Results 6,201-6,220 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Delays (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget, which for this Department involved a significant reduction in staff numbers for 2015 and a further reduction for 2016. Within these constraints, the Department is focusing on prioritising the filling of critical posts. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 27 January 2016. Unfortunately, the average time taken at present to decide a new application is running at19 weeks. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working hard to make this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Department has not, to date, received an application for Rent Supplement from the client concerned. The client should forward an application to be assessed for entitlement to the Mid-Leinster Rent Unit, PO Box 11758, Dublin 24.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The client concerned was requested to provide verification of her current income from employment on 12/4/16. This documentation has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same, the client's entitlement can be re-assessed and claim re-instated accordingly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of additional evidence or new...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 25 January 2016. Unfortunately, the average time taken at present to decide a new application is running at 19 weeks. Additional resources have been provided to the CA section in order to improve the waiting times for new applications and they are working hard to make this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been in receipt of a carer's allowance (CA) since 14/10/2014. When an applicant is getting CA, they are entitled to an increase for a qualified child (IQC) up to 22 years of age, if the child is in full-time day education and not in receipt of a social welfare payment in their own right. As the 18 year old child of the person concerned is in receipt of a social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 31 March 2016. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on the 28 April 2016. Any arrears due from 31 March 2016 to 27 April 2016 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 18 April 2016.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme Eligibility (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application in March 2016 for Part Time Job Initiative (PTJI). One of the qualifying conditions of this scheme is that the person making the application must be in receipt of a jobseekers payment that exceeds the rate of payment of the PTJI scheme. The PTJI rate payable is €119.00 and the jobseekers rate the person concerned qualifies for is €100....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Programmes (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The aim of the Healthcare Support Program is to enable the learner to develop the knowledge, skill and competencies to work as part of a multidisciplinary team in the provision of effective and appropriate healthcare supports to clients in a variety of settings. On successful completion of the programme, learners may progress to further education and training or to employment. Potential...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Details relating to appointments to State Boards, as requested by the Deputy, are outlined in the following tables. Citizens Information...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services Data (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 41 and 42 together. The number of customers seeking to access the Department’s Community Welfare Service (CWS) in Falcarragh has fallen considerably, to a level where it is no longer sustainable to maintain a clinic there. At present the number of weekly customers attending the Falcarragh clinic has fallen to an average of 5 a week or less. The fall...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State, aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to carers and people with disabilities under the age of 66 who are in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: Since 2012, the rollout of the new Intreo service delivery model has meant that customers should no longer be experiencing a delay in obtaining an appointment for one of our schemes. When applying for a jobseeker’s payment or a one parent family payment, customers merely present at the integrated reception of their local Intreo Centre and are given the relevant application forms...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Market (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: As noted in replies to similar previous Parliamentary Questions, given the scale of unemployment, the key objective of activation policy and labour market initiatives has been to offer assistance to those most in need of support in securing work and achieving financial self-sufficiency. Accordingly, the employment services and schemes provided by the Department are focused, in the first...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: PRSI credited contributions (“credits”) are an integral part of the social insurance system. For the most part they are linked to having an underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment while temporarily detached from the labour force or having entitlement to statutory leave e.g. parental or maternity leave. The primary purpose of PRSI credits is to secure social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 5 April 2016, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 5 May 2016. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Data (20 Apr 2016)

Joan Burton: The State pension (contributory) is one of the State pension schemes, and its rate of payment is related to contributions made over years into the Social Insurance Fund. As such, those with a stronger attachment to the workforce, who have paid more into that fund, are more likely to be paid under that scheme. There are a number of criteria which must be satisfied in order to qualify for a...