Results 12,061-12,080 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Appeals (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62 and 71 together. The Government’s strategy to assist those in mortgage difficulty is built around the following measures, as recommended in the 2011 Interdepartmental Mortgage Arrears Working Group (Keane Group), in four main distinct areas: - Lenders providing sustainable and durable resolution options to their borrower; - A social housing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Despite significant investment in the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) scheme, lone parents continue to experience higher levels of ‘consistent poverty’ than the population generally. It is generally agreed that the best route out of poverty is through employment. The purpose of the reforms to the OFP scheme is to reduce long-term social welfare dependency and associated...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity.Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. This strategy has been succeeding, with an increase of over 80,000 in employment over the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The average appeal processing time for January 2015 and for 2014 broken down by all social welfare scheme types is outlined in the tables below. Appeal processing times peaked in 2011 when the average time for an oral hearing was 52.5 weeks and for a summary decision was 25.1 weeks. In 2012 the average processing time for an oral hearing dropped to 39.5 weeks and the time for a summary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits (5 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 maternity benefit, adoptive benefit and guardians payment (contributory). Self-employed workers may also access social welfare supports by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme Appeals (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: As outlined in previous replies to the Deputy the documents outstanding to enable this case to be reviewed were set out to the client in letters from the Department on 16th May 2014 and 6th August 2014. The most recent letter of 4th September 2014 also outlined the items that remain outstanding as follows: - Full copy of original loan application in question - Full copy of loan offer -...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Policy Reviews (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Since the launch of the Strategic Management Initiative in February 1994, the provision of high quality customer service has been an essential element of the modern Public Service. Delivering Better Governmentpublished in May 1996, recommended the introduction of a Quality Service Initiative for the customers of the Civil Service and in 1997 the Quality Customer Service (QCS) Initiative was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 85 together. The person concerned submitted an application for One Parent Family Payment on 30 October 2014. The One Parent Family Payment scheme is subject to a means test and in order to carry out a means test a customer must be available for interview or contactable at a given address. The person concerned was recently invited for interview with...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Qualification for the dental benefit scheme is based on a person’s PRSI record. In order to qualify for dental benefit during 2015, the person must have 260 PRSI contributions paid (at Class A, E, H, or P) since first starting work, and 39 such contributions paid or credited in 2013, the relevant PRSI year. While the person concerned meets the first condition listed, according to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: Gateway is a Local Authority initiative which aims to provide short-term quality and suitable work opportunities to improve the employability and maintain the work readiness of those who have been unemployed for 24 months or more. All employees who have income over €352 per week are liable for Class A PRSI contribution at a rate of 4% on the total earnings. Employees are also...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 2ndFebruary 2015 and that the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Water Conservation Grant (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 92 to 94, inclusive, together. The Department of Social Protection will administer, on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, a €100 water conservation grant for households that complete a valid response to Irish Water’s customer registration process. The grant will be paid to the registered...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: It is a condition for receipt of Carer’s Allowance (CA) that a carer must not be employed outside the home in excess of 15 hours per week. The person in question was awarded Carer’s Allowance (CA) from 30th March 2006. In 2014 a continuing eligibility review of the CA payment was carried out. Following this review and taking all available information into account a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The Government’s introduction of the sovereign annuity initiative provided an option to the trustees of defined benefit pension schemes to reduce pension scheme liabilities and benefit from the premium available through sovereign annuities over traditional annuities. Sovereign Annuities were initially launched in 2012 and I am pleased to say that data from the industry would indicate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker’s allowance application of the person concerned was disallowed as the means of the person concerned could not be determined. This decision was appealed to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office, and the appeal was disallowed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: As detailed to the Deputy, in reply to Parliamentary Question No 42 of 22nd January 2015, the outstanding documentation requested from the client concerned has not, to date, been received by the Department. On receipt of same the client's entitlement can be assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The client concerned was refused Rent Supplement on 16/12/14 as both he and his wife were in full time employment. If there has been a change in the client's circumstances, they should provide documentary evidence to the Department confirming same so that their entitlement to Rent Supplement can be reassessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was awarded jobseeker’s benefit at the rate of €363.30 per week from 30 January 2015. This figure contains a personal rate, a qualified adult allowance rate that takes account of earnings and child dependent allowance for three children. While the rate of jobseeker's benefit reflects a five-day week the first payment was for four days and a pro-rata...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: There is no record of an application for an exceptional needs payment from the person concerned. If he wishes to make application he should contact his local Community Welfare service at 045 887830.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (5 Feb 2015)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that, to date, no appeal in respect of disallowance of carer’s allowance has been received from the person concerned. In order to make a valid appeal the person concerned should write to the Social Welfare Appeals Office outlining her up to date grounds of appeal i.e. the reason why she disagrees with the conclusions of the...