Results 19,541-19,560 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: One in four persons on the Live Register – some 109,000 persons – is a former construction worker. Approximately half of these persons (53,000) stated that they previously worked in a trade, over 10,000 previously worked as plant and machinery operatives, and some 1,500 previously worked as architects, town planners or surveyors. The remainder have no stated occupation within...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Ensuring that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department. Overpayments are generally defined as money obtained contrary to or in excess of a valid decision. Most overpayments arise as a result of a revised decision regarding entitlement. Deciding officers decide the effective date of a revised decision...

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

Joan Burton: The above person needs to make an application for rent supplement so that his entitlement can be established and rent limit set.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (29 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 22nd...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Tús - the community work placement initiative - came into operation in mid-2011 and to date some 7,200 participants have completed or are currently serving in work placements provided by community organisations. As part of the budget measures to provide 10,000 additional work placement, internship and training programmes places, a further 2,500 placements will be made available under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on 5 April 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the person was not medically eligible for disability allowance. The deciding officer accepted this opinion and refused the claim and the person was notified in writing of this decision on the 12 July...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 22nd November 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: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officers decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department has undertaken a fraud and error survey on Child Benefit and the results will be published on the Department’s website in the next few weeks. The findings from the survey confirm the Department's view that Child Benefit is very low risk in terms of fraud and error and that the scheme’s existing control policy is effective.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Control savings are an estimate of the value of the various control activities across the schemes in payment. They represent an estimate of the value of prevented expenditure on fraudulent claims over a future period. Control savings refer to future expenditure that would have been incurred but for this control work. Without this control work the social welfare expenditure would over time...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (29 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 24th 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 14th...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (29 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 6th 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 appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: In August 2012, following a review of the person’s disability allowance claim it was found that the person had failed to disclose his means from self-employment. As a result it was decided that the person had no entitlement to disability allowance from 8 April 2009 to 2 May 2012. His payment was stopped and he was assessed with an overpayment of €63,206.30. The person was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Appeals (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The decision to refuse mortgage interest supplement in December 2011 was upheld by the Social Welfare Appeals Office in July 2012. It is open to the person concerned to re-apply for mortgage interest supplement if her circumstances have changed.

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

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Social structures in Ireland are changing rapidly and the structures of our social support need to change to accommodate this. Addressing the demographic challenges of more people living longer and the impact on the cost of pensions lies behind the current pension reform measures. It is a fundamental principle of our social insurance system that those qualifying for benefits must satisfy a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Those who leave the workplace for homemaking/caring purposes can, if eligible, avail of the homemakers scheme which helps to provide a higher rate of pension for those who meet the qualifying conditions. The Homemaker scheme comprises a period of disregard when calculating eligibility for a State pension so time taken out of the work, for those who qualify for the scheme, can be disregarded...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: Ensuring that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department of Social Protection. The Department has comprehensive control strategies in place across its various scheme areas which are designed to control fraud and abuse and to minimise overpayments. Where overpayments do occur, it is the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Scheme Numbers (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The following are the numbers for Co. Kildare as at 31 December 2012. County CE Tús RSS BTW BTEA STEA Total Places Places Places Places Places Places Places Kildare 562 173 23 399 765 48 1,970 Key: CE – Community Employment RSS – Rural Social Scheme BTW – Back to Work Allowance BTEA – Back to Education Allowance STEA...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department has a continuous programme of process improvement initiatives underway aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology. The simplification and reduction of application forms complements the introduction of more streamlined processes. The key principles underpinning the design of the Department’s application forms are the use of clear and...