Results 18,541-18,560 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 13th November 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 29th November 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the caree in question was not medically eligible for carer’s allowance. The person in question subsequently submitted further medical evidence for review...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Statutory Sick Pay Scheme (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The range of complex issues associated with the possible introduction of a scheme of statutory sick pay - including such matters as the provision of possible compensatory mechanisms for particularly vulnerable employers, the extent of coverage of such a scheme, the appropriate rate of payment involved and how a scheme would be enforced - continue to be examined in the context of the need to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Universal Social Charge (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Prior to 2011 the health contribution paid by employees was collected along with PRSI. While the PRSI contributions were and continue to be paid into the Social Insurance Fund to fund social insurance benefits, the health contribution was remitted to the Department of Health. In 2009 and 2010 people earning in excess of €500 a week were liable to pay the health contribution. On...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 and 415 together. As part of the child benefit control programme the Department commenced issuing continuing eligibility certificates to parents in 2008. In the first instance these were issued to non-Irish nationals as these had been identified in an earlier fraud and error survey as posing a greater risk. Certificates continue to issue to these...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. Following receipt of the decision further evidence has been submitted by the person. His file has been recalled from disability allowance section and, on receipt, this evidence will be reviewed....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (20 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 28th October 2011. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. A letter issued on the 24th August 2012 notifying her of this decision, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Expenditure (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a second chance education opportunities scheme. It is 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 qualification than that already held....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Statistics (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: At present, my Department is not in a position to provide a breakdown of the 2012 redundancy statistics by sector. Work on the reporting facility of the redundancy payments system is ongoing with a view to being able to produce this type of date. It is hoped that it will be possible to provide this information in the near future. Information on the overall number of redundancy applications...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Residency Permits (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: For social welfare purposes, habitual residence in the State is determined according to the facts that apply at the time the claim is made. It does not depend on the nationality or citizenship of the person making the claim. Decisions concerning habitual residence are assessed having regard to five factors which have been laid down by the European Court of Justice, and which are now...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has received formal decisions with regard to his jobseeker's allowance and supplementary welfare allowance applications. These matters are now being dealt with by the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be well aware, there is an important context to the changes to State pension provision under the pensions reform programme. Firstly, there is the fiscal context. Given the scale of the fiscal crisis and because spending on social protection accounts for nearly 40% of current Government expenditure, you will appreciate that savings have to be found in the social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. Following...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The State pension is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. The homemaker's scheme makes qualification for the State pension (contributory) easier by disregarding time spent out of the workforce for caring...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 6 November 2012 and in accordance with the statutory provisions the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department is very conscious of the need to provide efficient and effective customer services at a local level for all customers of the Department, having regard to the resources that are available. In this context, the staffing needs of all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed. In recent months, the Department has restructured a number of Community Welfare Service...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that this application was received to this department on the 22 November 2011. This application is with a deciding officer who has requested information from the person in question regarding their means. Once all the necessary information has been returned to this department, the deciding officer will proceed with the processing of this application and a decision will issue...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the invalidity pension claim of the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 15 November 2012 and in accordance with the statutory provisions the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department has searched its records and can find no trace of a carer’s allowance application from the person in question. If the Deputy has any additional information on this case please let us know and we will investigate it further.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (21 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 8th May 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.