Results 17,681-17,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: It is an important question. I hope the Leas-Cheann Comhairle-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I am not sure if I can do full justice to the question in six minutes.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Halligan for his question. To set the issue of statutory sick pay in context, total expenditure on the key illness and disability payments administered by the Department, namely, illness benefit, invalidity pension and disability allowance, amounted to some €10.6 billion in the period from 2008 to 2011. Of that amount, some €3.6 billion relates to illness benefit....
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I reassure the Deputy I have had many opportunities to meet business groups and employers of various sized businesses throughout the country. I emphasise that any proposal applies as much to the public sector as the private sector. I am very conscious of the need to maintain competitiveness, facilitate business growth and opportunities, generate sustainable employment and maintain the...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Illness Benefit Costs (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: The Deputy makes the point very well. Based on what we know from various surveys, absenteeism levels are significantly higher in the public sector than in the private sector. I reiterate that the current system, which there are no proposals to change, stipulates that the first three days are not paid for by the employer or the State but are covered by the individual. It is not proposed to...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 69, 73, 78 and 81 together. There have been no cuts whatsoever to disability allowance or to any of the Department's other disability schemes. This is borne out by the increasing numbers of claimants and payments. It should be noted that all the Department's schemes are demand-led and are not budget capped. A total of €0.82 billion has been...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I reiterate that no changes have been made to the conditionality or rules governing applications for disability allowance. We will not know the final outcomes for 2012 until after the year end, but the Deputy's citation of the statistics was interesting. The highest level of awards, some 49%, was in 2009. In 2010, when his party was in government, the figure fell sharply according to the...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: The Deputy just cited the statistics. The figure fell to 39%. Last year, it was 38%. We do not know the final outcome for this year, but the figure is hovering around the same level.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: In 2006, there were 18,000 disability allowance claims. In 2011, there were 24,000 claims. The Deputy needs to consider the fact that all areas of social welfare have been heavily impacted by the financial crisis bequeathed to us, by the number of people who have lost their jobs, by those who have become ill and by changes in the population. There has been a significant increase in volume....
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: The Deputy just cited the statistics.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: They are exactly the same, give or take a point of a difference.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: We do not know the outcome yet. One must consider the total numbers and total spend, both of which have increased. There have been no changes in conditionality.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: Approaching last year's budget, I gave an undertaking to do my best to ensure that core social welfare rates would be protected. I am happy to say that this occurred, particularly in terms of disability. Our society has a problem as a consequence of the collapse of the banks, the building industry and the tax revenues related to the latter. Even within these constraints, it is a tribute to...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I can give the Deputy that assurance. In 2001, the disability payments bill was €1.1 billion, and that increased in 2011 to €2.7 billion. The number of people claiming in 2001 was 173,000 and that has grown to 242,000, or just shy of 250,000. The scheme is demand-led and is not capped. I spoke to the Deputy about this. We are seeking to improve the structure of the scheme to...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: Going back to Deputy O'Dea's last comment, I think he is referring to the scheme I brought in after I became Minister of a partial disability payment which was long requested by disability organisations to allow people to go back to work. For instance, somebody might have a long-term condition from which he or she suffers periodically but he or she may wish to continue to work. I brought...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: The proof is that the numbers of people and the amount spent on disability benefits have continued to increase because there have been no changes in conditionality.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: I am sure the Deputy will welcome the fact that the Government is spending more on disability allowance than was the case when he was in Government at the height of the economic boom.
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: With regard to Deputy Wallace's question about carers, in last year's budget I prioritised that carers would not receive a reduction in the payments made to them. I am happy that my colleagues in Government supported that approach. I am aware that people who have a disability are dependent on the quality of services they receive. When I met the 35 groups last Friday for four hours of...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: The review will be published after it has gone to Government. As I said earlier - I do not know if the Deputy was here at the time - I have not received the review because it is not complete; that is my advice. When I get it, I will study it. I will then have to take it to my colleagues in Government. No decisions have been made about this year's budget but protecting the incomes of...
- Other Questions: Disability Allowance (16 Oct 2012)
Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, there is a significant difficulty with people submitting incomplete applications at the first stage.