Results 13,561-13,580 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Pensions Act provides for the preservation of benefits for members of occupational pension schemes who leave employment before their normal pensionable age for any reason, other than death, provided they satisfy certain qualifying conditions. The preserved benefit is a proportion of the long service benefit to which the member would have been entitled if he or she had remained in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Eligibility (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Respite Care Grant (RCG) is an annual payment of €1,375 for carers who look after certain people in need of full-time care and attention. The full-time care provision is moderated by permitting the carer to work or engage in education or training for a maximum of 15 hours per week. This moderation of the full time care provision represents a reasonable balance between meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 01stOctober 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: Disability Allowance Renewals (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds and the person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 7 July 2014. Further medical evidence has been received in this case and the application is under review. The person concerned can expect a decision on the review of her disability allowance application within five working days.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27thAugust 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: Appointments to State Boards (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority (formerly the Pensions Board), the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Details of appointments to the Boards made since March 2011 are set out in the following tables. There were no appointments to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Rehiring (14 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined below. The Department's Chief Medical Advisor was retained beyond his retirement date of 29thFebruary 2012. The decision to re-employ the Chief Medical Advisor was taken due to his specific skills and his involvement in the policy reform of the illness related schemes, the difficulty and long lead-in time for replacing his skills, and the...

Sittings and Business of the Dáil: Motion (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I move:That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, unless the Dáil shall otherwise order, the following arrangements shall apply in relation to the sittings of the Dáil on 14th, 15th and 16th October, 2014: (i) there shall be no Order of Business within the meaning of Standing Order 26 on Tuesday; (ii) Leaders’ Questions shall not be taken on Tuesday; (iii) oral...

Proposed Authorisation by Dáil Éireann for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to Instruct Legal Representatives: Motion (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I move:That Dáil Éireann, pursuant to section 4(2)(f)(iv) of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003 to 2013, hereby authorises the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to instruct legal representatives, in a manner that safeguards public funds, in relation to legal proceedings initiated against Deputy John McGuinness, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, Deputy Shane Ross, Deputy...

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not have a date on that. I understand it probably will be next year.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: My understanding is it is expected later this session.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: There is no date for publication as yet.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I assure the Deputy that a lot of work is ongoing in respect of that particular proposed Bill. While there may be some chance it will come during this session, in practice, because of the complexity of some of the issues involved that the Deputy will appreciate, I expect it probably will be next year.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: First, in respect of the Tánaiste's office, I simply have taken over an inherited arrangement. There have been no changes although there may be fewer people. Perhaps I could give the Deputy an exact comparison but there have been no substantial changes. The Deputy was speaking of the establishment and I occupy the same office.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Even going back almost 15 years, I do not think there has been one. I believe it always has been part of the Department of the Taoiseach. On the social welfare Bill, there will be a book in respect of the budget setting out all the details and, like all Deputies in the House, the Deputy will be able to see that. On social welfare, as the Deputy is aware, the Government has got many people...

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: Moreover, as the Deputy is aware, a consequence of this is the Government has been able to protect core rates and do what no other country affected by the kind of difficulties this country has experienced could do. As Professor John FitzGerald of the ESRI has noted, income inequality has actually decreased in Ireland, notwithstanding the dreadful recession.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: This is reflective of what the Labour Party has achieved in government.

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: A great deal of work has been going on in this regard. I used to work in that sector as a senior lecturer and, consequently, I follow it quite closely. It is making strong progress and I expect to see the legislation next year. As the Deputy is aware, there is a lot of welcome investment in the institute of technology sector nationwide. My understanding is that Tralee is doing very well....

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy is aware, the policing authority legislation is something the Labour Party in particular has pioneered in this jurisdiction and we have taken on board a lot of valuable experience in respect of the Northern experience. This is being prioritised and there is an agreement in place that this legislation will come before the Dáil before the end of this year. A lot of work is...

Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not have the detailed legislation before me but-----