Results 27,221-27,240 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: Following changes to Community Employment schemes announced in Budget 2012, the Government is fully committed to the protection and development of community and social employment initiatives. A financial review of CE schemes will commence immediately. No Community Employment scheme will close pending the outcome of this financial review. The purpose of the review will be to establish the...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: This financial review of Community Employment schemes announced will in the first instance be carried at local level between regional Department of Social Protection staff with each Sponsor. This will involve a meeting with each Sponsor and the gathering of information relating to the operation and the services delivered by each project. In addition, during the financial review process...

Written Answers — Universal Social Charge: Universal Social Charge (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The earnings assessed for social assistance means testing purposes generally is based on earnings net of PRSI contributions, superannuation/PRSA contributions and trade union subscriptions. No account is taken in the calculation of any income taxes payable on earnings i.e. the assessment is based on gross earnings before tax. Given that the universal social charge is a tax, the impact of this...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received on 18th November 2011. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department's Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will issue to the customer. The Deputy should note that it currently takes up to nine weeks to process an application.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The qualifying conditions for State pension (contributory) require the applicant to: · have entered insurable employment before attaining the age of 56 years. · have at least 260 paid contribution weeks, since entry into insurance, from employment or self-employment. · have a yearly average of at least 10 paid/credited contributions. According to the records of the Department, the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: There is no record of a rent supplement application in respect of the person concerned. If the person concerned wishes to apply for rent supplement he should complete an application form and return it to the Central Rents Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 390 together. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that 34,027 appeals were processed during 2011 of which 6,035 were revised in favour of the appellant by the Deciding Officer without the necessity for ultimate referral to an Appeals Officer for determination. A further 2,602 appeals were withdrawn. Of the 25,390 appeals determined by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1 June 2011. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer for consideration and the Appeals Officer has referred this case back to the Social Welfare Services Office for clarification on certain issues. On receipt of their response, the case will be further considered by...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 August 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 30...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: Entitlement to carer's allowance is based on satisfying means, residency, full-time care provision and medical suitability criteria. In the interests of fairness and equity, applications for carer's allowance are generally processed in order of the date the applications are received. However, individual cases may be given priority where exceptional circumstances exist. In determining...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application for rent supplement on 14 November 2011 and is seeking a higher rent limit than is relevant to a single person. The person concerned has been living in the family home of his parents and has not provided verification of having access to his child/ maintenance payments/ previous rented family accommodation. The single rate of €529 per month limit...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The people concerned were not permanent Community Welfare Officers but were assigned by the Health Service Executive on a temporary basis to posts in the Community Welfare Service. Contracts of this nature were not comprehended by the protocols governing the transfer of the Community Welfare Service to my Department and accordingly these individuals could not be considered for transfer.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: Carers play a particularly important role in society which the Government acknowledges through a range of supports, including carer's allowance, half-rate carer's allowance, carer's benefit, the respite care grant, free travel and household benefits. The means test for carer's allowance is one of the most generous means tests in the social welfare system, most notably with regard to spouse's...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The Deputy will be aware that a very wide range of community services and works can be delivered with the support of the programmes and schemes that are funded by my Department. However, the Department of Social Protection does not provide the form of grant suggested by the Deputy and has no proposals to do so. My information is that funding for this type of work is likely to be more...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The level of funding which was allocated to the Dundalk ICTU centre under Community Employment over the past three years is as follows:- Mar 2009 - Mar 2010 €686,119.85 Mar 2010 – Mar 2011 €628,228.70 Mar 2011 – Mar 2012 €495,789.47 (to date) At this point the budget for 2012 has not been finalised. A financial review of Community Employment is currently underway to establish...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The Ages and Stages Creche at Mullagharlin Park, Dundalk is not a direct recipient of funding under Community Employment. They are, however, one of a number of sub-sponsors on the Dundalk ICTU Centre CE Scheme. The Dundalk ICTU Centre received the following funding during the period in question:- Mar 2009 - Mar 2010 €686,119.85 Mar 2010 – Mar 2011 €628,228.70 Mar 2011 –...

Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 408 together. Creating jobs and tackling poverty are two of the key challenges that we face. It is essential that our tax and social protection systems play their part in addressing these issues and ensure that work is worthwhile. To this end, I established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare in June of last year with the aim of harnessing...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has not been received by that office. A form for the opening of an appeal has been forwarded to the person concerned and requesting him to state the grounds for his appeal. On receipt of his reply the appeal will be opened and processed in the normal manner. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: A redundancy lump sum claim in respect of the person concerned was received on 18 July 2011. Redundancy lump sum claims received at the start of May 2011 are currently being processed.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jan 2012)

Joan Burton: There is currently no scheme under the social welfare code designed to assist individuals toward the payment of residential property management fees and there are no plans to introduce such a scheme.