Results 12,481-12,500 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: At the end of September 2014 there were 335 recipients of a payment under the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme.

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

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a maximum rate contributory pension, in addition to having at least 520 paid contribution weeks since first entry into insurance, an applicant must have a yearly average of 48 paid and/or credited contributions. According to the records of the Department, the person concerned first entered insurable employment in 1963 and reached 65 years of age in November 2012....

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Exceptional Needs Payments (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department has no record of a claim for an exceptional needs payment from this person. Applications can be made through the local Community Welfare service.

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 27th November 2014. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of this opinion, a decision will be made by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can currently take 10 weeks to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14thOctober 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11thDecember 2014. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Social Welfare Code (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Article 27 of Statutory Instrument 312 of 1996 provides for the exemption of certain forms of income from the charge of PRSI. Article 27(f)(iv) of the Statutory Instrument exempts income received in respect of “Public Offices under the State”. As the portion of income that comes from worker director fees in CIE comes within the scope of this provision, the individual is exempt...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (17 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board (CIB), assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. In 2014 funding of some €18.6 million was provided to MABS. Information on the waiting times in each MABS...

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

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. This is particularly important given the challenges to the future sustainability of the State pension, with increased numbers of older...

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

Joan Burton: The secondment of 20 Gardaí to the Department to assist the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) with fraud investigation work only took effect from last Friday, 5th December, having been agreed earlier this year with the Minister of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána. In the circumstances, it is too early to predict with any certainty the precise additional financial...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: -----did absolutely nothing-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Sorry, they did absolutely nothing for the workers or to address the situation-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: As was their right the workers took a case to the European courts which vindicated their entitlements. This time last year I set out to see if a mediated negotiation could be achieved. The details of the negotiation will show the various arrangements which the Waterford Glass workers accepted. I thank the chairperson of the Labour Relations Commission, Mr. Kieran Mulvey, for his work in...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: -----and the Senator can read the history of what happened. I wish this never had to be and that all of these defined benefit schemes would have been significantly and healthily funded, but the purpose of the Act was to get those schemes over the line in so far as possible. The Irish aviation superannuation scheme has 5,000 currently retired members and approximately 5,000 workers. An...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Pensions Act does not prevent the outcome desired in the proposed recommendations Nos. 11 and 12. It is the trustees who decide how the provisions are implemented and this is the critical issue. I was a bit surprised, listening in particular to the representatives of Fianna Fáil. I noticed Senator O'Brien wanted to exclude the 2009 Act-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: He was a Member of the Dáil when it was debated.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It is acknowledged by most of the deferred members-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: -----for whom I have great sympathy. I have sympathy for anybody suffering any reduction in their pension entitlements. It is a very great difficulty for many of the people involved. As has been said, when we had the discussion last year we set out to seek to protect in so far as possible defined benefit pension schemes, many of which have been in severe deficit for reasons which may have...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The scheme set out provides, as I am sure Senators are aware, for full notification, advice and discussion between people and the social welfare officers dealing with their cases. I am happy to say that most people are more than happy to enter into arrangements in respect of repayments.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Sinn Féin proposal provides for the repayment of overpayments by way of only €2 per week. As I said earlier, almost everybody who deals with the social welfare system is 100% honest. However, in the case of those people who may be dishonest, recouping money from them on behalf of other people who need social welfare income at the rate of, as suggested by Senator Cullinane,...