Results 19,661-19,680 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Secure and adequate finances are one of the fundamental components of a happy and active retirement. The sustainability of the pension system is a particular concern because of the demographic challenges Ireland faces, the associated increases in pension (and other age related) costs, and the deterioration in the public finances. This means that, in the future, the task of financing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 410, 411 and 415 together. In 2012, a total of 432,557 claims for jobseeker’s allowance, jobseeker’s benefit and one-parent family payment were received in my Department’s Local Offices. At the 31 December 2012 there were 29,556 claims (6.8% of the total received) awaiting decision. A breakdown of the number of claims awaiting a decision...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 418 together. There are currently approximately 88,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement and 14,400 in receipt of mortgage interest supplement, for which the Government has provided over €445 million in 2013. The timescale for determining applications for rent and mortgage interest supplements is dependent, among other things, on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Waiting Times (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Applications for Child Benefit may be processed under domestic legislation or EU legislation. There is no backlog in Child Benefit claim processing. The average processing time for claims made under domestic legislation is three weeks. At the end of December 2012, a total of 2,276 such claims were pending, of which 510 were awaiting further information from the customer. Claims processed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Waiting Times (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. FIS claims, both new and renewals received on or after 5 November 2012 are currently being processed on receipt. On 2 November 2012 there was a backlog of approximately 7,390 new...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Waiting Times (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The average waiting time for illness benefit applications at week ending 28 January 2013 was less than five working days. There were 5,019 applications pending a decision on illness benefit at week ending 28 January 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Waiting Times (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 2,880 Invalidity Pension (IP) claims registered, actions and awaiting information to finalise a decision. This includes approximately 900 cases which are being investigated under EU regulations or bi-lateral agreements which are more complex and take longer to decide. A targeted plan was put in place to clear the backlog, which is steadily decreasing e.g....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments Waiting Times (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: There are approximately 3,100 redundancy payment applications on hand awaiting processing at present. These include both rebate and lump sums claims. Where lump sum claims have been correctly submitted on-line, the processing target of 6 to 8 weeks is currently being achieved. There are some cases, however, where a query arose and the Department is waiting for additional information from...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Numbers (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, 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. It is targeted at individuals who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments (Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/One Parent Family Payment/Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Social welfare legislation provides that the yearly value of “property owned but not personally used or enjoyed” is assessable for means testing purposes. Such property includes houses and premises which are owned by a claimant, including property which they have inherited, and which the claimant may or may not be put to commercial use. However, it does not include property...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Social structures in Ireland are changing rapidly and social supports need to change to accommodate this. The decision to increase State pension age was taken in the context of changing demographics and the fact that people are living longer and healthier lives. The standardisation of State pension age to age 66 is one of the measures planned which aims to improve the sustainability of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 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 14 December...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 21 January 2012. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration and the Appeals Officer has referred this case back to the Department of Social Protection for clarification on certain issues. On receipt of their response, the case will be further considered...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 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, disallowed the appeal of the person. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 1 November 2012. Jobseeker’s Allowance is a means-tested payment. The person concerned failed to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 December 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. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in to an Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: To be eligible for a state pension (contributory) from age 66, a person must: - have entered insurable employment before reaching age 56 - have at least 520 paid contribution weeks since entry into insurance, from employment or self-employment - have a yearly average of 48 paid/credited contributions from 1979 to the end of the last complete tax year prior to their 66th birthday, or -...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was not medically suitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 7 January 2013 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (5 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The Pathways to Work document states that the introduction of the new Intreo service is a multi-annual project. The first ten Intreo offices went live in 2012. The plans for 2013 are now being developed and the selection of offices will depend upon a range of factors including availability of suitable accommodation, I.T., etc. I will announce the names of the next phase of offices when the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2013)

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.