Results 23,721-23,740 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Sick Pay Scheme: Sick Pay Scheme (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 242 together. A range of complex issues needs to be addressed before any decision could be taken by Government on the possible introduction of such a scheme. These include the extent of coverage; the duration of payment; the rate of payment; compensation mechanisms for employers; and how to ensure such a scheme would be enforced and policed. Earlier...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55 and 323 together. Increasing retirement age was a key question that was considered in a major consultation exercise conducted as part of the preparation work for the Green Paper on Pensions and the National Pensions Framework. Some 380 individuals and almost 70 organisations made written submissions while over 500 people attended consultation events. A...

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 58 together. There are approximately 92,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement for which the Government has provided a sum of €436 million for 2012. The aim of rent supplement is to provide short term income assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. New maximum rent limits were...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that publishing Appeals Officer's decisions would require a significant amount of effort as they would need to be suitably edited to ensure the full picture is given and also as details would need to be changed to ensure personal data is not disclosed. Given the large number of appeals decisions given each year, 25,390 in 2011 for example,...

Written Answers — Maternity Benefit: Maternity Benefit (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: Maternity benefit is an income maintenance payment awarded by this Department to eligible women for a 26-week period on foot of a confinement. Entitlement to this benefit for employees is contingent on entitlement to statutory maternity leave. Under the provisions of social welfare legislation, the 26-week period of core statutory maternity leave attracts a payment from this Department –...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The Government agreed to the drafting of legislation to provide for a change in the way the assets of a pension scheme are disbursed following wind-up of an under-funded scheme. This is a complex and sensitive issue that requires any proposed solution to achieve the desired level of equity for all scheme members. Officials from my Department are currently undertaking a detailed examination...

Written Answers — Invalidity Pension: Invalidity Pension (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that, subject to qualifying conditions, it provides assistance to any persons in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Apart from a number of excluded categories, anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residency condition and...

Written Answers — Community Welfare Services: Community Welfare Services (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: On 1 October 2011, the community welfare service transferred from the Health Service Executive to the Department of Social Protection. Former community welfare officers (CWOs) are known as 'Designated Persons' for the purposes of the administration of the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme. The purpose of the transfer was to provide a streamlined, consistent and enhanced service to...

Written Answers — Carer's Allowance: Carer's Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The application for carer's allowance from the person in question was refused on the ground that the care recipient is not in need of full-time care and attention as laid down in the regulations. The person in question has requested a review of this decision and has submitted further medical evidence in support of the application. Once the review is completed, they will be notified directly...

Written Answers — Illness Benefit: Illness Benefit (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer decision on 11th July 2012. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Carer's Allowance: Carer's Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for carer's allowance from the person in question. On completion of the necessary investigations relating to all aspects of the case a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Domiciliary Care Allowance: Domiciliary Care Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The review of the domiciliary care allowance (DCA) scheme, as recently announced will commence shortly. The group undertaking the review will be comprised of representatives from a number of government Departments, the National Disability Authority and other persons with relevant experience. Three representatives from a working group established by Downs Syndrome Ireland, Inclusion Ireland,...

Written Answers — Carer's Allowance: Carer's Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The application for carer's allowance from the person in question was refused on the ground that the care recipient is not in need of full-time care and attention as laid down in the regulations. The person in question has requested a review of this decision and has submitted further medical evidence in support of the application. Once the review is completed the person in question will be...

Written Answers — Carer's Allowance: Carer's Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for carer's allowance from the person in question. On completion of the necessary investigations relating to all aspects of the case a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Disability Allowance: Disability Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10th May 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a...

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing on 25th July 2012. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment and/or further education and training. The core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment and is either long term unemployed or socially marginalised. At present persons signing for credits or who are otherwise ineligible...

Written Answers — Illness Benefit: Illness Benefit (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: Illness benefit is a payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness. A person may qualify for illness benefit if they are unable to work due to illness, satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) conditions and are under age 66. The table below sets out the number of illness benefit claims processed in the years 2008 – 2011 inclusive and 2012 (to end June) Illness Benefit...

Written Answers — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: Details on the number of people paying PRSI contributions in each of the years concerned are set out in the table below. While it is not possible to distinguish between those working in the public and private sectors based on the class of contribution paid, the table identifies public servants who entered the service before 1995 and who pay modified rates of PRSI (classes B, C, D and H)....

Written Answers — Jobseeker's Allowance: Jobseeker's Allowance (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: The €100 rate of jobseeker's allowance was introduced for claimants aged under 20 in April 2009, and this rate was applied to claimants aged up to 21 from December 2009. The €100 rate does not apply to certain categories of claimant including: · claimants with a qualified child; · those transferring to Jobseeker's Allowance immediately after exhausting their entitlement to...