Results 25,841-25,860 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The Department had not been informed by the person concerned that his partner was self employed. For the purposes of rent supplement, the client's partner has the potential to work more than the permitted 30 hours per week and is hence considered to be in full time employment. The person concerned has appealed the decision to refuse rent supplement and this case is with the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The limit applicable to the person concerned is for a single person in shared accommodation. No evidence has been furnished by the landlord in question to suggest that a separation of ownership exists within the property. Until such information has been provided the limit will remain unchanged.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29th September 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 12th...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The Community Employment (CE) Programme is a labour market intervention designed to assist the long term unemployed return to the work force. Persons eligible to apply should be aged 25 – 65 years who are unemployed for over 12 months and who are currently in receipt of one of the following payments from the Department of Social Protection:- Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) Jobseeker's Assistance...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 14th March 2012 and the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer decision when the appeal has been determined. The Social...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 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 28th January 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of or...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The budget for Community Employment (CE) in 2012 is €315 million and the number of places remains at the previous level of 23,300. The changes announced in the Budget had no effect on the rates paid to CE participants, which remain unchanged at 2011 levels. As announced in Budget 2012, new entrants to the Community Employment (CE) programme will not be able to claim another social...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3rd 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 appeal in question will be referred in due course to an...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: Further to my response to Parliamentary Question Ref. No. 2125/12 on 17 January 2012, I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no update to the information given previously. 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...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the redundancy payments scheme is to compensate workers, under the Redundancy Payments Acts, for the loss of their jobs by reason of redundancy. Compensation is based on the worker's length of reckonable service and reckonable weekly remuneration, subject to a ceiling of €600.00 per week. All payments are made from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). There are two types of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, a diet supplement may be paid to a person who is receiving a social welfare or health service executive payment where a special diet is prescribed as a result of a specified medical condition and they satisfy a means test. A person's medical condition, such as diabetes, does not qualify them for a diet supplement rather it is the requirement...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The matter in question has been referred to the Pension Service of the Department of Works and Pensions, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. The Pension Services of the Department of Work and Pensions will contact the person concerned directly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no direct link between the number of appeals received in a given year and the number processed in that year as all appeals received in a given year will not have been reached and the number of appeals processed will include appeals received in previous years. A total of 32,432 appeals were received in 2010 and 31,241 in 2011. In...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: This Department does not receive any funding from the National Lottery.

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) comes under the remit of the Department. The information sought by the Deputy is set out in the tables. Appointments to State...

Written Answers — Departmental Equipment: Departmental Equipment (27 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: There are in total 535 laptops deployed across the Department and there are no specific plans to upgrade any laptops this year. No tablets have been purchased by the Department for production use, however a small number of devices are being evaluated at present in the context of increased requirements for mobile working. In addition, some staff have been authorised, subject to appropriate...

Written Answers — Disability Allowance: Disability Allowance (22 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20 September 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 16...

Written Answers — Disability Allowance: Disability Allowance (22 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was refused Disability Allowance by the Deciding Officer following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was medically unsuitable for Disability Allowance. An appeal was opened and in the context of that appeal, her case was reviewed by a second Medical Assessor who also expressed the opinion that she was unsuitable for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (22 Mar 2012)

Joan Burton: Fibromyalgia is accepted as a certifiable medical condition. Eligibility to illness related benefit / allowance is determined by its severity and expected duration. The medical assessment is made in accordance with the Department's evidence based medical protocols and guidelines.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Mar 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...