Results 29,701-29,720 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: A large number of issues were raised. The discussion has been ongoing since 2007 about the way in which demographics have been changing in Ireland. To our great success and credit, probably due to people like Professor Crown, more people are enjoying an extended old age. It is anticipated that life expectancy will rise significantly in future and whereas currently there are between five...
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: I thank Senators for their contributions. On Senator Mooney's comments in respect of the reductions being passed on to customers, I have heard some of the debate and will be extremely disappointed if, for instance, in the tourism, hotel, hospitality, bar and restaurant sector, the reductions are not passed on to consumers. On the objective of reducing VAT, VAT is a tax charged on the final...
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: As I stated, I will be happy to return to the Seanad to advise on this measure's progress. Obviously however, the package's progress will be reflected in general levels of economic activity. For instance, Ireland has a very high level of savings at present. People are paying down debt, are worried about their levels of indebtedness and are saving because they may be nervous about the...
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: Can the Senator give me the line reference in the Bill?
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: It refers to weekly social insurance contributions. In regard to the recording of weekly social insurance contributions, as a result of the abolition of the employee PRSI relief on employee pension contributions, it is no longer considered necessary. In the budget last December the Government made changes in the Finance Act to the deductibility of employee PRSI contributions for relief on...
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The relief for employee PRSI contributions against pension contributions is no longer in place. In other words, the last Government at the time of the last budget removed some of the deductibility of PRSI for pension relief purposes.
- Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: While I accept the Senator's concerns, under the current arrangements that apply before the lower rate of employer PRSI is applied, a wage reduction in the example the Senator gave - from â¬390 to â¬356 per week - results in a saving in wage reductions of â¬34 a week to the employer. The lower rate of employers' PRSI that applies at that level from budgets by the previous Government,...
- Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: In order to offer an internship opportunity under the national internship scheme, host organisations must be legal entities. This criterion is in place to prevent possible abuses of the scheme such as displacement and deadweight and to ensure that interns receive a quality internship. Members of the Oireachtas will, therefore, be ineligible to participate in the national internship scheme...
- Written Answers — Departmental Schemes: Departmental Schemes (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: There are no specific schemes in the Department that are targeted at those in the Arts nor are there any plans to introduce such a scheme. However there are a number of measures that are applicable, on a non-sectoral specific basis, to a range of unemployed, or underemployed workers, along with those who pursue self-employment but receive low income from same. Unemployed persons may qualify...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned has appealed the decision to refuse supplementary welfare allowance to the HSE's designated Appeals Officer. The person concerned will be notified of the outcome in due course. Questions Nos. 99 and 100 withdrawn.
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The person concerned was in receipt of jobseeker's allowance until 10 May 2011. His claim was closed on 6 May 2011 as he submitted an application for Illness Benefit (IB) with effect from 21 April 2011. His IB claim is under consideration. In order to apply for Disability Allowance (DA) it is necessary to complete the relevant application form DA1. This should be certified by a GP and...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: Invalidity Pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. Medical eligibility for invalidity pension is not based on a set of prescribed illnesses. Rather, it is assessed on a case by case basis by a medical assessor of the department, based upon a GP report and other relevant medical...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that the person concerned is in receipt of rent supplement of â¬135 per week which is the maximum amount payable appropriate to her circumstances after an overpayment deduction of â¬20 per week has been applied. The HSE further advised that the person concerned has appealed the overpayment deduction to the HSE Appeals Office but that no...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The national digital switchover strategy is a matter for the Department of Communications, Energy and National Resources. That Department is to deliver a substantial information campaign providing households with information on the digital switchover and on their options for going digital. I understand this information campaign will start in October. In conjunction with this, the...
- Written Answers — FÁS Training Programmes: FÁS Training Programmes (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: FÃS Employment Services provide a fully integrated range of services and supports to employers and jobseekers nationally. Responsibility for FÃS employment services has been transferred to my Department whilst my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, retains responsibility for policy in respect of training services. In order to avail of these services and identify any training...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jun 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 (23 Jun 2011)
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. Notification of the Appeals Officers decision was issued on 9th June 2011. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: Child benefit is a universal payment that assists parents in the cost associated with raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. It is paid monthly in respect of all children up to the age of 16 years and in respect of children over 16 years of age up to their 18th birthday who are in full time education or have a disability. There are no plans for extending the...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) advised that the persons concerned inquired as to their possible entitlement for rent supplement in respect of their new address. The couple were informed that, based on their household income, they would qualify for a rent supplement of â¬0.80 (80 cent) per week. The HSE further advised that the persons concerned did not follow up this inquiry with a...
- Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jun 2011)
Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a disability allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22 November 2010. 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...