Results 28,601-28,620 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Legislative Programme: Legislative Programme (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The administration of the Civil Registration Service is statutorily a matter for the Registrar General. I have made inquiries with the Registrar General and he has informed me that the general review of the provisions of the Civil Registration Act 2004 is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The intention is to bring forward legislative proposals in 2012 based on this review....

Written Answers — Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: I am aware of the proposals made by Social Justice Ireland and the key features that would underpin the operation of such an initiative. I have some concerns about this proposal relating to the displacement effects and other distortions that might be caused to an already difficult labour market, including the longer term sustainability of the sector and volunteering. In addition, based on...

Written Answers — Civil Registration Office: Civil Registration Office (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: As this is a matter for the Health Service Executive, it has been referred to the HSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: JobBridge – the national internship scheme was launched on 29 June 2011 and came into operation on 1 July 2011. As the scheme has been running for only 3 months and the minimum internship term is 6 months, no review of the impact of JobBridge has yet taken place. A full evaluation of the scheme will be undertaken. The JobBridge scheme does not create jobs. Instead, it provides...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance on 10 October 2011 with effect from 27 April 2011, at the reduced weekly personal rate of €57.80 and a child dependent allowance of €29.80. Payment will be at Clane Post Office on 26 October 2011. Arrears due, if any, will issue shortly after this date.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for disability allowance on 6 August 2009. His claim was disallowed as he failed to satisfy the medical conditions and his means exceeded the statutory limit for receipt of disability allowance. The person subsequently appealed this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office and his appeal was disallowed on two grounds, means and medical. Following further...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The criteria for participating on community employment, and similar initiatives, have not encompassed customers not in receipt of social welfare payments. The opportunities to broaden the criteria and duration on CE are greatly limited notwithstanding the justifiable cases made and set out in the details supplied. The eligibility criteria for a number of initiatives are being considered as...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 31st August 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 to an Appeals Officer for...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The community welfare service (CWS), and the community welfare officers providing it, formally transferred to the Department of Social Protection (DSP) from 1 October 2011. The service and the staff are now part of the DSP. The person concerned was refused rent supplement on the grounds that the rent exceeded the rent limit for the area. The person concerned has submitted an appeal against...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: A person wishing to qualify for the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) must satisfy a number of conditions. The person must be a certain age, be in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, and be pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college. In addition, the approved course must lead to a higher...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the illness benefit claim of the person concerned was disallowed following an examination by a Medical Assessor who expressed the opinion that he was medically unsuitable for the benefit. An appeal was registered on 15th September 2011 and in accordance with the statutory procedures the relevant department papers and the comments of the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Code: Social Welfare Code (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: Self-employed people are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% as long as their annual income exceeds €5,000. PRSI paid under Class S contributes to building entitlement to long-term benefits such as the State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). If self-employed people are on low incomes as a result of a downturn in demand...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The community welfare service, and the community welfare officers providing it, formally transferred to the Department of Social Protection from 1 October 2011. The service and the staff are now part of the Department. The person concerned is in receipt of mortgage interest supplement of €17.67 per week. This amount is her full entitlement based on her personal circumstances.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: An additional 12 temporary posts were assigned to Cork Local Office to deal with the increased volume of claims as a result of the downturn in the economy. However, the Department had a difficulty securing permanent staff at SO and EO grades to fill the posts. As an interim measure temporary Clerical Officers were recruited to fill the posts, pending the assignment of permanent staff....

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: Six temporary clerical officers are employed on fixed purpose contracts in the Department's Local Office at Hanover Street in Cork. The three temporary officers referred to in the Deputy's question are employed on fixed purpose contracts to provide temporary cover pending the assignment of permanent staff to that office. Three permanent assignments were recently made in the Cork Local...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The Department offers assistance towards the purchase of hearing aids to customers (and their dependant spouse/partner) who meet certain PRSI conditions. The precise conditions vary with age, but customers aged over 66 must (among other conditions) have either 39 weeks reckonable PRSI paid or credited in either of the last two tax years before their 66th birthday; or 39 weeks reckonable PRSI...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: Signing dockets are issued in groups of four dockets to certain Job Seeker customers who have part-time employment. The customer is required to enter details of their employment for each week and to return them to their local office in order that the correct payment may be made. Approximately 1.2 million dockets are issued per annum. On 28th September last an operator error occurred in the...

Written Answers — Appointments to State Boards: Appointments to State Boards (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The three statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department are the Social Welfare Tribunal, the Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Board. In addition, the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman comes under the remit of the Department but it does not have a board. Much of the information requested by the Deputy in relation to the boards of the Social Welfare Tribunal, the...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who proposes to hold an oral hearing in this case. There has been a very significant increase in the number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office since 2007 when the intake was 14,070 to 2010 when the intake rose to 32,432. This has significantly...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a Supplementary Welfare Allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29th September 2011 and will be referred to an Appeals Officer in due course, who will decide whether the case can be decided on a summary basis or whether to list it for oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently...