Results 12,681-12,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Not only that but they also cut Garda pay by 17%. They need to think again about their response.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The way to address crime in Dublin city, as in Cork, in Galway, in Limerick and in villages, is by having a visible Garda presence in the community. That is what the Garda is doing in Dublin city centre.

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: One of the points of focus in the Finance Bill is to provide better arrangements for the transfer of land from older farmers who are retiring to younger farmers and people who want to go into farming. If the Deputy is suggesting that a difficulty has been identified in regard to the arrangements that the Minister for Finance proposes in the legislation, the discussion in the Seanad will...

Leaders' Questions (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Deputy referred to the very sad death of Mr. Jonathan Corrie earlier this week. I again extend my condolences to his family and friends. clearly, he was a person who was at the centre of a very loving family and a loving and supportive network of relations and friends. We should offer our condolences to them. The second point made by the Deputy concerned drugs and drug taking....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Children’s allowance was replaced by Child Benefit in 1986. Child benefit is a universal payment that assists parents with the cost of raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. It is paid to more than 613,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014. Child benefit is paid...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 11th 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 Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has been in receipt of One Parent Family payment since November 2011. In January 2014 she was assessed with means arising from her engagement in employment, however, she recently advised of a reduction in the number of hours that she worked. Accordingly a revision of her means was carried out and an increased rate has been awarded. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, including that adduced at oral hearing, has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department is not in a position to publicly comment on overpayment recoveries in 2014 at this time as these figures form part of the statutory accounts of the Department and are subject to audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for domiciliary care allowance in respect of three children on 17th November 2014. These applications have been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Following receipt of these opinions, a decision will be made in respect of each application by a Deciding Officer and notified to the person concerned. It can...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Eligibility (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Disability Allowance is not payable for any period in respect of which the claimant is resident outside of the state. In all circumstances, disability allowance recipients must inform the department that they are intending to leave the state. The person concerned has previously been outside the state and failed to notify disability allowance section. The department has reviewed the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: State pension non- contributory (SPNC) is a means tested pension. The Deputy has already been given full details of this case by the Department. Based on the documentation provided to date by the applicant and a report from the social welfare inspector it was decided that the person concerned had not fully disclosed his means and on that basis the Deciding Officer refused SPNC. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: As outlined to the Deputy in reply to Question No. 98 (33724/14) on 17th September 2014, the client concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on their monthly rent, weekly income and family composition.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Maternity Benefit (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for maternity benefit by the person concerned was refused on the grounds that she was not in insurable employment at the time of her application and did not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions in the tax years relevant to her application. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 17 July 2014. It is open to her to appeal this decision to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Applications (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned applied for a jobseekers allowance on 17/10/2014. As the person concerned resides with her father who is self-employed, supplementary information in relation to parental means was requested in order to complete a means assessment. To date this information has not been received. However upon receipt of the information the application can proceed and a decision will issue...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The client concerned is in receipt of their full entitlement to Rent Supplement based on their monthly rent, weekly income and family composition.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (4 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: The person in question has not made an application for rent supplement and therefore her eligibility cannot be determined.

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: Again, we had a very detailed and lengthy discussion about this issue on Committee Stage. I have pointed out that while having a fixed period sounds very attractive on the surface, in practice our system is rooted in the fact that we allow constant reviews and the input of new information. A very good feature of the Irish system is that if there is more or better information available, that...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputy for tabling the amendment. I do not propose to accept it for the reasons I outlined on the last occasion, but the Deputy makes a fair point and I share his concerns. I have asked for the issue to be examined. It would not be appropriate to insert it in legislation because, essentially, it is an administrative arrangement. It might be more difficult and constraining than...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Report Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2014)

Joan Burton: It pays for it.