Results 29,721-29,740 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: We will amend people's right to offset it.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Pull out the Fianna Fáil posters with the €300 per week. The Labour Party did not go down that road.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Twenty years.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil le gach Seanadóir a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo. Go háirithe, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leis na Seanadóirí a thug a dtacaíocht dos na réitithe éagsúla sa Bhille, go mórmhór leo siúd a labhair faoin scéim inteirneachta. I thank all of the Senators who contributed to the debate on the Bill, and...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Had we only to address a fiscal deficit we would have several difficult years ahead but our credit rating would not have been damaged in the way that has happened. We must work our way out of this and, therefore, difficult choices must be made in the context of the next budget. The issue is to target social welfare benefits and other arrangements such as the child benefit payments community...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Absolutely.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for your remarks. It gives me great pleasure to present the Bill to the Seanad. Ba mhaith liom anois cur síos a dhéanamh ar chuid de phríomh ghnéithe an Bhille. I would now like to outline some of the main provisions of the Bill. Getting people back to work is one of the key challenges facing the country. Fundamental to addressing this challenge is...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 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 a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the 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...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 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 Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has advised that it has not received an application for rent supplement from the person concerned. The HSE has forwarded a rent supplement application form to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a child benefit appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 07 December 2010 and a domiciliary care allowance appeal was registered on 26 January 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...

Written Answers — Community Employment Schemes: Community Employment Schemes (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: As Minister for Social Protection I do not have a role in the administration of individual cases in regard to the operation of the Community Employment (CE) programme. The administration of individual cases under CE is a day-to-day matter for FÁS as part of its responsibility under the Labour Services Act, 1987, as amended by Part 3 of the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2010.

Written Answers — Social Welfare Appeals: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has partially allowed the Carer's Allowance appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Flood Relief: Flood Relief (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Government has provided various types of support to people affected by the November 2009 flooding. Humanitarian Aid payments were made, both in the immediate aftermath of the flooding and subsequently to enable eligible households to resume living at their home. Flood relief works were also undertaken in some of the affected areas and other works are at an advanced state of preparation....

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is employed on a temporary contract in the Community Welfare Service with the Health Service Executive, and is not comprehended by the protocols governing the transfer of the Community Welfare Service to my Department. Accordingly, they cannot be considered for a transfer.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection is not identified in the Good Friday Agreement as one of the six areas for North/South Cooperation and therefore no special unit has been set up within the Department.

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (21 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: A fully integrated nationwide range of services and supports is available to Employers and Jobseekers through FÁS Employment Services, responsibility for which has been transferred to the Department. Jobseekers and Job Changers can register at one of the 63 local FÁS Employment Service Offices nationwide for on-site career guidance and job placement services. FÁS also contracts with...

Written Answers — Employment Support Services: Employment Support Services (21 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together. The Job Initiative is a FÁS programme providing full-time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, unemployed for 5 years or more, and in receipt of social welfare payments over that period. The main purpose of the programme is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities. The programme achieves...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (21 Jun 2011)

Joan Burton: Where the party to a dispute or complaint fails or refuses to comply with a Determination of the Pensions Ombudsman, an application can be made to the Circuit Court to make an order directing that party to carry out the determination in accordance with its terms. Enforcement proceedings may be initiated either by one of the parties to the complaint or by the Pensions Ombudsman. In the first...