Results 21,061-21,080 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153, 157, 163 and 180 together. Public sector contracts for the supply of products and services are generally subject to a competitive tendering process. This ensures that the taxpayer receives value for money and ensures that all potential suppliers are given the opportunity to put forward the most efficient, effective and competitive solutions for...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154, 164, 167 and 171 together. There are currently approximately 88,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided €403 million in 2013. Revised rent limits are in place since January 2012 and are applicable to all new rent supplement tenancies from this date and existing tenancies on review. These limits were set...

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

Joan Burton: The Single Working Age Assistance Payment or single payment is a proposal to create a single social welfare payment that would cover all people of working age, including those who would currently be classified as unemployed, with a disability, or parenting alone. The introduction of a single payment could potentially be a key development in the pursuit of a more focused and purposeful...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The company in question was recently put into receivership and it is understood that it is the receiver’s intention to seek a buyer for all or part of the business. My Department is not aware of any of the employees concerned having been made redundant to date. In the event that any of the employees concerned are eventually made redundant they may be eligible for a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Deputy will be aware that the JobBridge Scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on the 1 July 2011. 13,960 internships have commenced to date with 5,563 participants currently on an internship as at 24 January 2013 and 1,888 internship opportunities advertised on www.jobbridge.ie as of that date. The interim results of the independent evaluation of JobBridge...

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

Joan Burton: In order to begin the roll out of the Public Services Card on a nationwide basis, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform gave sanction to the Department for the provision of 150 additional clerical officer posts. The sanction is subject to staff being sourced from redeployment panels in the first instance and, where resources are not available, the recruitment of temporary clerical...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 162 and 166 together. I am acutely aware that any reduction in social welfare payments or benefits are difficult for those affected. The overall concern of the Government in Budget 2013 was to protect the primary weekly social welfare rates. To allow us to protect the core payments which people receive such as pensions, disability and carer’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (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. 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 at age 66 is one of the measures planned which aims to improve the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Applications (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 €738 million on the scheme and at the end of 2012 there were some 85,000 persons in receipt of payment under the scheme. Budget 2013 provided that the duration...

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

Joan Burton: By its nature and because it is a quasi-judicial process, the processing of appeals takes time even at the best of times and reflects the fact that while every effort is made to deal with appeals as fast as possible this cannot be at the expense of fairness of due process. Significant resources and efforts have been put into reducing backlogs and improving processing times for appellants,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, the ‘Pathways to Work’ policy commits to the provision of more regular and on-going engagement and greater targeting of activation places and job opportunities for those who are unemployed. It also aims to increase engagement and incentivise employers to provide more jobs for people who are unemployed. INTREO is the new integrated employment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Expenditure (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of one-parent family payment (OFP) recipients stood at 87,918 in December, 2012. The cost of the OFP scheme in 2012 was €1.06 billion. The reforms introduced in recent Budgets of the OFP scheme build on my Department’s report Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents. While there are no current plans to introduce the Parental Allowance the reform of the scheme is...

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

Joan Burton: In the period May 2008 to 31st December 2012, a total 1,084.42 posts (1,111 people) have been transferred or redeployed into the Department from other government departments and public sector organisations, excluding FÁS Employment Services and Community Welfare Services staff. I understand that the Deputy is specifically looking for the total number of staff in the Department as at 31st...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Applications (29 Jan 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 the 5th November 2012 are currently being processed on receipt. On 2 November 2012 there was a backlog of approximately 7,390 new FIS...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax Collection (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government has decided that the Revenue Commissioners will have responsibility for the collection of the local property tax. For easy pay purposes, a person in receipt of certain scheme payments from the Department of Social Protection can choose to select the deduction at source facility in relation to their payment of local property tax. The Finance (Local Property Tax) Act 2012...

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

Joan Burton: The staffing levels and vacancies in the Department are continuously reviewed, having regard to the Employment Control Framework target, which is determined by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. At 31st December 2012, 220 positions remained unfilled of which 68 were prioritised as critical. However, the Department is required to lose a further 191 posts in order to meet its 2013...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 428 together. My Department is currently finalising a Social Impact Assessment of the main taxation and welfare changes announced in Budget 2013. This SIA will include an analysis of the distributive and poverty impacts of these changes on different family types including those with children as well as the impact on at risk of poverty levels. I will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Numbers (29 Jan 2013)

Joan Burton: The JobBridge Scheme has made significant progress since it came into operation on the 1st July 2011. 13,960 internships have commenced as at the 24th January 2013 with 5,563 participants currently on an internship and 1,888 internship opportunities advertised on as at that date. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the issue of placements and progression has been comprehensively addressed...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 375 together. There are currently approximately 88,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €403 million for 2013. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and...

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

Joan Burton: The number of one-parent family payment (OFP) recipients was 87,918 in December, 2012 at a cost of €1.06 billion. 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 Departments. This initiative demonstrates my determination to progress...