Results 27,941-27,960 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Redundancy Payments: Redundancy Payments (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: My officials have made contact with the company concerned and await receipt of the relevant claim form. Redundancy rebate claims received at the beginning of May 2011 are currently being processed.

Written Answers — Departmental Functions: Departmental Functions (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Reference to the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to the Department of Social Protection has been included in recent Parliamentary Questions for information purposes only and does not relate to any individual case. The reality is each application for mortgage interest supplement is determined by an officer of the Department taking account of the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Statistics are not available on the number of mortgage interest, rent supplement and basic supplementary welfare applications received each month or the outcome of those applications. However, I can confirm that to date in 2011 (18th November) a total of 85,913 basic supplementary welfare allowance claims, 57,207 rent supplement claims and 9,069 mortgage interest supplement claims have been...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The information requested in respect of carer's allowance applications is contained in the table. Year Average time to award Number awarded Number refused 2008 15 weeks 15,457 5,015 2009 9 weeks 10,730 5,776 2010 8 weeks 8,769 6,972 2011 (to end Sept) 14 weeks 5,685 3,921 These figures relate to the initial decision made on each application. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is payable to recipients of certain benefits, allowances and pensions in respect of a qualified adult (their spouse, partner or civil partner) who is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where the qualified adult's personal means from any source(s) do not exceed a weekly means limit. As part of the Department's Control Strategy, scheme...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The prevention of fraud and abuse of the social welfare system is an integral part of the day-to-day work of my Department which processes in excess of 2 million claims each year and makes payments to some 1.4 million people every week. However, it is important to recognise that the vast majority of people are receiving the entitlement due to them. When a customer makes an application for...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: In the period since May 2009, in excess of 900 staff have been assigned to my Department to fill critical vacancies and additional posts that were approved to deal with the significant increase in claims for the various schemes operated by the Department. The staffing needs of the Department are continuously reviewed, having regard to workloads and the competing demands arising. While...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Processing times vary across schemes because of the volume of applications and the differing qualification criteria. For example, means assessments are required for all social assistance schemes, medical examinations are required for some of the illness related schemes and customers must also satisfy the habitual residence conditions. In the case of insurance based schemes, it may be...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The figures, requested by the Deputy, in regard to the total number of appeals in respect of all forms of social welfare currently on hand and the percentage this represents of all applications under each heading is attached to this reply in tabular form. It should be noted that the figures in relation to the appeals outstanding as a percentage of the applications are not directly related in...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: My Department operates a range of means tested schemes and these schemes, including the means testing elements, are administered through a network of local and central offices. In the case of means tested social assistance schemes, the vast majority of claimants are means tested only once. In a small number of cases, a second means test may be required if they apply for basic supplementary...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The statistics requested are set out in the tabular statements. The statistics in relation to disability allowance and invalidity pension relate to the initial decision on a claim and do not reflect where a claim may be subsequently allowed either on review by a deciding officer following submission of new facts or evidence or as a result of an appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. ...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application for rent supplement on the 8th of September but her rent was in excess of the maximum rent limit appropriate to her family composition. The person concerned has been requested to reduce her rent to the limit permitted. The person concerned has also failed to provide the Department with a housing needs assessment from her local County Council. A...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: The two statutory bodies operating under the aegis of this Department which have Chief Executive Officers are the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. Of these, the only retirement which occurred within the last four years was the CEO of the Citizens Information Board. The Citizens Information Board has advised me that their former CEO received a lump sum pension payment of...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Between 2005 and 2010, rent supplement expenditure increased from €369 million to €516 million. The number of persons claiming the allowance increased from almost 60,200 in 2005 to more than 96,100 as at 18 November 2011, a 60% increase. The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot discuss measures under consideration for inclusion in budget 2012. However, in framing the budget proposals,...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Discussions have been taking place, particularly involving the former Minister of State, Deputy Penrose, with NAMA in regard to utilising NAMA properties, where appropriate, for housing solutions and the social dividend to which the Deputy refers. Obviously, these are very difficult issues. I have spoken with and met the local authority managers in this regard. There is a series of...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: In an ideal world, the payments ought to be made directly to the landlords, which is the idea of RAS. In that way, we can ensure the landlord is tax compliant and the local authority, where it is operating the allocation, will be in a position to vet the property and establish its standard. Most importantly, the tenant is free to take up work, subject to the differential rent scheme....

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: There are almost 52,000 people in receipt of carer's allowance from my Department and approximately 22,000 of those are getting half-rate carer's allowance in addition to another social welfare payment, an increase of almost 40% since 2008. This year, we will spend more than €650 million on carers across several schemes. I am very conscious of the needs of people on social welfare and...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy is probably aware, the comprehensive review of expenditure being undertaken by the Government follows the format used in a number of other countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Holland. These were developed at times when those countries had financial difficulties. In that context, it is necessary to look at every item of expenditure in regard to the budget. I very...

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Therefore, the State has expressed its commitment to carers in the amount of finance committed.

Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2011)

Joan Burton: Unfortunately, I cannot divulge to the Deputy any details of the budget announcements which may be made by the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, on budget day. All I can say is that, as Minister, I very much value and appreciate the role and work carers do in Irish society. The model of caring we would all wish to see is one where people are enabled, encouraged, facilitated and...