Results 14,381-14,400 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The services provided by the company are supported by funding from a variety of sources and by the Department of Social Protection under the Community Services Programme and as scheme sponsors by the Community Employment Programme. The Department has engaged with the company to ensure that appropriate practices are in place to manage the public funds granted. Additionally, I am advised that...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 118 together. The main objective of CE is to enable long-term unemployed people to re-enter the labour market through the provision of training and work experience on a fixed-term basis. During the placement, the participant should be provided with quality work experience and gain skills that are transferable to the open labour market and should be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is payable in respect of children who are ordinarily resident in the State. Child benefit section was advised that the child concerned was attending school in Spain. Following investigation, it has been established that the child is residing in Spain for educational purposes only and is therefore considered to be ordinarily resident in the state. As a result, child benefit has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently in receipt of rent supplement. With effect from 01 July 2014 his rate of payment was reduced by €130 per month as his daughter is in receipt of jobseekers allowance and has therefore been assessed as a liable relative in accordance with the guidelines of the rent supplement scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Payments (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: As part of the Department’s ongoing review of payments a continuing eligibility (CE) certificate was posted to the person concerned on 28 May 2014 to complete and return. This form was returned marked “unknown at address”. There is an obligation on persons in receipt of a social welfare payment to inform the Department if they change their address and of any other change...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: A request for further information was sent to the client concerned on 27 May 2014. When outstanding information is provided, a decision can be made in full.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: A request for further information was sent to the client concerned on 15 May 2014. When all outstanding information is provided, a decision can be made in full.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (3 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10 April 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 Welfare...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I appreciate Senator Mooney's concerns. The training and selection of trustees in obviously critical in pension funds. I do not propose to accept the amendment, the reasons for which I will clarify. Section 3 of the Pensions Act already makes it an offence for a trustee to fail to notify members where the pension authority makes a direction for a scheme to restructure scheme benefits....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Section 3 of the Pensions Act.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Yes. There is already a provision whereby trustees have to notify members. The issue the Senator raised is slightly different in the sense that members may feel very aggrieved by the actions or the proposals of trustees but there is a requirement to notify them. That is subject to sanctions, as I have outlined, so it is already provided for.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The information here which potentially will be of most value to Irish Water is in regard to children in a household - children whose parents are in receipt of child benefit. Obviously, for child benefit purposes and in many educational situations, PPS numbers are used, and this provides confirmation of where the child is residing. It is anticipated that Irish Water may use that data because...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I am happy to confirm that for the Senator. The ability of Irish Water to use PPS numbers and access relevant information is compatible with the State's data protection obligation, as provided for under the Data Protection Acts of 1988. The use of PPS numbers by Irish Water will have a legislative base and it will serve a public purpose, but the Social Welfare Consolidation Act provides...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not propose to accept the amendment. The proposal is that 20 serving gardaí would be recruited into the Department of Social Protection to assist with a better emphasis on fraud detection and, where the fraud is significant, prosecution. That is a very important element of saving money for the Department. I mentioned earlier that last year the Department recovered over €70...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Different parties and individuals have different views on this matter. As well as having a responsibility to those who rely on a social welfare income, I have a responsibility to those who pay PRSI, income tax and other taxes to ensure payments go to the right people in the right amount. To give members an indication of the percentages involved, approximately 42% of overpayments arise as a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I will reiterate what I said. If somebody has become resident in Ireland and they then leave the country for extended periods of time, it is hard to justify why we should continue to pay qualified adult social welfare payments. However, if somebody is going for some kind of family issue or family emergency, such as a funeral or illness in the family, that is an entirely different issue....

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: That would not normally arise because, as the Senator knows, the principle in regard to remand in Ireland, except in certain cases, is that it is for relatively short periods, people normally apply to the courts and there is a court procedure for dealing with that. Social welfare staff have special services for people who are in prison and, when they are coming out of prison, in particular to...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I do not propose to accept this amendment. Family income supplement, FIS, is a weekly tax-free support targeted at low-income workers who have children. FIS provides a crucial support for over 44,000 working families and almost 100,000 children. We are spending some €280 million this year, which is a very significant increase in this payment. The purpose of the support is to provide...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I understand the amendments have been ruled out of order. The social assistance payments are means tested and are payable on the basis of income need. The situation between somebody who is ordinarily resident and domiciled in the State is slightly different from the person who may be in the State for a period of time - I think it is important to keep that distinction - but who may qualify...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Unless it wanted to walk away from the contract, which is unlikely.