Results 18,021-18,040 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on 29 February 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the person was not medically eligible for disability allowance. A letter issued on 28 May 2012 refusing the allowance. The person concerned subsequently forwarded further medical evidence which...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The National Internship Scheme provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals on the Live Register, in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors and at present is limited to individuals who are in receipt of a live claim (Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability Allowance) or signing on for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Sick Pay Arrangements (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Government is considering the introduction of a scheme of statutory sick pay at this time for a number of compelling reasons – as a measure to help in addressing the deficit in the social insurance fund; as a measure to limit progression from short-term illness to long-term illness or disability; and to bring Ireland into line with practice in other countries in this area. There...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. Currently the average time taken to award a carer’s allowance application is approximately 28 weeks. It should be noted that, following a modernisation and business process improvement project, new structures and processes have been put in place with effect from 3 September 2012. In September 2012,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (23 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 Payments (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The State plays a major role in the private rental market through the rent supplement scheme. As the Department currently funds approximately 30% of the private rented sector it is essential that State support for rents are kept under review and reflect current market conditions. There are approximately 90,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The aim of the partial capacity benefit scheme is to address a limitation of the current welfare system by explicitly recognising and responding to the reality that some people with disabilities will have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need some income support from the State – the objective being to incentivise people to return to the workplace.m...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The social security rights of people living and working in the EU are governed by EU regulations which co-ordinate social security systems and are designed to ensure that people are not disadvantaged by moving within the EU to take up work. For the purposes of the EU regulations, Irish child benefit is classified as a family benefit and there are specific rules governing the payment of these...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Expenditure Reviews (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012 – 2014 published by Government last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €540 million to be achieved by the Department of Social Protection in Budget 2013. My officials are currently preparing, on a no policy change basis, an estimate of the total expenditure of the Department in 2013. This estimate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Appeals (23 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 29 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 (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I understand that the review of the operation of the domiciliary care allowance scheme is progressing well in accordance with to work plan. The working group is due to submit its report by the end of the year.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Agencies (23 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: No quasi-governmental organisation or agency has been set up under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection since 9 March 2011.

Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: Since taking office the Government has made significant progress in restoring sustainability to the public finances. We have worked hard to build a new and sustainable economic model for the country from the ashes of Fianna Fáil's debt-fuelled property bubble that we inherited. In recent weeks and in the past six months we have been heartened by the new jobs announcements....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that an application was received from the person in question on 18th July 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: There are two main contributory State pension schemes – the State pension (transition) and the State pension (contributory). The State pension (transition) is paid to people aged 65 who have retired from work and who have the required number and class of social insurance contributions. State pension contributory (SPC) is paid at age 66 to those who meet the qualifying conditions. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Civil Registration of Deaths (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 97 together. Under the provisions and procedures governing the registration of deaths in Ireland, which are contained in Part 5 of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, if a death occurs in the State it is the duty of a qualified informant (normally a relative of the deceased) to attend at a registrar’s office and register the death on foot of a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: Yes. Persons who transferred from a one parent family payment onto a community employment scheme since the 16th January 2012 and who were entitled to fuel allowance in the last fuel season and are entitled to a fuel allowance this season can receive the additional payment on top of their CE allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 7th December 2011. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: There is ongoing contact between officials of my Department and their counterparts in Northern Ireland, both at operational level and at the most senior management level. While there is no specific North South Co-operation Unit in my Department of Social Protection, matters relating to North South relations are dealt with by the EU International Section of the Department. There are 9 staff...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Eligibility (24 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: An application was received from the customer concerned in the back to school clothing and footwear allowance section on the 14th of August 2012. The application was processed on the 24th of September 2012 and was disallowed as the person’s means exceed the income limit for their family size. A review of this decision was completed on the 22nd of October and the original decision was...