Results 7,841-7,860 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (18 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 6 November 2015. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance (18 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The estimated full year cost of a €20 increase in the weekly rate of Disability Allowance is €131.2 million, which includes the cost of a proportionate increase for qualified adults where applicable. On Budget Day, I announced a social welfare Budget package for 2016 with four key aims: - to deliver welfare improvements for pensioners aged 66 and over; - to strengthen supports...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned should provide the Department with an up to date Rent Supplement application form and lease agreement confirming increase in their monthly rent. On receipt of this documentation, the client's rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be re-assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Maintenance Payments (18 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The issue of maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the person concerned, and if the matter cannot be resolved, for the courts through family law provisions. Under family law, it is possible to apply to the court for an Attachment of Earnings Order. An Attachment of Earnings Order can be sought if the person is in employment, on a social welfare payment or on a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (18 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 16th September 2015. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 12 weeks to...

Paris Terrorist Attack: Statements (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: Last Friday on the streets of Paris, we saw mass murder on a frightening scale. We saw multiple acts of cruelty intended to denigrate those killed and to challenge the way of life of the society in which they lived. Today, I join with others in expressing solidarity with the families and friends of the victims, as well as with the people of Paris and of France. Since Friday we have heard...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Code Review (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: As I said, we are currently engaged in an indepth review of the legislation. Any changes deemed necessary will require legislation, which will be brought before the House in due course. We want to arrive at a situation whereby lone parents transitioning to jobseeker's payments, whose children are between seven and 14 years and settled in school, can be offered educational and developmental...

Other Questions: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. Farm assist recipients retain the advantages of the jobseeker’s allowance scheme, such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of almost €89 million on the...

Other Questions: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: One of the cruellest cuts ever made by any Government, namely, abolition of the Christmas bonus, was introduced by a Fianna Fáil-led Government.

Other Questions: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I am happy to say that it is being partially reinstated in December at a cost of almost €200 million. I am delighted to point out to the Deputy that farm families, who are in receipt of farm assist, will properly benefit from that payment.

Other Questions: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: Fianna Fáil cruelly took that away from such families and never sought to mitigate it in any way.

Other Questions: Farm Assist Scheme (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: In addition, families in receipt of farm assist who also get a fuel allowance will receive an increase of €2.50 per week in fuel allowance from 1 January next, which is something that Fianna Fáil in government failed to even look at.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Code Review (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: My Department has indicated its intention to review the current maintenance and liable relative procedures since the introduction of the one-parent family payment reforms. While this work is being actively pursued, it is a highly complex issue that involves undertaking a detailed review and any change will require legislation. The issue of maintenance payments, first and foremost, is a...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Code Review (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: In 2014 the Department issued 2,586 determination orders for maintenance. As a result of the transfer of claimants from the one-parent family payment to the jobseeker's transitional payment in July 2015, 134 or 5% of liable relatives issued with determination orders in 2014 no longer have a liability under the scheme. The matter of maintenance between a couple who are separating is...

Other Questions: Garda Vetting of Personnel (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: Like other Deputies, the Deputy has previously complained about the Department not having enough case officers to deal with all of the people who, unfortunately, became unemployed because of the crash and who are now going back to work in large numbers. We want to ensure this opportunity is open to everybody who has become long-term unemployed. Obviously, as the numbers reduce, some of the...

Other Questions: Garda Vetting of Personnel (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: JobPath is a new approach to employment activation and it will help support people who are long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed to secure and sustain paid work. Following the completion of a public procurement process, two companies were selected to provide the JobPath service - Turas Nua and Seetec. Garda vetting is typically undertaken in respect of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: In regard to these specific cases, departmental policy has not changed. However, the Department is currently in the process of issuing revised guidelines which will provide greater clarity to deciding officers when dealing with similar cases that involve subsidiary employment. These revised guidelines will state that in cases where a person has previously been assessed as having had...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I do not think the problem is an issue of coding, although that may make it more identifiable. I believe that what has happened over the years is that a deciding officer has made a particular decision and then the decision has been appealed and upheld. We are now in the process of looking at that situation to ensure the guidelines are clearer. I appreciate that it is an important matter for...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: JobPath Implementation (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy knows, we have completely reorganised the provision of the training and education in regard to the areas referred to, particularly child care. This is in order to provide a qualification opportunity for everybody who goes into child care, whether that is at level 4, level 5 or, as is increasingly demanded, level 6. If such an individual was long-term unemployed and his or her...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker's benefit scheme provides income support for people who lose work and who have the required number of social insurance contributions. The 2015 Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure on jobseeker’s benefit of €407 million. Individuals who are self-employed cannot typically access jobseeker’s benefit as class S contributions do not qualify a...