Results 21,481-21,500 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Those Governments should have toured local social welfare offices in the first instance.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: A large number of social welfare recipients will find their incomes entirely unaffected by the budget because their payments have been preserved for the second year running. Weekly payments have not been cut across the board. The previous Government cut all main payments by a cumulative ¤16.50 per week. If a household included somebody on carer's benefit and someone else on disability...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: In the meantime, despite the budget reductions, our child benefit rates remain high by international comparisons. We are still above the rate that prevails in the United Kingdom and the North, where the payment for the first child is ¤110 per month and the rate for second and subsequent children decreases to approximately ¤72 per month. The respite care grant will decrease from ¤1,700 to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: We will see what happens in the North.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The UK Government has put forward a programme package for Northern Ireland which is infinitely more difficult.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: It is infinitely more difficult-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I do not want to cut child benefit, the respite care grant or the duration of jobseeker's benefit. I know each such measure impacts negatively on those with genuine needs. The vital goal of ensuring the long-term viability of the social protection system cannot be achieved without scaling back on some of the supports that have been provided heretofore. In last year's budget the Government...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The main purpose of this Bill is to give effect to some of the measures announced in the budget on 5 December. In the budget, my Department's two priorities were to ensure those in most need of assistance would be protected and that we do as much as we can to help people to get ready to return to work. Since I became Minister for Social Protection, I have been very conscious of how crucial...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: Pension scheme in Ireland are generally set up on a voluntary basis and arrangements for access to a scheme would generally be a matter for negotiations between the employers, employees and trade unions. Where an employer does not provide employees with access to an occupational pension scheme within six months of the commencement of employment, then the employer must provide the employee...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The respite care grant (RCG) is an annual payment made automatically to people in receipt of carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit, or domiciliary care allowance from my Department. Other people who are not in receipt of one of these payments, but who are providing full time care and attention can also apply for the grant via separate application. The total number of persons in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The entitlement of the person concerned has recently been reassessed. An Exceptional Needs payment was issued in order to ensure all arrears have been paid in full. The person concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to rent supplement based on their household circumstances.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application for rent supplement on 4th April 2012. Her application was incomplete and further documentation was requested. One of these was the provision of acceptable proof of having been previously living in rented accommodation for at least 183 days prior to her current claim. Acceptable proof would be a lease agreement in her name or a rent book showing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Payments (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The weekly rate of back to education allowance payable to the person concerned is €247.60 which is the entitlement assessed based on the information submitted to this Department. A fuel allowance of €20.00 per week is also in payment.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: A review of the rent supplement claim of the person concerned in being undertaken at present and she will be informed of the outcome once the review is completed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned did not receive a rent supplement payment at the end of November due to a temporary suspension on his primary payment. As this suspension has now been lifted, an Exceptional Needs Payment has been issued for arrears owed for November. The person concerned is now in receipt of their entitlement in full.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 and 366 together. According to the Department’s records the person concerned has not made a claim for jobseeker’s allowance or basic supplementary welfare allowance. He should contact the local social welfare office, Eyre Street, Newbridge to establish his entitlement to jobseeker’s allowance and his local community welfare service...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: As part of the budget package for my Department, I intend to extend the number of opportunities available on Tús by another 2,500 and community employment by 2,000. The allocation of these places and related supervisory provision will be in line with existing methodologies for these programmes and to ensure consistency with Pathways to Work and the recently published financial review of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local Authority Social Scheme (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Government, as part of the Budget package for 2013 announce a number of initiatives focused on providing work opportunities for those currently unemployed. The key elements of this package are to add an additional 2,000 places on community employment, 2,500 to Tús – the community work placement initiative - and the development of a new initiative with local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The current rate for domiciliary care allowance is €309.50 per month. This is also the monthly rate of payment that will apply in 2013.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (18 Dec 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22nd May 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 06th ...