Results 11,861-11,880 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: They are not representative of how politics has generally been conducted in this State. The people in Fingal the other evening held a mother back from going to see her sick daughter in hospital for an additional hour or two.

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I suspect their actions had nothing to do with water-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: -----or with the vast majority of people who have concerns and who have protested-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: -----absolutely peacefully and in an orderly way.

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I have previously put it on the record and I will repeat it again. The connections to and from this island are vital. They are vital for us and for Irish people around the world travelling to and from the island. They are vital for foreign direct investment, which has been significant in Ireland. Furthermore, following the effective devaluation of the euro, we expect a further improvement...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: That Government sold off three quarters of Aer Lingus. The Deputy was a Senator at the time and an enthusiastic backer of that particular proposition. This is how the country ended up having a minority, but significant, stake in Aer Lingus, at 25.1%. Under the takeover rules, the Government must examine any offers. Mr. Walsh is coming before an Oireachtas committee this afternoon. I am...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I presume the Deputy will be in a position to ask some of those questions himself of Mr. Walsh

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I will repeat what I said earlier. We have to be aware of the takeover panel rules, but there are critical factors in the evaluation of any offer. Fianna Fáil decided, in its wisdom, to sell 75% for €289 million. It obviously struck a very hard bargain. What happened to the €289 million? It increased the level of resources Fianna Fáil had available to it at the...

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The 25.1% stake which remains is going to be subject to examination in respect of connections to and from this island. As I have just stated, and I will say it again - perhaps the Deputy does not agree - the connections are important for Irish people coming to and from the island, for investors and for people doing business in and out of Ireland-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: -----and the connections are extremely important for tourism, particularly in the west of Ireland in the context of the development by this Government of the Wild Atlantic Way. This remains the key issue, along with employment in Aer Lingus. As the Deputy knows, there is significant employment in Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports and in the head office structures. They will be the key...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (12 Feb 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 3 February 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Appeals (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that on receipt of an appeal in respect of a disallowance of family income supplement (FIS), where it appears that the reason for the decision may not have been fully understood, the letter of appeal is referred to the FIS Section requesting that the decision be clarified to the appellant. In the case of the person concerned his letter of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made an application to illness benefit which was awarded with effect from 14 January 2015. Consequently her jobseeker’s allowance claim was closed on 13 January 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mental Health Awareness (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection currently operates out of approximately 400 individual buildings across the country, however only two of these buildings, Headquarter Buildings in Dublin (Aras Mhic Dhiarmada) and Sligo (Pensions Service Office, Cranmore), have flagpoles. To date, these flagpoles have only been used for the flying of the National Flag at appropriate times as instructed by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 30th January 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 10 weeks to process an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum payment of €500, and are entitled to access long-term social insurance benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory) as well as guardians payment (contributory),...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The vast majority of people on social welfare are claiming the correct entitlement due to them. However, a small minority is not and a range of measures are employed by the Department to ensure that social welfare fraud and abuse is minimised and that its control activity is appropriately focused. Since 2011 there has been a number of significant measures undertaken which have enhanced...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a monthly payment to assist with the costs associated with raising children. It is paid to more than 600,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. It is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years in line with the statutory school attendance age. It is important to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Administration (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a monthly payment paid to all families to assist with the costs associated with raising children. In 2014, it was paid to almost 1.2 million children in more than 600,000 families, with a total estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion. In 2014, child benefit was paid to an average 7,577 non-resident children in 4,728 families, at an estimated cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Work Allowance (12 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: As announced in Budget 2015, the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme aims to help families to move from social welfare into employment. It will give financial support to people with children who were getting jobseeker and one-parent family payments and who take up employment, increase their hours of employment or become self-employed. The BTWFD provides support for up to two...