Results 12,181-12,200 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Review (27 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received on the 2nd October 2014 from the person concerned. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 7th January 2015 advising of the decision. In the case of the application which was refused on medical grounds the applicant may submit...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (27 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: The person concerned submitted an application for One Parent Family Payment on the 30th of 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 a Social Welfare Inspector but failed to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Data (27 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: Disability allowance (DA) is a payment for persons with a specified disability who are over 16 but under 66. As a result of that disability, which must be expected to last at least a year, they must be deemed to be substantially restricted in obtaining employment otherwise suitable to their age, qualifications and experience. Applicants must also satisfy a means test and be habitually...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (27 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: The recently published CSO release on SILC 2013 shows that the basic deprivation rate was 30.5 per cent, an increase of 3.6 per cent on 2012. The rise in basic deprivation has affected all income groups and reflects the legacy of the economic crisis since 2008 on many low and middle income households. The key measure of poverty from a policy perspective is consistent poverty, which is...

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: On the survey of income and living conditions, SILC, report, I have indicated that it is a matter for the Whips. However, I would certainly welcome such a debate. Second, the valuation legislation is listed for debate in the forthcoming weeks.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: As yet, I do not have a date for that item of legislation.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: On the National Concert Hall legislation, it should be before the House shortly. In respect of my comment, if the Deputy wishes me to expand, what I said was that from 2000 onwards - during the time the bubble was building, during the period the Deputy's party was in government - local authorities moved away from an emphasis on the key role played by social housing.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: Social housing-----

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: The Deputy perhaps needs to think a little. The eight amendment - this has been on the public record for a long time - does not serve the best interests of women or the unborn child a pregnant woman may be carrying. That is my considered view and why, when the eighth amendment was put before the people, the Labour Party, as it does now, stated it was not in the best interests of women. If...

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: -----without any serious consideration being given on a broad basis to what is in the best interests of women. The Deputy referred to the Labour Party, members of which are working on the issue. They are considering and examining all of the issues that arise in considering this most delicate, difficult and important issue of women having children and having them safely in a strongly...

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: That is my position and that of the Labour Party. If the Deputy has a different position, that is her entitlement, but this House should look at the best interests of women, women who are mothers and expecting babies and the best outcomes for children.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: This is an important issue in terms of connectivity and access for the entire country, not for one particular region. Certainly, arranging such a debate would be a matter for the Whips. I ask the Deputy to refer to his own party Whip in the first instance.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: On the legislation, the Government takes the reports of the Constitutional Convention with the utmost seriousness and we were very happy to make an historic announcement yesterday on this State and its citizens having the opportunity to vote on marriage equality. Yesterday I also introduced transgender legislation into the Seanad. The Government has taken the issue of social reform very...

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: There is no legislation on the voting age or blasphemy listed for this period because the focus will be on the two referenda announced by the Government, namely, marriage equality, a very important social issue on which voters will make a decision, and the lowering of the age at which a person can stand for election as President from 35 to 21.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Mathews for his question. His Bill will be debated in the House tomorrow and the Ceann Comhairle - I mean the Chief Whip-----

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: -----will be present at the debate and will respond to the proposals in the Bill on behalf of the Government.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: I do not have a date for either Bill.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: A great deal of work is ongoing in preparing this very important legislation, which will be published in February.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: I do not have a date for the publication of the bail Bill.

Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Joan Burton: The education (admission to schools) Bill is very advanced. I commiserate with the tens of thousands of students due to sit their leaving and junior certificate exams and who are working intensively. I have talked to students who feel very put out and upset in their study plans by the two strikes that have happened so far and I am concerned about them. As an experienced trade unionist such...