Results 18,401-18,420 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The average time taken to process carer’s allowance applications at present is 25 weeks. It should be noted that this is an average time, with some applications being processed much quicker and some applications taking longer. The corresponding average time taken to award applications in 2011 is not available as applications were being processed on two separate systems while the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: A total of 3,047 disability allowance and invalidity pension appeals were disallowed in 2011. A system enquiry reports that an estimated 120 of those customers are currently in receipt of disability allowance or invalidity pension having subsequently qualified for the payment.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Overpayments are generally defined as “money obtained contrary to or in excess of a valid decision”. An overpayment is any social welfare assistance or benefit payment which the person who received the amount was not entitled to receive. An overpayment is assessed for the period that a person was not entitled to a payment and the recovery of the overpayment is followed up by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Application Numbers (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Number of Carer’s Allowance Applications Decided/Awarded/Refused for the past 4 years. Year Number Cleared Number Awarded Number Disallowed 2009 17,957 10,730 5,776 2010 16,629 8,769 6,972 2011 13,886 7,467 5,227 2012 (Jan-Oct) 11,638 6098 5146 Year Number of applications awarded by appeals office Number of application disallowed by appeals office 2009...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Mortgage interest supplement (MIS) provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 16,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €51 million for in 2012. Statistics are not available on the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: There were a total of 22,276 participants and supervisors on Community Employment as on the 5thNovember 2012. My Department does not keep data from persons expressing an interest in taking up a Community Employment place, as in many cases interested parties make direct application to schemes in their locality in the first instance. Under Pathways to Work (2012) Community Employment is a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Self-employed workers may establish eligibility to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker’s allowance and disability allowance. In the case of jobseeker’s allowance they 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. In general, their means will take...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Service Reform (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Full implementation of my Department’s Action Plan under the Public Service Agreement involves major organisational change, including changes in structures, business processes, administrative, operating and governance systems, practices and procedures, supported by significant human resource and ICT changes. The specific changes include: - The integration of the Community Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Gender Recognition Advisory Group (GRAG) was established in 2010 to advise the Government on the legislation required to give legal recognition to the acquired gender of transgender persons. The Report of the Group, which recommends a scheme for the legal recognition of transgender persons, was approved by the Government on 12 July 2011, and was subsequently published on 14 July, 2011. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: This application for carer’s allowance was awarded on 13th November 2012 at a rate of €204.00 per week. A letter with all details of payment issued to the person in question on 13th November 2012. Arrears are due from 22nd August 2011 to 21st November 2012. These arrears will issue shortly less any deductions in respect of other social welfare payments made during the period...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 168 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: As previously outlined to the Deputy, the back to education allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme designed to remove the barriers to participation in second and third level education by enabling those in receipt of certain social welfare payments to continue to receive a payment while pursuing an approved full-time education course that leads to a higher...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I have been advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the appeal by the person concerned has been allowed by an Appeals Officer on a summary basis following consideration of the documentary evidence in the case. The person will be notified of the outcome in the coming days. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local Employment Agencies (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department has a contract for 2012 with Kildare Local Employment Services Network for the provision of local employment services in county Kildare. In the case of Leixlip, the service is provided on a full-time basis by two part-time staff one of whom recently left. Approval to recruit a replacement was given by the Department. The composition of resources for next year will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: This application was awarded on the 9th October 2012 at a rate of €204.00 per week.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that this case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 2nd October 2012, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Appeals (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was assessed by a Medical Assessor of the Department of Social Protection who was of the opinion that he was capable of work. He appealed this decision and in that context the appeal was assessed by another Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that he was capable of work. In the light...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that these cases were assigned to an Appeals Officer on 31st August 2012, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: This application was disallowed on 24 August 2012 on medical grounds, based upon the evidence supplied in support of the application. A letter issued on that date notifying her of this decision, the reasons for it and of her right of review or appeal. If the person in question has additional evidence in support of her claim, they should submit it to the department with a request for a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Pensions (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The terms and conditions of employment for public servants, including pension rights, are outside of my remit and are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Therefore, the Social Welfare and Pension Bill will not include any special provisions regarding public servants who took early retirement In relation to State pension which is within my remit, as...