Results 12,461-12,480 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Parliamentary Questions (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: All Parliamentary Questions (PQs) are monitored and provide insight into both the operational and policy development functions of the Department and also highlight areas of concern. These are then further examined, as appropriate. Some 70% of PQs tabled to the Department refer to the status of individual claims in relation to the schemes administered by the Department. The practice of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: As you are aware, the Government recently announced a revised package of measures for water charges, which, when implemented, will negate the necessity for Irish Water to collect, store and use PPS numbers. As a consequence, there will no longer be a need for Irish Water to be listed as a specified body in Schedule 5 to the Social Welfare Consolidation Act for the purposes of using PPS...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Career Breaks (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Details of the number of staff from my Department currently on career breaks are provided in the table. The duration for which a career break is sanctioned is not recorded as staff can extend the duration during the course of the career break. All career breaks are sanctioned for a minimum period of six months. The details provided indicate the duration since the career break commenced. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Photography services are used, in conjunction with some press releases and conferences, to communicate the Department’s initiatives, schemes and services to customers and to the regional and national media. Since March 2011, photography services were used for the occasions as set out in the table. The total cost from that date is €11,865. The procurement of these photography...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Relations Contracts Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: In line with Department of Social Protection policy, the press office deals with all media queries and public relations matters. It is the Department’s policy to use in-house resources as much as possible and to restrict the use of external firms to a minimum. During the period referred to by the Deputy, the Department has used the services of one external public relations firm for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 54 together. The Department is engaged in a number of service delivery modernisation and transformation programmes involving business process, organisational and technological change. These programmes are supported by the procurement of separate external development services (IT external service provision) as well as engagement of external IT...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Details of board appointments/vacancies since March 2011 are set out in the table. Agency/Board Number of Appointments to State Boards...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing a high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework. The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Expenses (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The total amount spent on staff travel and subsistence payments and staff taxi payments by my Department for the period 2008 to 17 December 2014 is outlined in the following table. Description 2008 €000’s 2009 €000’s 2010 €000’s 2011 €000’s 2012 €000’s 2013 €000’s up to 17 Dec 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The following table sets out legal costs paid by the Department for the period 2009 to 2013 which are confirmed in the Department’s audited accounts. The figures for 1 January 2014 to 16 December 2014 are provisional and will be subject to audit. Year Amount € 2009 280,778 2010 838,266 2011 1,246,686 2012 453,262 2013 697,694 1/1/2014 – 16/12/2014 816,951 Total:...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 and 62 together. The average appeal processing time for appeals decided by summary decision and following an oral hearing broken down by all social welfare scheme type is outlined in the following table. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Protection (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: In 2014 there have been a total of 24 confirmed data breaches. A further 13 cases reported are still under investigation to establish if a breach occurred. Suspected data breaches identified by the Department’s own auditing and monitoring systems, or brought to the Department’s attention by third parties, are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Public Relations Contracts Data (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: There were no costs incurred by my Department in respect of public relations for the years 2011, 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014. In line with Department of Social Protection policy, the press office deals with all media queries and public relations matters. It is the Department’s policy to use in-house resources as much as possible and to restrict the use of external firms to a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The client concerned has been requested to provide the Department with an up to date lease agreement and Rent Supplement application form confirming any increase in monthly rent. On receipt of this documentation the client's rate of Rent Supplement entitlement can be assessed.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: According to the records of this Department, the person concerned has not been in contact to advise that her accommodation is in the process of being sold. It is open to the person concerned to contact her local Community Welfare Officer who will provide information on all the options currently available to her and on the processes involved.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Fuel allowance is paid to people who are dependent on long-term social welfare payments and who satisfy the qualifying conditions. The person concerned is in receipt of illness benefit which is classed as a short term benefit and as such is not one of the qualifying schemes for receipt of fuel allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dental Services Provision (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Treatment benefit is a PRSI based scheme. A person under the age of 21 may qualify if they have at least 39 reckonable contributions paid since first starting work. PRSI Classes A, E, H and P are reckonable for treatment benefit qualification. Records currently available indicate that the person concerned has no PRSI contributions recorded up to the end of 2013. The person concerned may...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (18 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has not submitted all the documents requested in respect of his jobseekers allowance application. The details of bank accounts held either solely or jointly with his spouse are still outstanding. His jobseeker’s allowance claim is currently disallowed for non-disclosure of means. This decision has been appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Pension Provisions (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Defined Benefit pension schemes in Ireland are set up and maintained by employers on a voluntary basis. There has never been a statutory obligation on employers under Irish law to contribute to their pension scheme. Rather, when a defined benefits scheme is set up, the level of employer and employee contributions is agreed and established in contract in the scheme Trust Deeds and Rules. The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Dec 2014)

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 appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...