Results 19,301-19,320 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Application Numbers (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The total number of persons in receipt of farm assist in Local Offices in County Kerry at the end of December 2012 was 818. The catchment area of these offices, particularly near the border of counties, may include addresses in neighbouring counties (e.g. Cork), and as such those signing on at a Local Office in Kerry may not be resident in the county. A detailed breakdown of this number by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 404 together. Following Budget 2013, the structure of electricity/gas allowance has changed and is now aligned with the best average market rate currently available for an unchanged 150 units per month from Airtricity, Bord Gais Éireann (BGE) and Electric Ireland. For those customers with Electric Ireland and BGE, this amount will appear as a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Partial capacity benefit is a social welfare scheme which allows a person with a reduced capacity to work to return to work or self-employment, and continue to receive a payment from the Department of Social Protection. To qualify for partial capacity benefit a person must be currently in receipt of either illness benefit (for a minimum of 6 months) or invalidity pension. An applicant for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers and the comments of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal was received in that office on 17th January 2013. The case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The qualification conditions for all social welfare schemes are available at . It is a fundamental principle of our social insurance system that those qualifying for benefits must satisfy a range of contribution and other conditions. In the case of contributory pensions this involves commencing payment of contributions 10 years before pension age, payment of a minimum number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1st June 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 5th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Eligibility (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Support for farmers on low incomes is available through the farm assist scheme. At the end of last year there were 11,785 recipients on the scheme at a cost of €115 million. This means-tested payment is similar to the jobseeker’s allowance scheme, on which it is based. The farm assist scheme was introduced in 1999 to replace ‘Smallholders Unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Currently 97% of applications for State pension (contributory) are decided by their date of entitlement. The average waiting time for a decision on a State pension (contributory) application is 3 weeks. Table: State pension (contributory) applications on hand: SPC applications awaiting decision (17 January 2013) New applications Part processed applications 985 345 The Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10th July 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 6th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The disability allowance application by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable. An appeal was registered on 19th December 2012 and the Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that, in accordance with the statutory procedures, the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Eligibility (22 Jan 2013)

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 26 May 2011. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of her claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Following a review of the person’s continuing entitlement to disability allowance, certain issues came to light and payment was suspended in order to investigate the person’s residency, employment status and entitlement to disability allowance. The case was sent to a social welfare investigator to establish the person’s circumstances. The investigator’s report is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 02nd July 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 09th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 16th January 2013. 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. When received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 28th June 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 17th ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Appeals (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13th November 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 10th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Application Numbers (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: At present, approximately 220 new invalidity pension claims are received in the Department each week and these are examined and decided where all information is available within a few days of receipt. Where a medical assessment and/or further information are required, these are requested without delay. Additional temporary staff was assigned to the invalidity pension area in an effort to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Application Numbers (22 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: While the time taken at present to process some carer’s allowance claims is not satisfactory, good inroads have been made over the last number of months by my Department to clear the current backlog and a plan is in place to process the remaining backlogged claims by the end of Q1 2013. I am happy that the actions they are taking will achieve this. The number of applications awaiting...