Results 26,661-26,680 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----and it is their job, and that of the Minister, to deal with this. In fairness to the Minister, if the Deputy was talking to his predecessor, she would not have answered any of his questions, because she did not take any responsibility.

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Yes; but that was then, this is now.

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Minister is responding to Deputies' questions about mental health-----

Leaders' Questions (9 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: -----and we are setting out the commitments we made to this very important area, in capital and current budgetary expenditure.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 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 10 March 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 23...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Tús is a community work placement initiative aimed at providing up to 5,000 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas – referred to as Implementing Bodies (IBs). Work placements are being identified in the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 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 13 January 2012. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Social Welfare Services on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for Jobseeker's allowance on 4 October 2011. Based on the information supplied by the applicant it was decided that she did not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition. The deciding officer in this case has decided that the person's centre of interest is not in the State. If the person is not satisfied with the decision of the deciding officer, more documentary...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned had her rent supplement payment temporarily suspended due to the transfer of her primary social welfare payments. When the transfer was completed her claim to rent supplement was immediately reassessed. The person concerned was then issued with an exceptional needs payment on 1 February for rent arrears that were owed. The person concerned is in receipt of her full...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme is considered the "safety net " within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Individuals who were previously employers, are generally regarded as self-employed for the purposes of PRSI. 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The CE scheme enables lone parents to return to the workforce by offering them part-time and temporary placements in work positions based within local communities.Prior to Budget 2012, lone parents who entered CE were entitled to retain their one-parent family payment (OFP). From 16 January, 2012, new participants on CE will not be able to claim a social welfare payment at the same time. As...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Payment of illness benefit, to the person concerned, was disallowed by a Deciding Officer following an examination by a Medical Assessor of the Department who expressed the opinion that she was capable of work. 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 capable of work. I am advised by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 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 30 September 2011. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Social Welfare Services on the grounds of appeal be sought. When received, the appeal in question will be referred in due course to an Appeals...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Feb 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 — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 100 together. A table showing the average processing times in 2011 of appeals for carer's allowance, disability allowance, illness benefit, invalidity pension, state pension, job seekers allowance, and job seekers benefit are given in the attached table. These processing times are calculated from the registration date of the appeal to the date of its...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: A person who is fully unemployed and has been in receipt of jobseeker's benefit in this country for at least 4 weeks, may have their benefit paid to them while residing in the United Kingdom for up to 13 weeks, provided they are seeking employment in that country. Payment is dependent on the customer continuing to satisfy the conditions of the jobseeker's scheme.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Rent supplement provides 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. Since 2005, rent supplement expenditure has increased from €369 million to a provisional outturn of €503 million in 2011. The number of persons...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: The live register has risen to unprecedented levels due to the economic downturn and this has resulted in a major increase in the number of people attending the Department's local offices. In many instances people begin queuing outside offices before they open in the mornings. These queues include people making a claim for the first time and people signing the live register to show that they...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (8 Feb 2012)

Joan Burton: Responsibility for the Local Employment Services (LES) transferred from the Department of Education and Skills to the Department of Social Protection with effect from 1 January 2012. My Department recognises the valuable role the Local Employment Services play in the activation of unemployed people, particularly those most disadvantaged and distant from the labour market. My officials have...