Results 24,461-24,480 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: On 16th June 2011, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Housing & Planning published a new housing policy framework statement. This framework statement reflects the content of the Programme for Government and sets out the principles to underpin the development of housing policy into the medium term. The framework statement specifically...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers and is taking all available steps to ensure appropriate resources are in place to deliver its services. Since May 2008, some 990 staff have been assigned across the Department to fill critical vacancies and additional posts allocated to deal with the increased volume of claims. Taking into account the...

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 380 together. Statistics are not available on the number of rent or mortgage interest supplement applications received for the past 2 years and to date in 2012 or the outcome of those applications. However, below is a tabular statement showing the number of rent and mortgage interest supplement claims awarded during these periods. The timescale for...

Written Answers — Domiciliary Care Allowance: Domiciliary Care Allowance (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The number of domiciliary care allowance applications received on a monthly basis in 2010 and 2011 is set out in table 1 below. Table 1 - Domiciliary Care Allowance received per month in 2010 and 2011 Jan Feb Mar April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec 2010 310 424 402 494 484 500 561 439 456 603 491 293 2011 337 467 471 570 512 539 560 342 524 427 400 376 The number of applicants for...

Written Answers — Carer's Benefit: Carer's Benefit (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the deputy is set out in tabular form below. These figures are accurate to the end of April 2012. Month Numbers Registered Numbers Granted Numbers Refused May 2010 1, 479 668 610 June 2010 1,678 773 856 July 2010 1,820 856 681 August 2010 1,074 411 411 September 2010 1,334 614 503 October 2010 1,501 734 685 November 2010 1,387 1,020 812 December...

Written Answers — Rent Supplement Scheme: Rent Supplement Scheme (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term 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 overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Application Forms: Social Welfare Application Forms (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: It is the policy of my Department to standardise and simplify its application forms as much as possible. Plain English principles are applied in the design of all primary application forms to ensure a simple, clear, easy to read format that is accessible to people with different levels of literacy ability. The design and layout of each application form must also have regard to the...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department is committed to delivering the best possible service to its customers. As part of its programme of service delivery modernisation, all scheme areas are subject to continuous business process improvement, and a range of initiatives aimed at streamlining the processing of claims, supported by modern technology, have been implemented in recent years. The Department has already...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the tabular statement. The totals increased by over 40,000 in 2010 and again in 2011 compared to the previous year in both cases. The total at the end of April 2012 was virtually unchanged from the end of 2011. Scheme 2009 2010 Change 2010 over 2009 2011 Change 2011 over 2010 30th April 2012 Change April 2012 over 2011 State...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Overpayments: Social Welfare Overpayments (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: In 2010, there were a total of 52,603 overpayments amounting to €83.4 million. The Department categorises overpayments as f raud, non-fraud and estate cases. Fraud cases arise mainly on foot of false declarations by customers concerning their employment, income or family status while non-fraud cases are primarily due to customer, third party or departmental error. Estate cases arise...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay Class A PRSI at the rate of 4%. In addition, their employers make a PRSI...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: Community employment schemes make a very important and valued contribution to social employment, training and progression for unemployed people. Community employment schemes provide valuable community services not only in Kildare but throughout the country. The community employment programme continues to be the major provider of temporary work places for the unemployed. In County Kildare, 32...

Written Answers — National Employment and Entitlements Service: National Employment and Entitlements Service (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The external advisory group to which the Deputy refers has not yet been established. I am currently examining proposals from the Department on the establishment and membership of this group and I expect to announce details shortly.

Written Answers — Jobseeker's Benefit: Jobseeker's Benefit (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 385 to 388, inclusive, together. The total number of young persons under 25 years of age in receipt of jobseeker's allowance, jobseeker's benefit or claiming PRSI credits only at the end of May was 72,623. A detailed breakdown of this number by scheme and the durations specified by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. 0 - 6 Months 6 -...

Written Answers — Invalidity Pension: Invalidity Pension (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 23rd January 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 case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Disability Allowance: Disability Allowance (12 Jun 2012)

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

Written Answers — Carer's Allowance: Carer's Allowance (12 Jun 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 — Social Insurance: Social Insurance (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: The question of introducing a scheme of statutory sick pay, whereby employers would directly meet the costs of sick absence for an initial period of illness, is being considered in the context of the need to reform the social welfare system to bring it into line with practices in other countries in this area; the need to address the deficit in the social insurance fund; the need to limit...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: My Department is currently in the process of a major transformation programme. In addition to the demand on the Departments services significantly increasing in recent years, the organisation and structure is changing in a very fundamental way with the integration of staff and services from the Community Welfare Service and FAS. Currently, the staff serving in the Department is 6436 posts...

Child Care Services (12 Jun 2012)

Joan Burton: We have set up an interdepartmental group, which has already started its work, to consider the additional provision required. The changes to which the Deputy refers come into effect from 2015.