Results 17,541-17,560 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The rent limit applicable to the person concerned is €790.00 per month which applies to one parent families with three or more children in Co. Kildare.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The qualifying conditions for a State pension (contributory) which applied on the date that the person concerned reached pension age (66) required an applicant to: - have entered into insurable employment before the age of 56 years - have at least 260 weeks full-rate contributions paid, from employment or self-employment, since entry into insurance - satisfy the yearly average condition. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 4 April 2011. The medical evidence supplied with his claim was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who was of the opinion, based on the information supplied, that the person was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and the claim was refused and the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The maximum net income allowable to a spouse before such income affects all or part of the State Pension (non-contributory) is €200 per week from insurable employment. Net earnings are gross earnings less PRSI, superannuation/PRSA contributions, and union dues. My Department endeavours to ensure that customers are fully aware of their maximum possible entitlements in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The maximum rent limit for a one parent family with two children in Co Kildare is €725.00 per calendar month. Analysis shows that there are properties available within the maximum rent limits for rent supplement recipients in Kildare. There are no plans for a review of these limits at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (4 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together. My Department engages with local authorities and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in ensuring that customer’s accommodation needs are met. Examples where the Department and local authorities work together in this context include: - Officers administering exceptional needs payments under the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for a statutory redundancy lump sum payment in respect of the person concerned was received in September, 2012. Further information is awaited in relation to this claim. When all relevant information is received the claim will be processed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Administration (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to people who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. The scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 90 private operators in various parts of the country. Customers of the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The JobBridge Scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on the 1st July 2011. 10,777 internships have commenced to date with 4,994 participants currently on an internship as at 5th October 2012 and 2,292 opportunities presently advertised on www.jobbridge.ie. It is worth noting that 346 of these placements are in the education sector Our records indicate that a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos 314, 349 and 367 together. In general the current system of social insurance operates on a mandatory basis only and does not provide for voluntary participation on the part of contributors. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) schemes work on annual contracts. As part of the contract, the CE Sponsoring organisation is given an advance payment at the project commencement (called the Initial Grant) equivalent to 8 weeks estimated wages to cover the initial wages for the Supervisor and participants (paid on a current week basis) and other set-up costs (insurance costs, start-up materials,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that appeals by the persons concerned were registered in that office on 20th December 2011 and 9 February 2012 respectively. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: An on-line application for a redundancy lump sum payment in respect of the person concerned was submitted in August 2012. An application for a redundancy payment is not valid until a hard copy of the signed form is received by the Department. In this case the signed form was received on 19 September 2012. The target for processing on-line lump sum claims is 6 to 8 weeks and that target...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Issues (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for short-term social insurance benefits, such as jobseeker’s benefit, an individual must have the minimum number of paid PRSI contributions as an employee in the relevant tax year, being the second last complete tax year before the year in which entitlement to benefit is being sought. Where an individual has inadequate or insufficient paid PRSI contributions to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Applications (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3 August 2012. 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 and the case...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4th January 2012. 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: There is a current cadre of 27 Medical Assessors including the Chief Medical Advisor and the Acting Deputy Chief Medical Advisor. The Medical Assessors are fully qualified and experienced medical practitioners who must have at least 6 years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration with the Medical Council. Many of the Medical Assessors have specialist...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 322, 376 and 380 together. I recently announced a three-phased approach to establishing a comprehensive Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service to provide the necessary supports to assist people in mortgage distress. The approach differentiates between mortgage information and mortgage advice. The first two involve the enhancement of the website ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (9 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3 July 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a...