Results 22,881-22,900 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on the 24 January 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who found that the person was not medically eligible for disability allowance. A letter issued on the 7 July 2012 refusing the allowance. If the person concerned has additional information which was not...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Fund Fees (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The pension levy is a charge for a temporary period on the assets of pension funds in order to fund the Jobs Initiative introduced in 2011 and is a matter for the Minister for Finance. In a separate exercise, my Department, together with the Central Bank and the Pensions Board and with the assistance of PricewaterhouseCoopers, has conducted a review of the level of pension charges levied on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Application Numbers (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 90,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €436 million for 2012. Statistics are not available on the number of rent supplement applications received for the past two years or the outcome of those applications. Attached is a tabular statement outlining the number of rent supplement claims awarded during each of the past...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers and to ensuring that claims are processed as efficiently and expeditiously as possible. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the number of claims received and the differing qualification criteria. Means-tested payments such as State pension (non-contributory) can require more detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362, 366 and 369 together. The current number of Community Employment (CE) projects nationally is 1,110 as at 12th October 2012. There has been no change to the number of approved places in 2012 compared to 2011. As a result of the continuous recruitment onto CE schemes, the numbers on the CE programme will fluctuate over and under the approved 23,300...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: In the period since May 2008, 1,056 staff have been assigned to my Department to fill critical vacancies and additional posts that were approved to deal with the increased volume of claims due to the downturn in the economy. The majority of these staff have been sourced through the redeployment and transfer of staff from other Government Departments. In addition, in order to begin the roll...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department is fully committed to recovering 100% of overpayments. Those customers who are aware that they are being - or have been - overpaid by the Department should contact their local social welfare office immediately. An overpayment recovery plan, acceptable both to the customer and to the Department, will then be agreed. The general approach is that the recovery amount proposed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there were 21,674 appeals being processed on 12th October 2012, broken down as requested by scheme type in the table attached. Statistics are not maintained on a County basis. In an effort to reduce the processing times for all appeals, the Department has appointed 15 additional Appeals Officers since 2010. In addition, a further ten...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department has 7 statutory redundancy rebate applications on hand in relation to the company concerned. These claims were submitted on–line but as yet no signed forms have been received in most cases. An application is not valid until a hard copy of the signed form is received by the Department. These claims pre-date the recent announcement with respect to this company. To...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tribunals of Inquiry Reports (16 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: No proceedings have been initiated against the Department of Social Protection arising out of the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 78 and 96 together. The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of nearly €6.26 billion on pensions in 2012 or 30.4% of total expenditure. The Comprehensive Expenditure Report, 2012–2014, published last December, provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €1,033 million over the next two years in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Pension Benefit Schemes Issues (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 79, 88 and 103 together. I am very aware of the serious funding challenge facing defined benefits pension schemes. The fundamental problem is that pensions are significantly more expensive due to increasing life expectancy and lower than expected investment returns which are reflected in increased annuity rates. The Pensions Regulator suspended the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by 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: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: A breakdown of the 263,515 families in receipt of a primary social welfare payment who are also recipients of a child dependent payment by payment type and family size is in the following table: Social Welfare Payments 1 Qualified Child 2 Qualified Children 3 Qualified Children 4 Qualified Children 5 Qualified Children 6+ Qualified Children Total Families With Children Total...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question. 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 7 March 2012 refusing the allowance. The person in question subsequently submitted...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure of nearly €2.08 billion on child benefit in 2012 or 10.1% of total expenditure. The Comprehensive Expenditure Report, 2012 – 2014, published last December, provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €1,033 million over the next two years in the Department of Social Protection’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Issues (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: Eligibility for optical benefit is based on a customer’s PRSI record. To check the eligibility of an individual will require the person’s PPS number, a person already in receipt of invalidity pension is likely to qualify for optical benefit as the qualifying conditions are similar. Optical benefit covers a free yearly optical examination, no additional treatments are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Sick Pay Scheme Expenditure (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Government is considering the introduction of a scheme of statutory sick pay at this time for a number of compelling reasons – firstly, as a measure to help in addressing the deficit in the social insurance fund; secondly, as a measure to limit progression from short-term illness to long-term illness or disability; and thirdly, to bring Ireland into line with practices in other...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. Following the submission of the additional evidence the Appeals Officer has agreed to review the case. The person concerned will be contacted when the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Oct 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the invalidity pension claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an assessment by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for the allowance. An appeal was registered on 24 July 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the...