Results 25,201-25,220 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: The application in respect of the person concerned is being examined to ascertain whether all eligibility conditions for the scheme are satisfied, including the requirement to be habitually resident in the State. On completion of the necessary investigations relating to all aspects of her claim, a decision will be made, and the person in question will be notified directly of the outcome. A...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a rent supplement a person must have been residing in private rented accommodation or accommodation for homeless persons or an institution (or any combination of these) for a period of 183 days within the preceding 12 months of the date of claim for rent supplement. A person may also qualify for rent supplement where an assessment of housing need has been carried out...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: I confirm an application for carer's allowance was received from the above named. On completion of the necessary investigations relating to all aspects of his claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (26 Apr 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 November 2011. 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 26th...

Written Answers — Parliamentary Questions: Parliamentary Questions (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: For the period, 1 October 2011 to 31 March 2012, 168 Parliamentary Questions tabled to this Department were transferred to other Departments as they did not come under the remit of this Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: Responsibility for Rural Development Policy rests with my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. My Department supports the rural economy and rural development through a range of benefit payments and work placement and activation initiatives, including the rural social scheme, Tús, community employment and similar programmes. There is no provision for...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: I appreciate the concerns expressed by Deputies. However, one must bear in mind the interests of those who have unfortunately found themselves without a job or, as in many cases, with a job but who have difficulty repaying their mortgages. As Minister, I am very conscious that the Department of Social Protection will pay more than €50 million this year addressing mortgage interest arrears...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: The example the Deputy gave is very important because I think it was suggested that the State has paid this money for two years through my Department.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: The State, the Department of Social Protection and MABS cannot engage in detail in everything, but what we can do is work to a better framework. Perhaps the person is semi-permanently in difficulty and that, hopefully, he or she will eventually get work. I do not know what the circumstances are. However, if he or she is two years in this process, perhaps he or she needs a better long-term...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: It was a Fianna Fáil Government which legislated for it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: You provided for it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: Fianna Fáil introduced the primary legislation.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: We are not curtailing it.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: Poor Fianna Fáil is like the Bourbons. It remembers everything but learns nothing. As Deputy Fleming was on the backbenches when Fianna Fáil was in government, perhaps the actions of the former Taoiseach from his own constituency escaped his attention. The reason we have a problem is because Fianna Fáil decided to guarantee the banks, with the support of Sinn Féin, as the cheap...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: I am speaking now.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: I have never come across a Sinn Féin representative, in government or otherwise, who objected to the age of seven. However, when we propose to introduce an arrangement which has been in place in the North for a number of years, Sinn Féin objects even though child benefits and lone parent payments in the Republic are much higher than anything that party provides 90 miles to the north.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: Deputy O'Brien raised the issue. Sinn Féin only voted for the bank guarantee which created the economic crisis but Fianna Fáil designed it. We are trying to unravel the -----

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: We are trying to unravel the difficulties in the banks which the previous Government caused. This small country suffered a world class catastrophe. The Government's objective is to keep people in their homes. Deputy Ó Snodaigh raised a worrying case of an individual who has been receiving mortgage interest supplement for two years but is being treated badly by the banks. I want to see a...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: Approximately 200, but I am not sure if that figure is accurate. It is more than 200.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Apr 2012)

Joan Burton: The transitional figure generally used in social welfare in respect of lone parents is €425 per week.