Results 19,441-19,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Respite Care Grant (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: -----for the people for whom they care, particularly within a family. I agree that many carers provide an extraordinary level of care and in the process suffer from considerable exhaustion. In the case of the respite care grant, the cut reduced the payment to above 2006 levels. Given the economic pressures on the country, as bequeathed by the Deputy's party-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Respite Care Grant (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: -----he must admit that in 2013 there will be an increase in overall spending on carers-----

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Respite Care Grant (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: -----which is a mark of the consideration, respect and admiration the Government has for the work they do.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Respite Care Grant (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: We are determined to continue to support carers and not to do what Fianna Fáil did and reduce their weekly payment by €16.30.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 129, 158, 172, 386 and 387 together. I am happy to say spending has increased very significantly on employment support schemes, from €958 million in 2012 to an estimated €1.045 billion in 2013. As part of this increased expenditure, there will be 10,000 additional work placements. The Government, as part of the budget package for 2013,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The terms and conditions relating to and the duration of these placements will be broadly similar to those which obtain to community employment schemes and Tús. Local authorities will organise a number of pilot schemes which will commence during February and inform the final design of the scheme. It is anticipated that the local arrangements to permit the pilot schemes to commence in...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: This time last year, Deputy Collins was very concerned that there were not sufficient places available on community employment schemes. Now she seems worried by our provision of extra places.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The critical issue is that there are numbers of people who have been out of work for a very long time. A part-time job placement with a local authority is restricted to less than 20 hours. There is a fair level of interest in this scheme, particularly in rural areas because people are contributing to their local community. It is a very positive opportunity for individuals who, through no...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I have received a draft copy of the Indecon report. It confirms the initial figures that more than 50% of people who took a JobBridge internship in the private sector have proceeded on to further work and approximately 40% in the case of those in public sector internships. These are preliminary results but they are positive and are in line with the initial survey carried out by Indecon. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: As I stated, I am waiting for the local authorities to respond and establish pilot schemes. We expect that those schemes will influence the nature of the final schemes. When I started Tús, there was nobody on it at all. There was no specification other than that it would be for people who were unemployed for more than one year. I do not know whether the Deputy has had an opportunity...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: There are self-employed persons now on the live register who after a period of time may qualify. As the Deputy is aware, on ceasing self-employment they would not normally have an immediate entitlement to social insurance payments but, ultimately, many of them will make a claim. I will obtain the figures for the Deputy. In that context, the people concerned under normal conditions would be...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Employment Support Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: On my own behalf and that of members of the Labour Party, of all parties and none throughout the country, I express our sincere condolences to the wife and children of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe who must be experiencing tremendous grief and torment as a result of what happened to their beloved husband and father. It is important to note that, as a garda, he died protecting and serving...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The State pension is a very valuable benefit and the bedrock of the pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the social insurance fund over their working lives. The homemaker’s scheme makes qualification for the contributory State pension easier by disregarding time spent out of the workforce on caring duties. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: An analysis undertaken in the 2007 Green Paper on pensions, published by the previous Government, identified that to backdate the payment to 1953 when the current pensions system was introduced would cost €160 million. Even backdating the payment to 1973 would still involve substantial costs. I propose to keep this under review. However, I have to be honest with the Deputy. Every...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Jobseeker's benefit (JB) is a weekly payment to people out of work and covered by social insurance. If a person does not qualify for JB they may qualify for means tested jobseeker's allowance. In 2012 my Department spent over €3.8 billion on the schemes and at the end of 2012 there were some 390,000 persons in receipt of payment under these schemes. Unlike other jobseekers, part-time...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 169 together. There are currently approximately 88,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €403 million in 2013. Under the legislative provisions governing rent supplement, the Department’s relationship is with the tenant. Rent supplement is specifically for the benefit of tenants to assist them...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Payments (29 Jan 2013)

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: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a one-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €48.8m for the scheme in 2013. The rates for 2013, which are not intended to meet the full cost of school clothing and footwear but to provide assistance towards these costs,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Care Services (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135, 146 and 417 together. As part of the package of measures in Budget 2013 I announced, along with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Frances Fitzgerald, a €14 million joint childcare initiative between our two departments. This initiative demonstrates my determination to progress this issue despite the very serious financial situation...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Rates (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 183 and 420 together. Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children up to their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a physical or mental disability. The estimated expenditure on child benefit...