Results 23,741-23,760 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: The person in question applied for and is now receiving Rent Supplement which has been retrospectively awarded from 30th March 2012, the date on which he took up tenancy. The first payment issued on 10th July 2012.

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

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. 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...

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

Joan Burton: Rent supplement is available to provide short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the...

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

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance in respect of the person concerned was received on the 30th June 2011. The application was referred to one of the Department's Medical Assessors, who, having examined all the information supplied, found that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 15th September 2011 advising of the decision. In the case of...

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on the 11th July 2012 that her domiciliary care allowance appeal was successful. Payment of the allowance and arrears due will issue to her on the 17th July 2012.

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 262, 263, 299, 305 and 319 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support, to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The aim is to provide short term assistance,...

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

Joan Burton: The CE Review was a financial review of the CE scheme with the following terms of reference. · To examine the income and funding of sponsoring organisations in terms of their ability to continue the programme with reduced funding from DSP. · To quantify the expenditure on training provided and the qualifications achieved by participants. · Alternative sources of support will be...

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

Joan Burton: The number of places available on CE has remained constant at 23,300 including supervisors. The financial review of CE Schemes has now been completed. The Department of Social Protection have contacted schemes to advise them of their revised material and training allocations. The materials and training CE Budget has been increased by €9.5m from the original budget of approximately...

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

Joan Burton: An appeals mechanism has been be put in place within the Department of Social Protection in relation to the materials and training allocations. Where a Sponsor has sought to appeal the allocation of funds by the Department of Social Protection under the materials and training grants, the sponsor may avail of an Appeals Mechanism taking account of the following parameters that apply to 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. The Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. Currently the average time taken to award a carer's allowance application is 28 weeks. I acknowledge that the time taken to process carer's allowance claims at present is not satisfactory but I...

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (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 12 June 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. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in to an Appeals Officer...

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

Joan Burton: Eligibility to illness related benefit is determined by its severity and expected duration of the illness. This case was assessed by a Departmental Medical Assessor all of whom are trained in disability evaluation. The medical assessment is made in accordance with the Departments evidence based medical guidelines and protocols. In this case guidelines and protocols were followed and the...

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

Joan Burton: As stated in reply to question No 347 on 3 July 2012, new arrangements relating to PRSI for public and civil servants came into operation with effect from 6 April 1995. Public and civil servants who had been in employment before 6 April 1995 and continued to be so employed without a break in service were insured at the modified rate of PRSI contribution, Class D, whereas new entrants paid...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (17 Jul 2012)

Joan Burton: Childcare provision is a major government priority and one to which the Department of Social protection has made a significant response through the development and provision of a range of quality training and qualification measures on Community Employment. There are 2,200 places ring-fenced for childcare on Community Employment schemes. These places are delivered through dedicated CE...

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

Joan Burton: The fuel allowance was paid to some 400,000 people at a cost of €265 million in 2011. Between 2005 and 2011 the numbers in receipt of fuel allowance rose by almost 50%. For the same period the cost of the scheme rose from €82 million to almost €265 million, an increase of over 200%. The scheme was envisaged as a way of providing some additional support for people on long-term welfare...

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

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 273 and 274 together. The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the acquisition of new office accommodation for the Department. I can confirm that my officials are working closely with OPW to identify and progress new offices in Balbriggan and Swords as a matter of high priority. The new office in each location will be capable of providing a fully...

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 in this case the person in...

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the ground that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. She was notified of this decision, the reason for it and of her right of review or appeal. Additional medical evidence was received and forwarded to the Department's medical assessor for further consideration....

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

Joan Burton: Community Employment (CE) schemes provide a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression for unemployed people. The primary objective of CE is the progression of participants into the open labour market by equipping the long-term unemployed through identified worthwhile work and training, with the skills that will allow them to enter the labour force....