Results 20,561-20,580 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The correspondence referred to by the Deputy was received by my department on 31st January 2013 and concerns matters raised by Dublin based local development companies delivering Tús, the community work placement initiative, on the application of changes with respect to PRSI introduced as part of Budget 2013. A written response was issued by the Department on 12th February 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: An extensive review of the expenditure requirements of Community Employment (CE) schemes was carried out in 2012 as part of the CE Financial Review. A majority of all CE schemes reviewed fell within the €500 - €1,000 per place per year funding requirement bracket with the remainder requiring less than €500 per year. The outcome of the Review permitted the Department of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The top-up materials grant to which the Deputy refers was only applicable in 2012 pending publication of the CE Financial Review. At that point, the scheme budgets were finalised based on the detailed discussions between Department officials and the Community Employment (CE) Sponsors.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: A financial review of the CE schemes was carried out by Department officials last year. One of the findings was that the requirement that an annual audit be conducted for each scheme without any limit being placed on the amount allowable for audit costs, had in certain cases resulted in value for money not being secured. A comparison of audit fees indicated that there was a wide variation in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of persons on the live register as published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), in Newcastle West, Kilmallock and Limerick City, at the end of each of the years 2009 to 2012 and at the end of January 2013 is detailed in the tabular statement. Live register as published by the CSO at the end of December in each of the years 2009 to 2012 and at the end of January 2013. Area...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Rental costs are not an eligible expenditure under the CE materials grant except in exceptional circumstances with the written approval of the Department. The CE Financial Review carried out in 2012 revealed that for the majority of cases rental costs were to enable the delivery of services of the sponsor body rather than to provide specific accommodation for the CE scheme. To provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Numbers (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 194 together. In March 2012, one member of staff in the Department, the Chief Medical Advisor, was re-hired on a temporary contract on a payscale of €93,197 to €113,503. Payment of his pension is abated pending the termination of his temporary contract. The decision to re-employ the Chief Medical Advisor was taken due to his specific...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff (27 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: In March 2012, one member of staff in the Department, the Chief Medical Advisor, was re-hired on a temporary contract on a payscale of €93,197 to €113,503. Payment of his pension is abated pending the termination of his temporary contract. The decision to re-employ the Chief Medical Advisor was taken due to his specific skills and his involvement in the policy reform of the...

Seanad: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Statements (Resumed) (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I would be happy to return.

Seanad: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Statements (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: It had the scope to look at the tax credits on family income supplement.

Seanad: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Statements (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I did not mention that once.

Seanad: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Statements (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: That is the reason I am fast on my feet.

Seanad: Report on Child and Family Income Support: Statements (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank the Cathaoirleach and Senators for the opportunity to meet them today to discuss this report. Last December, I promised when the report of the advisory group on tax and social welfare on child and family income supports was published that we would have a productive discussion on the issues involved. The report is a major contribution in a difficult policy area which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has made an application for rent supplement on the 30th November 2012 and has been requested to provide further information in order to process her claim. A decision will be made on her application when the information has been provided.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: I am aware that the Government’s decision to reduce the respite care grant has been difficult for carers to accept. I am not in a position to reverse this decision. While the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, 2012 to 2014, published in December 2011, provided for a reduction of a further €540 million in expenditure by my Department in 2013, the Government was able to reduce...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: State pension transition (SPT) is currently payable, for a maximum of 12 months, to people who retire from work after reaching age 65, and who satisfy the eligibility conditions of that scheme. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provided for changes to State pension age, commencing with the abolition of SPT from 1st January 2014, which will standardise the age for payment of a State...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: Community Employment has two options, each with its own set of qualifying conditions: Part-Time Integration Option (PTI) -This is a 12-month work programme with training and development opportunities. This option offers eligible participants part-time work and training for one year; Part-Time Job Option (PTJ) - This option is for persons who are unemployed for over 3 years and who require...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been in receipt of a weekly supplementary welfare allowance payment at the full personal of €186.00 since the 6th November 2012. Supplementary welfare allowance is not payable for the period he spent in hospital. However, a hospital comforts payment has been awarded and payment issued along with his supplementary welfare allowance payment due on 21st February...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Deserted Wives Allowance (26 Feb 2013)

Joan Burton: The deserted wife's allowance (DWA) is a means-tested payment paid to a woman under the age of 66 years who has no dependent children and who was deserted by her husband, and who does not qualify for the social insurance contribution-based deserted wife’s benefit (DWB). The scheme was closed to new applications with effect from 2 January, 1997, when the one-parent family payment (OFP)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (26 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 12th 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 13th...