Results 8,721-8,740 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department is in receipt of an application for disability allowance from the above named person on 10 September 2015. On completion of the necessary investigations on all aspects of the claim a decision will be made and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. The processing time for individual disability allowance claims may vary in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 10 September 2015. The application will be processed as soon as possible and, once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Applications for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) in respect of 2 children were received from the person concerned on the 12th August 2015. The applications have been forwarded to the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of a medical opinion on the applications, a decision will be made on each case by a Deciding Officer and notified to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: One of the main priorities for the Department is to build on achievements already made to integrate services into a new service delivery model and streamline the applications process for all schemes. Staff in the Department administer over 70 different schemes and services with over 1.44 million people benefitting from weekly payments in respect of almost 2.3 million beneficiaries....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible and that backlogs in claims are kept to a minimum. Each scheme area is continuously monitored and reviewed to ensure customers are responded to as quickly as possible. Processing times vary by scheme. This principally reflects the fact that the legal eligibility conditions - such as means tests,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 68 together. The information requested by the Deputy is collated by the Department annually for inclusion in the Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report which is laid before the Dáil when published and copies lodged in the Oireachtas library. Furthermore, these reports are available to the public at .

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: In assessing a State pension (contributory) application, a Deciding Officer will carefully note the applicant’s employment history details and will check against all available records and information sources within the Department to ensure that the pension is correctly assessed and the highest possible rate of state pension contributory is awarded. Where an applicant indicates...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 72 together. Throughout the crisis, this Government protected core weekly welfare rates and maintained a very strong social welfare safety net. ESRI research has showed that, unlike the position in other countries, income inequality has fallen in Ireland in recent years, largely because of the overall maintenance of the welfare system. Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The primary goal of the reform to the one-parent family payment scheme is to maximise the opportunities for lone parents to enter into and increase employment by providing them with enhanced access to the wide range of education, training and employment supports that make up the Department’s Intreo services. Of the 25,500 customers exited the one-parent family payment scheme on 2 July,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: A breakdown by scheme of the average time to award claims during August 2015 (where available) is detailed in the tabular statement below. Note that the processing times shown in the table incorporate the impact of the appeals process. Average Time to Award Claims August 2015 Scheme Average Time to Award Claims (Weeks) Supplementary Welfare Allowance 1 Child Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (30 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned did not receive a jobseeker's allowance payment within the last five years. The client made a claim for jobseeker’s allowance on 14 February 2013, but the person concerned did not provide the required documentation and this application lapsed. The person concerned was paid supplementary welfare allowance for the following dates: 25 November, 2010 - 9 December,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Data (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Information relating to General Election vacancies in the Dublin area will be advertised on the website of the Dublin Returning Officer whenever the next election is announced. The website and postal addresses are as follows: and Dublin County Returning Officer, Unit 17, Tolka Valley Business Park, Ballyboggan Road, Dublin 11.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Administration (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 162 together. The services available under the treatment benefit scheme were restricted in Budget 2010, due to the prevailing economic situation at that time and the urgent need to reduce public expenditure. Any future expansion of the schemes will be considered in light of available resources and competing priorities. If a customer is qualified for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Applications (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: There is no record of an application for fuel allowance having been received from the person concerned. I have arranged for an application form for fuel allowance to be sent to her immediately. When the completed form is returned to the widow’s contributory pension section in Sligo, her entitlement to fuel allowance will be examined and she will be notified of the outcome without delay.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 5th June 2015. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 25th September 2015 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance. In the case of an application which is refused...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: Applications for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) in respect of 2 children were received from the person concerned on the 1st July 2014 and 2nd July 2014. These applications were not allowed as the children were not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued in respect of each child on the 19th September 2014 outlining the decision of the deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: On 20thNovember 2003, the client was disallowed Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) as official documentation submitted to the Department showed him to have been working for the period 2ndJanuary 2003 to 8thFebruary 2003. On 3rdDecember 2003, the client disputed this finding, stating that he commenced work on 8thFebruary 2003. While he undertook to obtain and submit supporting documentation, no...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was disallowed Farm Assist by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that his means exceeded the allowable limit. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 1 May 2015. A Freedom of Information request was received from the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Payments (29 Sep 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 168 to 170, inclusive, 172 to 174, inclusive, and 176 together. The government recognises the key role played by carers in society and so the Department provides a range of income supports to assist with the financial burden of caring. These include carer's allowance, carer's benefit, domiciliary care allowance and the respite care grant. Total expenditure by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (29 Sep 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 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 allowance applicants have...