut primary social welfare payments.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Joan Burton: I want to ensure that the communities they live in remain sustainable and welfare spending contributes to this by stimulating and supporting local economies. I want to make clear that the measures in this Bill follow very detailed analysis and discussions by both parties in government. Tough decisions had to be taken on where to reduce expenditure while trying to minimise the impact on...