Results 19,121-19,140 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: I was taken by the fundamental question raised by Senator Darragh O'Brien on what the troika required from Ireland. Some argue that the troika allows us to do whatever we want, but that is not true in terms of structural adjustment programmes around the world.

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

Joan Burton: Just let me say -----

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

Joan Burton: The Government has exercised great flexibility by reducing the figure of ¤800 million in cuts proposed by Fianna Fáil - Senators can check the documents - down to ¤540 million.

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

Joan Burton: In my case -----

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

Joan Burton: -----I went to the gentlemen from the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance to negotiate the figure down to ¤390 million. Of course, I would have liked to have reduced it still further. Senator Mary White spoke about the 5,000 people who received no payment besides the respite care grant. Such individuals are above the income limit for carer's allowance and half rate...

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

Joan Burton: With regard to reform, the home help service, which comes under the remit of the Department of Health, is a vital concern for carers. Home helps are, as Professor Crown will know, very important for older patients and people recovering from surgery at home. The provision of a home care or home help service is vital in helping people to sustain independent living and speed recovery after...

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

Joan Burton: Last night, the Senator indicated to me-----

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

Joan Burton: I was asked to give my closing comments.

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

Joan Burton: Extra places have been provided in the budget to get people back to work, whether through internships, CE schemes or other community-based schemes. So far, more than 50% of people who participated in the scheme have proceeded to further employment. If we want to right the country's finances-----

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

Joan Burton: If we want to right the finances of the country so that we can have the social welfare system to which we all aspire, we can only do that by getting businesses back into business and people back to work so that these people and businesses can begin to contribute through taxation. That is how-----

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

Joan Burton: That is how we will protect carers. In a time of enormous economic difficulty, the fact that the carer's provision has increased this year is important.

Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I realise that we four Deputies are probably alone in the Dáil at this point but as Christmas is coming, it is an appropriate time to debate a Bill which proposes to extend the celebration of marriage. Although we may not have Christmas humanist weddings this year, subject to the enactment of the Bill, we may get Whitsun weddings...

Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: None of us is that perfect.

Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I thank all the Deputies who so warmly supported the Bill. Earlier I acknowledged the contribution of the Seanad on this Bill, specifically the work done by my colleague in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik. I was glad to ask the Government to introduce the Bill in the Oireachtas to permit solemnisation of weddings by the Humanist Association of Ireland. I agree with Deputy Stagg that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, provides internship opportunities of either 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals in organisations in the private, public and community voluntary sectors and at present is limited to individuals who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments (Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability Allowance) or are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Payments (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Where an employee’s weekly earnings exceed €352 per week, he or she is liable to pay PRSI at 4% on all income over the weekly PRSI Free Allowance of €127. For civil and public sector employees paying modified rate contributions (Classes B, C and D), and who pay PRSI at 0.9%, the weekly PRSI-free allowance is €26. With effect from 1 January 2013, these weekly PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received on the 30th November 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.

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 8 November 2011. The application, based upon the evidence provided, was refused on the ground that the person in question was not medically suitable for disability allowance. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 14 March 2012. The person subsequently submitted further medical evidence for review. However, upon...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (20 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Money Advice & Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, has an office in Tralee, which serves all of County Kerry. MABS outreach services are also currently provided in Killarney and Listowel. Plans to open a shared office for MABS, National Advocacy Service and the Citizens Information Services in Killarney town are at an advanced stage of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (20 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 13th September 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 on 12th...