Results 19,061-19,080 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 13th December 2012 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been determined. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 14 August 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The main purpose of this Bill is to give effect to some of the measures announced in the budget on 5 December. In the budget, my Department's two priorities were to ensure those in most need of assistance would be protected and that we do as much as we can to help people to get ready to return to work. Since I became Minister for Social Protection, I have been very conscious of how crucial...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: We will see what happens in the North.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The UK Government has put forward a programme package for Northern Ireland which is infinitely more difficult.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: It is infinitely more difficult-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I do not want to cut child benefit, the respite care grant or the duration of jobseeker's benefit. I know each such measure impacts negatively on those with genuine needs. The vital goal of ensuring the long-term viability of the social protection system cannot be achieved without scaling back on some of the supports that have been provided heretofore. In last year's budget the Government...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: A large number of social welfare recipients will find their incomes entirely unaffected by the budget because their payments have been preserved for the second year running. Weekly payments have not been cut across the board. The previous Government cut all main payments by a cumulative ¤16.50 per week. If a household included somebody on carer's benefit and someone else on disability...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: In the meantime, despite the budget reductions, our child benefit rates remain high by international comparisons. We are still above the rate that prevails in the United Kingdom and the North, where the payment for the first child is ¤110 per month and the rate for second and subsequent children decreases to approximately ¤72 per month. The respite care grant will decrease from ¤1,700 to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Those Governments should have toured local social welfare offices in the first instance.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I am listening really carefully to the Senator.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I thank all Senators who contributed to this debate, especially those who have given their support to the measures contained in the Social Welfare Bill. People find any reductions or changes in social welfare payments difficult. Every euro in the ¤20.2 billion social protection concerns an individual, a family and a community somewhere in this country. Senator Cullinane gave an example...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I apologise, I was not aware of the time limit. I will be brief. If the Bill were to be paused for 90 days, the loss in respect of social welfare would be ¤124 million and this money would have to be made up during the remaining nine months of the year, unfortunately from the budget of the Department of Social Protection.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The loss of PRSI income would be ¤22 million per month, while the loss in terms of expenditure savings would be ¤15 million per month. The total loss over the 90 days would, therefore, be ¤124 million.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I am merely saying that-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Senator David Norris made some really important points and I am merely highlighting the fact that there would be financial consequences in voting in favour of a 90 day pause. It is for Senators to make a judgment on the importance of these consequences.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Senators James Heffernan, John Kelly and others referred to child benefit. I have undertaken to publish with the permission of the Government the Mangan report at the end of January. The report highlights a number of difficult choices to be made. I will be returning to the House to discover whether Senators are willing to engage with some of these choices which include taxing child benefit...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Another of the choices relates to means-testing. In the North the consequence of such testing is that no one who earns more than £60,000 can receive child benefit. The report also refers to the creation of a two tier payment structure. In that context, it is most important that we maintain the incentive for all members of families to go out to work. I disagree with Senator Jillian van...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: It would not be unreasonable to increase the rate of recovery to ¤10, ¤15 or ¤20 per week.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The social welfare system is brought into disrepute when we cannot-----