Results 10,321-10,340 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: Persons who work on a casual basis and claim a jobseeker's payment for the days that they are not employed are required to submit dockets from their employer on a weekly basis; persons working for 4 or more days in any week are not entitled to receive any jobseeker's payment for that particular week. The person concerned applied for jobseeker's allowance from 5thMarch 2015 on the basis that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned attended the Intreo Centre Ballyfermot on 1/5/2015 to enquire about participating on a Momentum Course. The qualifying criteria for participation on a Momentum course requires the claimant to have 312 paid days on their relevant jobseekers claim in the previous 18 months, however the person concerned has just 249 paid days currently. It is open to the claimant to reapply...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The appeal of the person concerned against a refusal of carer's allowance (CA) has been allowed and the application was awarded on the 5th June 2015. The first payment of CA is due to issue to the post office on the 11th June 2015. The arrears of allowance due from the 30th October 2014 to 10th June 2015 were issued by cheque on the 5th of June 2015. The person in question was notified of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Data (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The Live Register is not designed to measure unemployment. It includes part-time workers (those who work up to 3 days a week), seasonal and casual workers entitled to jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance. Unemployment is measured officially by the Central Statistics Office's Quarterly National Household Survey. A person is unemployed if, in the week before the survey, they were...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The existence of the State pension (transition) is historical and relates to the qualifying age for State pension (contributory) which, up until the early 1970s, was 70 years of age. State pension transition (known then as the Retirement Pension) was introduced at that time to bridge the gap for employees who had to retire at 65. The qualifying age for State pension (contributory) was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: With regards to child care, the delivery and expansion of child care services is the responsibility of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. My Department in conjunction with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs introduced a range of child care measures in Budget 2013 and Budget 2014 to assist lone parents to enter, or to re-join the workforce, namely the after-school child...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: State pensions account for the single largest block of social welfare expenditure. This year, the Department of Social Protection will spend an estimated €6.675 billion on pensions – 34.4% of all welfare expenditure. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is critical in protecting older people from poverty. With increases in life expectancy,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit Applications (9 Jun 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 1stApril 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: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: Carer's allowance (CA) is a payment made to persons who are providing full time care and attention to certain elderly people or to people with disabilities and whose income falls below certain limits. The principal conditions for receipt of the allowance are that full time care and attention is required and being provided, and the means test which applies is satisfied. The person in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The person in question has been awarded a disability allowance payment with effect from 30 April 2014. First payment was on 29 April 2015 and any arrears due have also issued.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Grant Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The 2015 grant of €100 will be paid beginning in September 2015 to households registered with Irish Water by 30th June 2015 in respect of their principal private residence. During August and September, this Department will be writing to customers who have registered to advise them of the application process. A public information website is available at and there will be further...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme Administration (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The treatment benefit scheme provides for a free biennial eye examination to persons qualified under this PRSI based scheme. There is no assistance available for the purchase of spectacles under the treatment benefit scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11thMay 2015. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits package to 415,000 customers, at an estimated cost of €227 million in 2015. The electricity and gas allowance is currently €35 per month. There have been no reductions to this allowance in recent budgets. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned has been requested to provide an up to date lease agreement confirming any increase in 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: One-Parent Family Payments (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The phased OFP scheme age change reforms were introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012. The purpose of these reforms is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency by providing lone parents with the necessary education, training and employment supports to develop their skills set and, ultimately, to secure employment and financial independence. The reforms have been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Care Services Data (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The delivery and/or expansion of child care services is the responsibility of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (D/CYA). My Department in conjunction with the D/CYA introduced a range of child care measures in Budgets 2013 and 2014 to assist lone parents to enter, or to re-join, the workforce, namely the after-school child care scheme and the community employment childcare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: In order to determine the circumstances of the person concerned, his file was forwarded to his local Social Welfare Inspector. In May, the Inspector was in contact to arrange an interview. His spouse stated that the person concerned was going into hospital and would not be in available for interview. The Inspector suggested that the interview be conducted when the person concerned is in a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned should contact her nearest Intreo Office or Citizens Information Centre whereupon any other possible social welfare entitlements appropriate to her circumstances can be outlined to her.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Administration (9 Jun 2015)

Joan Burton: The current free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 90 private transport operators. Free travel is also available on...