Results 13,221-13,240 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: Under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act an applicant shall be disqualified for payment in respect of any period before the date on which a claim for Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) is made. Notwithstanding this, a person may be entitled to a payment where the claimant shows "good cause" for not making the claim within the prescribed time, subject to all of the other criteria of the scheme being...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Retirements (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Details of the number of persons who retired from my Department on ill health grounds between 2010 and to date in 2014, and who received added years to their service are set out below: Year Number of ill-health retirements 2010 16 2011 18 2012 28 2013 20 2014 to date 20 In the case of ill health retirement, added years may be awarded on receipt of a recommendation from the Chief...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Applications (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 209 together. As outlined in previous replies to the Deputy the documents outstanding were set out to the client in letters from the Department on 16thMay 2014 and 6thAugust 2014. The most recent letter of 4th September 2014 also outlined the items that remain outstanding are as follows: - Full copy of original loan application in question - Full...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Reform (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 and 234 together. Since the Government took office in March 2011, I have implemented an unprecedented programme both of policy reform in the social welfare system and organisational change in the Department of Social Protection. The Department successfully completed the most significant merger in the history of the Irish public service, while at the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: As part of the operation of community employment (CE) the Department provides a materials grant to the Sandymount Community Employment scheme to defray the material costs of producing the Newsfour newsletter. However, the operational costs of producing and delivering the newsletter are not the responsibility of the Department or of Sandymount CE scheme. It is not common practice for travel...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was receiving illness benefit from 24thSeptember 2013 until 4thSeptember 2014 and is attending a course of study at Blanchardstown Institute of Technology. As she has now been medically assessed as being fit to take up employment she can no longer qualify for illness benefit. In order to qualify for a jobseeker’s payment a person must be available for and actively...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Following a review of the jobseeker’s allowance claim of the person concerned his weekly payment was reduced. The weekly means assessed were based on his spouse/partners income from employment and were calculated in accordance with statutory requirements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Appeals (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: At the in person medical assessment performed on the customer for illness benefit on 20 January, 2012, the Medical Assessor provided a medical opinion that the customer was not eligible for illness benefit and indicated in her medical report completed at the assessment that the customer would be capable of doing other categories of work i.e. such as light semi-skilled/lesser skilled work...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The person in question is currently in receipt of carer’s allowance in respect of one care recipient. I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 6th March 2014 for a second care recipient. The person concerned was refused carer’s allowance on the ground that the care recipient is not so disabled as to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16thOctober 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 Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all of the available evidence, including that adduced at the oral hearing, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 221 together. The total live register at the end of September stood at 370,050, which includes people working part time and signing for other days (Jobseeker’s Allowance Casuals and Jobseeker’s Benefit Casuals). Also included in the live register are people signing on for Credits but not receiving any payment (Jobseeker’s Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Case officers employed by my Department deliver activation and case management services through Intreo centres and through the network of Departmental offices which are currently transitioning to a full Intreo service. Case Officers generally work in teams dedicated to activating clients and supporting them in various ways in their efforts to regain employment. The team-based approach helps...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: Pathways to Work, the Government’s activation strategy, includes a wide range of programmes and services to help jobseekers back to employment. These include programmes such as JobBridge, JobsPlus and Momentum introduced by this Government and schemes such as Community Employment and TÚS where we have significantly increased the number of places available. The Table below...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The jobseeker’s benefit and jobseeker’s allowance schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative employment. The revised estimates for the Department of Social Protection provide for expenditure of €3.3bn in 2014 in respect of the jobseeker’s schemes. It is a fundamental qualifying condition for these schemes that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available at 65, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. State pension age will increase further to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. This policy is to make the pension system...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 provides that State pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State pension (transition) available at 65, thereby standardising State pension age for all at 66 years. State pension age will increase further to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028 Currently in order to qualify for the State...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The reason for the introduction of the habitual residence condition (HRC) in May 2004 was to ensure that people who have not worked in Ireland or who have not established habitual residence in Ireland should not avail of social assistance schemes or child benefit. HRC Statistics are only available from 2010. Separate statistics for the Traveller and Roma communities are not available. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: I am very aware of the development in the IAS scheme and of the very significant efforts being made to find a sustainable solution to the issues arising in this scheme. However, it would not be appropriate to comment on matters arising in a particular pension scheme as these are matters for the employer and the trustee of the pension scheme The Pensions Act provides a framework for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Irish Water Administration (4 Nov 2014)

Joan Burton: The legal basis of the PPS Number and its use is contained in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). Only bodies specified in statute or their agents can use the PPS Number. Section 262 of the Act allows the PPS Number to be used by a specified body in certain limited ways in the course of a “transaction” with a member of the public. The section requires that...