Results 22,141-22,160 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Pathways to Work document states that the introduction of the new Intreo service is a multi-annual project. All elements of the Intreo service will be operational in four offices by the end of November 2012 and a further six offices are expected to be live by the end of the year. The plans for 2013 are now being developed and the selection of offices will depend upon a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Promotions (14 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware since 2009 there is a moratorium on promotion within the Civil Service. However, given the increased demands on the services of my department, exceptional sanction was received from Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to fill critical vacancies in locations where posts could not be filled by the redeployment or transfer of staff. In addition, under the...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Coming from Dún Laoghaire, Deputy Boyd Barrett may feel that €435 million is a small amount of money but it is not a small amount of money to me.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Dún Laoghaire and the south-side may well be different. The Government is currently supporting 89,000 persons in rented accommodation.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: One can scoff at that, at a cost of €435 million.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Some 42,000 rents have been renegotiated so far this year using the limits.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I regret that the facts are inconvenient for Deputy O'Dea. As a consequence of the review, many community employment schemes have applied for additional places. This is a strong sign of how much the services provided by the schemes are in demand. In the context of the budget, this is something I will be discussing with my colleagues. Since I became Minister, I have set up two additional...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 108, 125, 131 and 141 together. There are currently approximately 89,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement, for which the Government has provided €436 million in 2012. Revised rent limits are applicable to new rent supplement tenancies from January 2012 and existing tenancies on review. These limits were set up after an analysis of the most...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I wish to inform the Deputy from Dún Laoghaire that the rent limit for a couple with three children in Dún Laoghaire for a three bedroom house is €950 per month.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: For people at work who are paying tax, it represents a lot of money to pay rents to landlords of €950 per month.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: These taxpayers are paying tax and PRSI. Deputy Boyd Barrett seems to be on a mission to raise rents for landlords, but I believe he is wrong to try to raise rents for private landlords.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: We are paying for it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Taxpayers in this country will pay €435 million in rent supplements to private landlords.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am confident the future of community employment schemes is very strong and positive and that the Government will remain committed to funding them while making provision for savings and reforms in them which will cut down on unnecessary duplication of administration. This may, unfortunately, have crept into the schemes during Deputy O’Dea’s time in power.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Community employment, CE, is the largest employment programme administered by the Department of Social Protection and forms an important pillar of the strategy to return those who are long-term unemployed to the open labour market. There are currently 23,300 places, including about 1,400 supervisory positions, available on CE and the revised budget for 2012 is about €340 million....

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am happy to say I have had opportunities to personally visit CE schemes in most parts of the country and have had lengthy discussions with scheme sponsors and the people working on different schemes to see for myself the kind of work being done in communities throughout the country. I am more convinced than ever that CE has an important role to play in communities in providing the range...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The collapse in the construction industry, largely the cause of long-term unemployment, was not the fault of the social welfare system, at the time in question or now; rather it was the consequence of greed in the economy and the inappropriate tax breaks that had created the bubble. As the Deputy rightly stated, many people who worked hard and earned good money during the boom suddenly found...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: It is when people are activated and back at work that the economy will improve for everybody. When this occurs, the social insurance fund will be restored to balance. People going back to work will pay PRSI which will improve the social insurance fund which is seriously in deficit because of the crash. It will help us to improve what we do to support those on social welfare.

Visit by Democratic Republic of Congo Delegation (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I extend a karibu to the honourable Minister from the Democratic Republic of Congo. I have had the opportunity to visit the country on a number of occasions.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am sure the Deputy knows that the reason people have suffered such a fall in their living standards-----