Results 19,081-19,100 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Support Schemes (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The national internship scheme, JobBridge, was launched on 1 July 2011. It provides internship opportunities of six or nine months for unemployed people on the live register in organisations in the private, public, community and voluntary sectors. Its aim is to assist in breaking the cycle whereby jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience. It gives such people an opportunity to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Support Schemes (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I am relying on the figures from the Indecon survey. This is the way they are structured. The Senator is probably aware that the vast majority of public, voluntary and community organisations in this country are funded by the State. I am a little disappointed that Sinn Féin is so opposed to internship. I always thought that many people worked in Sinn Féin for nothing. I thought they...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Support Schemes (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: It is somewhat disappointing that Sinn Féin is quite so negative. I have long experience of working at third level. I am particularly conscious that one of the problems caused by the recession is that many young people hit a brick wall when they look for employment opportunities after completing secondary education, FETAC training, community employment schemes or third level education. I...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Support Schemes (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I have long experience with thousands of people in the education sector.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Employment Support Schemes (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I do not understand why Sinn Féin is so negative about young people and people changing fields to gain work experience that will help them to find a job. The Seanad adjourned at 8.05 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 19 December 2012.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 7th November 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Application Numbers (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer’s allowance claims at present is not satisfactory but I am satisfied that the Department is taking appropriate action to resolve the situation. A programme of backlog elimination is underway in carer’s allowance section where a number of measures have been implemented to improve processing times. Following the completion of a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Application Numbers (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is designed to provide immediate and flexible assistance for anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residency condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can prove unemployment, or anyone who is awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 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 6th December 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Funding (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Capital Expenditure in the Department of Social Protection is incurred in two areas in particular;- 1.- The purchase of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment which is required for the delivery of social welfare services. This includes the purchase of computer hardware and software, data storage, desktop equipment and a range of network infrastructure equipment. It also...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has not been received by that office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 14th of 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. This department received a claim for invalidity pension for the person concerned on 05 April 2012. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of her claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 11th December 2012. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will issue to the customer. It can take up to 8 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I do not propose to accept these amendments. The normal cycle of social welfare legislation involves the enactment of at least two social welfare Bills per year. One Bill is enacted in December each year to give effect to the various social welfare budget measures which are due to take effect from early in the following year. A second Bill is enacted around spring or early summer to give...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I have never heard a serious Sinn Féin explanation of why or for whom-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Are there people we are not aware of who are in need of a social welfare amnesty? There is ¤350 million in repayments owed to the Department of Social Protection going back quite a number of years. I presume the amnesty Sinn Féin wants is the strong suggestion that we should not collect that money-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: To be helpful to the House, the point I am making is that, from time immemorial, the Title of the winter social welfare Bill is the "Social Welfare Bill" because it is the one that deals with the budget. It does not take in a whole range of miscellaneous titles. The Senator expanded for a time on wanting to include in that discussion of "Miscellaneous" a broader perspective in regard to his...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Senator Cullinane obviously referred to it in his contribution. I am making the advice I have available to the Senator as to why I will not accept this amendment.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Oireachtas social protection committee decides its own agenda. It is the committee's prerogative to discuss social welfare amnesties or overpayment recovery. I suggest the Sinn Féin members of the committee bring their proposal to the Chair of the committee and, in time-honoured fashion, it will be addressed.