Results 13,981-14,000 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department has received a very high level of enquiries in relation to requests for refunds of the Health Contribution over the last few weeks and I am pleased to be able to take this opportunity to clarify the position in relation to this matter. Since the introduction of the health contribution the Department of Social Protection has refunded the contribution where it was found that the...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, came into operation on 1st July 2011. As of 7th February, a total of 4,588 internships have commenced. Of the 4,588 internships that have commenced, some 2,187 of these positions were advertised as requiring a third level qualification. The National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for carer's allowance from the person in question. On completion of the necessary investigations relating to all aspects of her case a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Feb 2012)

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 he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 25th January 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The continued entitlement to domiciliary care allowance (DCA) in this case was reviewed in January 2012 by one of the Department's Medical Assessors. The Medical Assessor found that the child was no longer medically eligible for the allowance and a letter issued on the 16th January 2012 advising the person concerned of the decision. The person concerned may submit additional information...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. This department received a claim for invalidity pension for the person concerned. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of her claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that the person...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 27 April 2011. Weekly payment will commence on 29 February 2012. Any arrears due to the person concerned will issue shortly after that date. The person has been notified in writing of this decision.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Government announced in Budget 2012 a reduction in the materials and training allocation for Job Initiative schemes. For 2012 the grant per place will reduce to €433.33. This will result in a funding reduction for materials/overheads from 8% to 4%. Training will cease to be paid for Job Initiative participants except for training to meet statutory requirements. Any training claimed will...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned started on a Community Employment (CE) scheme in Cahirciveen in May 2011 and has eligibility for one year on the scheme. The full allowance for training for CE participants, before the changes announced in the 2012 Budget, was €500 per participant per year. The person concerned has already received training to the value of €75 and has been approved for further...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Self-employed people can apply for the means-tested jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in demand for their services. Self-employed customers do not have to de-register as self-employed persons in order to claim jobseeker's allowance. Legislation provides for the assessment of all income in cash and any non-cash benefits...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: At the end of December 2011 there were 174,015 recipients of the living alone allowance at a weekly cost to the exchequer of €1.34m. This equates to some €70m. per annum. More than 80% of recipients of the Living Alone Allowance are aged 65 years or over and more than 30% are aged 80 years or over. A breakdown of the recipients by scheme and age group follows. Blind Person's Pension...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department's organisation chart details the senior management structure and is also available on our website at http://www.welfare.ie/EN/AboutUs/Documents/DeptOrganisationa lStructureChart.pdf.

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 and 351 together. The purpose of the Redundancy Payments Scheme is to compensate workers, under the Redundancy Payments Acts, 1967 to 2007, for the loss of their jobs by reason of redundancy. Under the Redundancy Payments Acts an eligible employee is entitled to two weeks statutory redundancy payment for every year of service, plus a bonus week....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department has been accepting new claims for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) since 1st April 2009. Statistics relating to the allowance for the period prior to April 2009 are a matter for the HSE, the previous administrators of the scheme. The number of applicants for DCA allowed on initial application by the deciding officer in each of the last 3 years is as follows: . ...

Written Answers — Job Losses: Job Losses (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Minister is aware that 20 employees from the Rehab Recycling group in Ballybrit, Galway will be laid off at the end of March 2012. The lay-offs include 17 employees for whom the company receives a valuable DSP Wage Subsidy. DSP Employment Services have recently been in contact with the Rehab Recycling group to offer assistance and are currently awaiting a response to the offer. The...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th November 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 06th...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) comes under the remit of the Department. Social Welfare Tribunal The Tribunal consists of a Chairman and four ordinary members, two on...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 327 together. Since November 2011, recipients of domiciliary care allowance (DCA) have been given 4 months advance notice in writing of their child reaching 16 years and the end of the payment of DCA. They are advised that their child may be entitled to receive a disability allowance (DA) payment in their own right and of how to make such a claim....

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: In certain circumstances people who have been in receipt of illness benefit or invalidity pension were granted permission to engage in part-time work of a rehabilitative or therapeutic nature. This permission is known as an exemption. All applicants for an exemption have some form of a disability or medical condition and as such they would be considered on their own merits. Applications...