Results 11,901-11,920 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Gender Recognition Bill 2014 provides that, where a gender recognition certificate is issued to a person, the person’s gender shall, from that date, become for all purposes the preferred gender so that if the preferred gender is the male gender the person’s sex becomes that of a man and, if it is the female gender the person’s sex becomes that of a woman. A person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for the acquisition and maintenance of office accommodation for the Department of Social Protection. The research rooms were relocated from Irish Life Mall to Werburgh Street in September 2013. This was done as part of a cost saving, lease rationalisation programme undertaken by the OPW. Customers seeking access to records for genealogical...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 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 disallow 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 functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Communications (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Lo-call numbers have been in operation for the Department’s scheme areas for a number of years. These have been coupled with Interactive Voice Response technology to facilitate customers making quick contact with the appropriate section of the Department at a low cost to the caller. While 1890 numbers provide a cheaper means of communication for those who do not have free calls on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 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 functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The State pension contributory is a very valuable benefit and is the bedrock of the Irish pension system. Therefore, it is important to ensure that those qualifying have made a sustained contribution to the Social Insurance Fund over their working lives. To ensure that the individual can maximise their entitlement to a State pension, all contributions paid over their working life from when...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185, 195, 196 and 202 together. JobBridge has made significant progress since its introduction in July 2011. At any one time, the scheme provides up to 8,500 work experience placements for jobseekers, in organisations in the private, public, community and voluntary sectors. To date, over 37,000 internship placements having commenced, there are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 22nd August 2014. This application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 11th November 2014 outlining the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance. A review of this decision was requested on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The application for an exceptional needs payment from the person concerned is currently being considered by a designated person and a decision will issue to the person concerned shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The fuel allowance is a payment of €20 to low income households to assist them with their energy costs. The allowance is paid for 26 weeks from October to April, at cost of approximately €195 million in 2015. The payment represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: In assessing means for social assistance payments, account is taken of the income and the value of capital and property of the claimant and their spouse/partner. Social welfare legislation provides that the yearly value of property (including capital) owned but not personally used or enjoyed is assessable for means testing purposes for social assistance payments. Such property includes all...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (10 Feb 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. Self-employed workers who have lost their business and become unemployed may...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Council (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I recently established the Pensions Council to help strengthen the pensions environment and give consumers greater input into pension policy. The function of the Pensions Council is to advise the Minister for Social Protection on matters of relevance to pensions, with a particular focus on policies to support the sustainability and adequacy of pension provision. It will ensure that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Department will spend approximately €227 million this year on the household benefits package for approximately 415,000 customers. The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance provided annual savings of €48 million and meant that the Department was able to retain the other elements of the household benefits package such as the electricity and gas allowance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 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 functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Payments (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: In relation to the issue of retirement age, I would like to clarify that there is no statutory compulsory retirement age for employees in Ireland. The setting of retirement age is a matter for agreement within the employer/employee relationship and the contract of employment. In relation to the age at which a State pension may be payable, the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Rents Unit which administers the claim for rent supplement for the person concerned received a letter from him on 4 February 2015, which stated that his rent has increased from €880.00 per calendar month to €1280.00 per calendar month. This rent is above the maximum rent rate of €950.00 per calendar month for his family circumstance. The person concerned has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: A range of supports are available to jobseekers from the Department. A jobseeker who is available for and genuinely seeking work can apply for the contribution-based jobseeker’s benefit or the means-tested jobseeker’s allowance, depending on their previous employment history. While the Department does not provide any specific supports for those wishing to join or return to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (10 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: It is the policy of the Department that a person under 55 years of age can only participate on a Community Employment (CE) scheme for a maximum of 3 years. The person concerned commenced on the CE scheme on 12th September, 2011 and was due to finish on 5th September 2014. Her contract was extended by 11 weeks at the request of the scheme supervisor to allow her to access Level 5 FETAC...