Results 7,941-7,960 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 44 of 24th September 2015 in which the Deputy stated that rent had increased to €1,000. The client concerned has not, to date, provided the required documentation outlined in response to the previous Parliamentary Question.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for Carer’s Allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 28 August 2015. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have a disability whose effect is that they require full-time care and attention. This is defined as requiring from another person, continual supervision and frequent assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the Appeals Officer had referred the case...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The number of recipients of either jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit at the end of October 2015 was 249,243 and 35,721 respectively. Jobseeker’s allowance recipients decreased by 11.6% between the end of October 2012 and end October 2015, while recipients of Jobseeker’s Benefit decreased by 51.6% during the same period. The overall reduction in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The one-parent family payment (OFP) reforms were introduced in order to address long-term social welfare dependency and poverty levels among lone parents. Approximately 25,500 customers transitioned from the OFP scheme on 2 July, 2015, when the final phase of the reforms was implemented. These customers transitioned to alternative social welfare income support payments, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The information as requested by the Deputy is not readily available. A request to gather the information as requested by the Deputy has been made. The Department will contact the Deputy directly when the request for information has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the number of State pension non -contributory (SPNC) applicants who failed to qualify on the basis of exceeding means for the last five years is outlined in the table below. Year SPNC Applications Disallowed-Means Exceed 2011 470 2012 624 2013 683 2014 742 2015 562Applicants disallowed for means exceeding the statutory limit may...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. The Youth Guarantee sets a medium-term objective of ensuring that young people...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. Each scheme area is continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure customers are responded to and claims are processed as quickly as possible. In this regard, the Department has had major success in clearing backlogs especially in the disability related schemes. It is acknowledged that carers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The average appeal processing time for 2014 and to date in 2015 broken down by all social welfare scheme types as outlined in the tables. Appeal processing times generally peaked in 2011 when the overall average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and 25.1 weeks for a summary decision. In 2014 average appeal processing times for an oral hearing had almost halved to 28.6 weeks and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The number of people who received Dental Benefit over the past five years is set out in the table: Year Number 2010 388,938 2011 272,865 2012 270,602 2013 298,658 2014 310,350 2015 (to date) 290,844

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The number of people who received optical benefit over the past five years is set out in the table: Year Number 2010 163,378 2011 135,593 2012 139,805 2013 141,972 2014 149,026 2015 (to date) 147,497

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan for Ireland, submitted to the EU, provided for over 28,000 programme opportunities for unemployed young people in 2014 and the same in 2015. This figure excludes some 24,000 places provided for young people through PLC courses and apprenticeships. These PLC and apprenticeship places, together with the wide range of vocational third-level courses...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: The client applied for One Parent Family Payment (OFP) on 7th May 2015 and subsequently applied for a Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance on 11th May 2015. The OFP payment was awarded on 13th May 2015 and backdated to the date of application with the first payment issuing on 18th May 2015, subsequently no Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance was awarded.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Payments (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance and 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance (CA) from the person concerned on 7 May 2015. To qualify, the applicant must satisfy a means test and be providing full-time care and attention to a person requiring full-time care and attention. Where an applicant can show to the satisfaction of a deciding officer (DO) that adequate provision has been made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 191 to 193, inclusive, together. The information requested by the Deputy (where available) is detailed in the tabular statements. Claims Processing Statistics¥ 1 January 2015 – 31 October 2015 Scheme Claims Awarded Claims Rejected Average time to Award (Weeks) Farm Assist* N/a N/a N/a Family Income Supplement (New Claims) 18,195 7,531...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Reform (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: There is no requirement for both parents to apply for child benefit or for any other child related payment. According to Irish legislation the person with whom a child ordinarily resides is considered the qualified person to claim child benefit. Where a child is residing with both parents, the mother is the qualified person to claim child benefit. There are no plans to amend the current...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Sector Staff Career Breaks (17 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: This application for a career break is being reviewed in accordance with normal procedures.

Finance Bill 2015: Allocation of Time: Motion (12 Nov 2015)

Joan Burton: I must confess that because it was such a positive budget, there was a great deal to commend and discuss, particularly in the context of people returning to work, as to how to make things better for everybody in Ireland. I would love to see much more time allocated to that.