Results 11,981-12,000 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: When the Deputy referred to the fuel allowance and the ESB-----
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----in a certain sense she answered her own question. The ESB is an independent company-----
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----that borrows significantly on national and international markets to finance considerable capital projects around the country. The Department of Social Protection pays a fuel allowance to a large number of people on long-term social welfare incomes, but this is not factored into the ESB's accounts.
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: In the first part of her question the Deputy asked about the purpose of the conservation grant. Her comparison with the fuel allowance was good. It is exactly like the fuel allowance and will not be-----
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: The fuel allowance provides good assistance for persons on long-term social welfare incomes.
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: Similarly, the water conservation grant which will be paid to qualifying households at the rate of €100 per year will be paid to households to assist them in conserving water and making minor repairs, for example, to fix leaking cisterns or dripping taps, which would push up their water consumption rates. That is what it is about.
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: Originally, it was going to be done through a social welfare payment and tax arrangement-----
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----but it is much better to do it on the basis of a universal payment to qualifying households. I am confident that we will be able to deliver the payment which will start in September. We must rely on the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, on behalf of which we are doing this. That is why we have had discussions with it.
- Other Questions: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: We are involved in discussions on it. I gave the Deputy the honest answer.
- Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: We had a detailed discussion on this issue in dealing with a prior question. People are entering a transitional period in that, for a further six or seven years, they will move to jobseeker's transitional payments. However, the Deputy was not present for that discussion.
- Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: The Deputy should bear in mind that the move to a transitional payment is in respect of children up to 13 years of age. Some 69,884 lone parents are being supported under the one-parent family payment scheme, at an estimated cost to the Department of Social Protection and taxpayers of approximately €607 million in 2015. When introducing the one-parent family payment scheme age change...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Poverty (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: I am responding to what the Deputy asked in his question, in which he said Poland and Chile had done a more effective job in protecting children. If his idea of effectiveness, in economic terms, is that US$13 a month for a family for a three year period is better and more effective-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Child Poverty (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: Whoever researched the question for the Deputy included this in the question. If the Deputy thinks the payment in Poland of €18 to €28 per month is better than €135, I am not sure how he can make the economics better. He should acknowledge that in the human development index, HDI, Ireland is eleventh in the world after the Scandinavian countries and Switzerland,...
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----to assist them with regard to going back to work. I know the Deputy has a difficulty with people going back to work, education and training.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: His party seems to want welfare rather than work. The evidence around the world is that if people go to work-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: The Deputy has not taken into account the back to work family dividend-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----which for a lone parent with two children is worth €60 a week.
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: For a lone parent with three children who could be going into employment or self-employment-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----that is €90 a week. The Deputy's figures do not take that into account-----
- Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)
Joan Burton: -----because that scheme is coming in-----