Results 14,261-14,280 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation. There are approximately 76,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. A review of the maximum rent limits has commenced and will feed into the budgetary process. This review involves a comprehensive...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government’s primary strategy to reduce long-term unemployment has been through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy is working. Employment has risen by about 70,000 since the recovery began in 2012. Despite the progress that has been made on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The total number of claims registered and awarded in each of the past five years to date is set out in the following tabular statement. Claims from self-employed persons are not segregated from other claimants for reporting purposes. Claims Registered in Each Year 2009 To May 2014 Scheme 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 May 2014 State Pension (Non-Contributory) 10,802 9,835 7,344 9,035 9,429...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The numbers of Dental Benefit claims received and paid over the past five years were as follows: Year Recd Paid 2009 833,844 733,234 2010 339,595 388,938 2011 346,480 272,865 2012 292,147 270,602 2013 324,134 298,658The apparent discrepancy in the number of customers qualifying and having claims paid in 2010 is as a result of a surge in applications in the last weeks of 2009, following...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Waiting Times (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Optical and dental benefit is normally paid directly to the practitioner who provided the examination to the qualified person. Claims received in one calendar month are paid in the subsequent month, with payment sent to the practitioner’s bank account on the second Friday of the month. Applications from individuals to establish if an entitlement exists, which account for approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department of Social Protection may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.3 million for the ENP scheme in 2014. An application can be made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief Eligibility (15 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Following a review, the client was requested, in line with Departmental guidelines, to contact her mortgage provider with a view to restructuring her loan and to inform the Department of the outcome. In addition, following an earlier parliamentary question on this matter, an officer of the Department contacted the client to offer assistance and again requested certain documents to be...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: We have a window of opportunity now to build a social recovery, and by making education central to that social recovery, we can deliver a world of opportunity for all of our children. This Government will also embark on a new cycle of political reform to restore trust in our institutions and public life. My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin,...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Many individuals, families and communities have experienced the worst of times since the economic crisis first struck seven years ago, but I am optimistic that the best of times are still ahead of us because a window of opportunity has opened for the country. Today, the Government is setting out how it will avail of that window to ensure the recovery improves living standards for every...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I also thank the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, and the former Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte-----

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: -----for their immense contributions, not alone to the Government's work but also to public life. Eamon, Ruairí and Pat have always fought-----

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: -----for progressive change in the best interests of the people and will continue to do so.

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The progress we have made in economic recovery has created the conditions to place an equal emphasis on social repair. I am confident that, through the statement of priorities we are publishing today and the Government's determination to see these priorities achieved, we will successfully deliver social and economic recovery. Social recovery starts with jobs because secure work is the...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: If we are to raise living standards, pay and conditions are only part of the solution. The Government has broadened the tax base and put it on a sustainable foundation in order that there will be no repeat of the collapse of the public finances that occurred when the crisis struck. That work will gradually allow us to reform the income tax system for low and middle income workers, the...

Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion (11 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: This is reflected in significant upward house price pressure and an increase in rents, which is having a disproportionate impact on low income families. It is imperative that we move urgently to improve the supply of housing for both home purchasers and those renting. In recent weeks I made it abundantly clear that a Labour Party priority in the remainder of the Government's term would be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (10 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. There are currently over 790,000 customers in receipt of free travel. The scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Administration (10 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The policy of my Department is to ensure application forms are presented in simple, clear, and easy to read format and where the principles of plain English are applied consistently so that forms are accessible to people with varying levels of literacy. Application forms are also made available on request in alternative formats, including audio and braille. The Department operates a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (10 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The estimated cost in 2015 of increasing the respite care grant by €325, from €1,375 to €1,700, is €29.3 million in a full year.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (10 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: This community based company is supported by funding from a variety of sources to provide a range of shared and specialised services to other community and voluntary bodies. The Department of Social Protection supports service provision under the Community Services Programme and the company acts as a scheme sponsors for the Community Employment Programme. The Department has not conducted...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (10 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently two options for participation on Community Employment (CE) based on the length of time a person has been in receipt of CE-qualifying social welfare payments:- Part-time Integration Option (PTI) which is a one-year programme of CE for those who have generally been in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payments for 52 continuous weeks or more; or - Part-time Job Option...