Results 26,341-26,360 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Deductions of €40 per month are being made from the monthly rent supplement payable to the person concerned in respect of overpayments which occurred during the periods October 2004 to May 2006 and September 2009 to September 2010.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: A number of factors are taken into account, including household income, in establishing entitlement to rent supplement and family income supplement. The person concerned should apply to the department's representative at Clonskeagh Health Centre, Vergemount Hall, Clonskeagh, Dublin 14 (opening hours 10.00 am to 11.30 am Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) to establish if she has an entitlement to...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The person in question was refused carer's allowance on the grounds that he is self employed outside the home for more than 15 hours per week. This decision was based on the social welfare investigative officer's findings following interview with the claimant at his home address on 20 December 2011 and on 30 January 2012. He was notified of this decision on 9 February 2011. If the situation...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Taking account of the circumstances of retained fire brigade personnel and general efforts to develop and standardise our jobseeker schemes, a departmental group was established in late 2011 to examine the position of these workers vis-À-vis jobseeker's benefit and jobseeker's allowance. Deliberations on this issue are currently being finalised. My officials will be in touch with relevant...

Written Answers — Public Service Staff: Public Service Staff (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Civil servants can retire under the Cost Neutral Early Retirement Scheme once they reach fifty years of age. There were no retirements in my Department of staff who were less than fifty years of age during 2011. Two Clerical Officers based in local offices outside of Dublin have retired from my Department in 2012 without reaching the minimum retirement age of fifty. Both officers retired...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: It is the policy of my Department to standardise and simplify its application forms as much as possible. However, the design and layout of application forms must also have regard to the particular requirements of individual schemes. Application forms are reviewed on a regular basis including those parts of forms that relate to the provision of medical evidence. The design of the medical...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 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 was registered on 9 January 2012 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the...

Written Answers — Habitual Residence Guidelines: Habitual Residence Guidelines (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Under social welfare legislation, decisions in relation to all aspects of claims are made by statutorily appointed Deciding Officers. Each case received for a determination on the Habitual Residence Condition is dealt with in its own right and a decision is based on the application of the legislation and guidelines to the particular individual circumstances of each case. If the applicant...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: There are presently 1,000 Community Employment places ring-fenced for persons undergoing rehabilitation from drug addiction. Specific criteria exist for these places and the eligibility for participation. These were revised and agreed with the sector in 2011. Further work is underway in the context of the National Drug Rehabilitation Implementation Committee to review the allocation of these...

Written Answers — Public Sector Staff: Public Sector Staff (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: In the event of a fillable vacancy arising in the specified locations, the Department is obliged in the first instance to fill the post by redeployment. Where there are no staff available from the redeployment panel, the Department will then seek to fill the post by reference to the Central Transfer List or the CAF (Central Applications Facility) depending on the location. In accordance with...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The social security rights of people living and working in the EU are governed by EU regulations which co-ordinate social security systems and are designed to ensure that people are not disadvantaged by moving within the EU to take up work. For the purposes of the EU regulations, Irish Child Benefit is classified as a family benefit and there are specific rules governing the payment of these...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Fraud: Social Welfare Fraud (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144, 157, 160 to 162, inclusive, 164, 165 and 167 together. The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of the Department which processes in excess of 2 million claims each year and makes payments to some 1.4 million people every week. Social welfare fraud is not a victimless crime. However, it is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 05th October 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 14...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: There are two categories of contributory State pension:- State pension (transition) (SPT) payable at age 65 and State pension (contributory) (SPC) payable at age 66. The qualifying conditions for State pension (transition) require the applicant to * have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 55 years. * have at least 260 full-rate social insurance contributions paid...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: It is not possible to provide the Deputy with the information requested as information on clients in receipt of State Pension (contributory) is not held in a manner which facilitates an answer to the question asked. To qualify for a state pension contributory at age 66, the person concerned must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions. These conditions are outlined as follows. 1. Have...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Work Placement Programme was announced, and launched, by the Government in 2009. Under the programme, employers apply to offer 'work placements', for a maximum duration of nine months, within their organisations, and those who are unemployed can apply for these placements. The eligibility criteria for this programme are advertised on www.fas.ie and are available to people in the form of...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 08th February 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 151 together. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the partial capacity benefit scheme was formally launched on Monday 13th February 2012. Full details of the scheme have been published on my Department's website and an information leaflet has also been published. The introduction of the partial capacity benefit scheme marks an important and...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12th December 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 18th...

Written Answers — Anti-Poverty Strategy: Anti-Poverty Strategy (22 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: In order to support the engagement of public bodies with people experiencing poverty and social exclusion, a code of practice was commissioned by the former Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and compiled with the technical assistance of an external consultant. The document was prepared in consultation with Government departments and agencies and with groups and...