Results 22,181-22,200 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Approximately 89,000 persons are in receipt of rent supplement, for which the Government has provided €436 million in 2012. The aim of rent supplement is to provide short-term income assistance, rather than to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. Officials in the Department are reviewing the findings and recommendations made in the Focus...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: That is also true of the other payments to children. It is wrong of Fianna Fáil to decide that it is not even possible, given the way Deputy O'Dea is exclaiming here, to review or examine the entire set of payments to children and families to see if we can spend money in a way that is more targeted while retaining a strong universal element. We are trying to determine whether we can...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am just looking at Fianna Fáil's record, which shows that in 2010 its spend in government on child benefit was €2.2 billion. In 2011, the figure was €2 billion, and this year-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I ask Deputy O'Dea to allow me to give him the figures-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: -----because he is a bit free and easy with information which is potentially misleading.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The spend by Fianna Fáil in 2011 was €2.076 billion and the estimated spend-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The estimated spend-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Deputy should not be getting agitated. If we are going to have a debate-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I urge the Deputy to try to calm himself.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: His blood pressure must be sky high. He should try to calm down.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Deputy will be aware that when he was a member of the Government-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: -----one of the first actions of the Government of which he was a member in the context of the crisis it brought onto the country when it introduced the fatal bank guarantee was to cut child benefit.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: As I stated, child benefit is an important support, particularly for parents. It is paid to the caring parent. There is strong recognition in Ireland that it is an important payment to families because we do not recognise children in the tax system in terms of tax allowances. Child benefit accounts for a sum of €2 billion. Family income supplement accounts for another €200...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that Ireland now faces and it is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these issues. To this end and in line with commitments contained in the programme for Government, I established last year the advisory group on tax and social welfare, with the aim of harnessing expert opinion and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Question Nos. 107 and 128 together. Family and child income support payments assist parents in contributing to the costs associated with raising children and play a very important role in the objective of reducing child poverty. It should be noted that expenditure this year on child benefit, qualified child increases on primary social welfare payments, the family income...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The current total of 421,490 persons on the Live Register includes over 80,000 casual workers in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit. It is recognised that a changing labour market has resulted in a move away from the more traditional work patterns, with a consequent increase in the number of casual workers. In tandem many large employers currently have...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 119, 120, 126, 137, 138, 338 and 383 together. The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure in 2012 of nearly €20.55 billion. This includes expenditure of €2.08 billion on child benefit, some €6.26 billion on pensions and €3.44 billion on illness, disability and caring schemes. In total, expenditure on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: A fundamental qualification condition for carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit and the respite care grant is that the applicant provide full time care and attention to a person who needs such care. To support their social inclusion and continued attachment to the work force, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training, while still being regarded as being...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Report on Pension Charges 2012 was undertaken by my Department with support from the Central Bank and Pensions Board. The primary objective of the report was to gather information on the level of pension charges levied, to assess whether these charges are reasonable and transparent, to report on the findings and to make recommendations. The report highlights a wide range of issues in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Advocacy Service (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The National Advocacy Service was established under the Citizens Information Board in January 2011, to provide an independent , confidential and free, representative advocacy service to vulnerable people with disabilities who cannot self advocate, while supporting others to use mainstream services. The Budget assigned to the National Advocacy Service in 2012 is €3.2m During 2011...