Results 9,461-9,480 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person concerned on 19 May 2015. The application is currently being processed and once completed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. Carer's allowance cases take approximately 12 weeks to process.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Payments (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 55 together. The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million. Recent changes have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Data (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is published annually by my Department in the “Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services” report. The reports for years 2012 and 2013 are available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Repor ts.aspx or through the Oireachtas library. The information relating to the number of persons in receipt of farm assist...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Data (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million. Recent changes have brought farm assist into closer alignment with the jobseeker’s allowance scheme’s treatment of self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is published annually by my Department in the “Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services” report. The reports for years 2012 and 2013 are available at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Repor ts.aspx or through the Oireachtas library. The information relating to the number of persons in receipt of Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: EU Funding (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: My Department receives funding from the European Commission through several different funding streams including the European Globalisation Fund, the European Social Fund and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). These funds each operate on different timelines and have different rules and procedures. The paragraphs below set out the various schemes funded by the European...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Redeployment (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: Decisions in relation to the deployment of temporary clerical staff are made on the basis of a number of factors. Initially, decisions centre around the nature of the work involved and the duration of the work. Other factors include the availability of existing resources to do the work, and the location where the work is to be undertaken. This Department has limited sanction from the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement. These include a weekly-paid widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner’s (contributory and non-contributory) pension based on contributions or a means test, and a once-off widowed or surviving civil partner grant of €6,000 where there is a dependent child. A number of social welfare payments, including...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Eligibility (15 Jul 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. A total of 260 weeks PRSI paid and 48 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the last complete tax year before the relevant date are required to satisfy the PRSI conditions for IP. The reckonable...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Payments (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 14 May 2015. Payment issued to her nominated bank account on the 25 June 2015. Arrears due from 14 May 2015 to 24 June 2015 (less any overlapping social welfare payment and/or outstanding overpayment) will issue to her nominated bank account on the 16 July 2015. The person in question was notified of this decision on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 22 June 2015, 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: Blind Person's Pension (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: Blind pension is a social assistance payment which is paid to blind and visually impaired people. In 2015, over €14 million will be spent on these payments. The rate of the blind pension is the same as other social assistance payments, such as disability allowance, jobseeker’s allowance and one-parent family payment. Invalidity pension is a weekly payment to people who...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 22 June 2015, 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: Unemployment Benefits (15 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory) as well as guardians payment (contributory), maternity benefit and adoptive benefit. Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance...

Social Services and Support: Motion [Private Members] (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: Deputy Tom Fleming is always there to welcome them. Just 50% of people in employment have an occupational or supplementary pension, and only 41% in the private sector, despite all the efforts over the years to promote the importance of retirement savings to make life more comfortable in retirement. Given that the voluntary approach has not worked, in the statement of priorities after I...

Social Services and Support: Motion [Private Members] (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputies for the opportunity to contribute to the motion and to highlight the Government's steadfast commitment to our older citizens. When I became Minister for Social Protection, even though the public finances were practically bust, I was determined to ensure we protected older people given their massive contribution to the State. They helped sustain this country through bad...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Registration of Marriages (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The administration of the marriage registration system is a matter for an tArd-Chláraitheoir (the Registrar-General). An enquiry into the case referred to was carried out in the General Register Office in 1999. Section 32 of the Family Law Act 1995, the legislation which was in place at the time of the case referred to, required that each party to an intended marriage notify the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €29 million for the ENP scheme in 2015. An application can be made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Data (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The farm assist scheme provides support for farmers on low incomes and is similar to jobseeker’s allowance. The 2015 Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure this year on the farm assist scheme of €88.7 million. Figures for expenditure and recipient numbers for the previous four years are attached in tabular format below. Recent changes have brought farm...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Scheme (14 Jul 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department monitors all the social welfare schemes that it administers including the one-parent family payment scheme. One of the key aims of the one-parent family payment reform is to improve and enhance lone parents access to the supports and services available from the State to facilitate their progression out of welfare dependency and into sustainable employment. As part of...