Results 22,281-22,300 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is in the tabular statement. The number of recipients of State Pension (Non-contributory) has been relatively stable over the period in question. Tabular statement Year Number of Recipients Percentage Fluctuation Year on Year 2007 97,726 2008 97,784 0.06% 2009 97,798 0.02% 2010 97,179 -0.63% 2011 96,749 -0.44% 31 October...

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

Joan Burton: The average time taken to process carer’s allowance applications at present is 25 weeks. It should be noted that this is an average time, with some applications being processed much quicker and some applications taking longer. The corresponding average time taken to award applications in 2011 is not available as applications were being processed on two separate systems while the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: A total of 3,047 disability allowance and invalidity pension appeals were disallowed in 2011. A system enquiry reports that an estimated 120 of those customers are currently in receipt of disability allowance or invalidity pension having subsequently qualified for the payment.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Overpayments are generally defined as “money obtained contrary to or in excess of a valid decision”. An overpayment is any social welfare assistance or benefit payment which the person who received the amount was not entitled to receive. An overpayment is assessed for the period that a person was not entitled to a payment and the recovery of the overpayment is followed up by...

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

Joan Burton: Number of Carer’s Allowance Applications Decided/Awarded/Refused for the past 4 years. Year Number Cleared Number Awarded Number Disallowed 2009 17,957 10,730 5,776 2010 16,629 8,769 6,972 2011 13,886 7,467 5,227 2012 (Jan-Oct) 11,638 6098 5146 Year Number of applications awarded by appeals office Number of application disallowed by appeals office 2009...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Mortgage interest supplement (MIS) provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 16,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €51 million for in 2012. Statistics are not available on the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: There were a total of 22,276 participants and supervisors on Community Employment as on the 5thNovember 2012. My Department does not keep data from persons expressing an interest in taking up a Community Employment place, as in many cases interested parties make direct application to schemes in their locality in the first instance. Under Pathways to Work (2012) Community Employment is a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Self-employed workers may establish eligibility to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker’s allowance and disability allowance. In the case of jobseeker’s allowance they can apply for the means-tested jobseeker’s allowance if their business ceases or if they are on low income as a result of a downturn in demand for their services. In general, their means will take...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Service Reform (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Full implementation of my Department’s Action Plan under the Public Service Agreement involves major organisational change, including changes in structures, business processes, administrative, operating and governance systems, practices and procedures, supported by significant human resource and ICT changes. The specific changes include: - The integration of the Community Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 18 June 2012. The application is with a deciding officer for a decision. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rental Accommodation Scheme Applications (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The claim is currently being processed and a decision will be made shortly. The person concerned will be advised of this decision when it is made.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27th August 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 4th ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Statistics for Community Employment are compiled at the end of each month. At the end of September 2012 there were 22,636 (participants and Supervisors) engaged on Community Employment (CE); at the end of September 2011 there were 23,348 (participants and Supervisors) engaged on CE. Specifically in the Dublin counties at the end of September 2012 there were 5,822 (participants and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 12th October 2011. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the caree in question was not medically eligible for carer’s allowance. A letter issued on the 3rd July 2012 refusing the allowance. The person in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The circumstances of this claim are under review at present. If a revised decision is made, any arrears that may be due will be paid immediately.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been issued with an Exceptional Needs Payment in respect of arrears of rent supplement.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rental Accommodation Scheme Payments (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Following confirmation from Kildare County Council that the person concerned has a housing need since date of application for a Housing Need Assessment in 2011, the Department can now pay arrears from the commencement date of the tenancy. An Exceptional Needs Payment will be issued to the client for all arrears owed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department has a target of reviewing 985,000 individual welfare claims and achieving €645 million in control savings for 2012. Up to the end of September 2012, some €501 million in estimated control savings has been reported and over 917,000 reviews have been carried out. I fully expect that my Department will achieve the 2012 control targets. Control savings represent an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Appeals (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal from the person concerned has not been received by that office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (8 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17th 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 27th...