Results 14,441-14,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (1 Jul 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 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 Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to hold an oral hearing in this case on 17 July 2014. The person concerned will shortly be notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government has provided over €344 million for the rent supplement scheme in 2014, the purpose of which is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short-term assistance,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Appeals (1 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 23 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 have been received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I refer to my response to you on 18 June on this matter and reaffirm that the remit of the Pensions Authority is determined only by the provisions in the Pensions Act. Section 10 of the Pensions Act sets out the functions of the Pensions Authority. Its core function is to monitor and supervise the operation of the Pensions Act. Its remit is determined by the provisions of the Pensions Act...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: At the end of May 2014, there were 1,379 persons employed as Community Employment (CE) Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors equating to 1,349 full-time equivalent positions (some are part-time/job-sharing). Of the 1,379 total, 1,166 are Supervisors and 213 are Assistant Supervisors. The salaries of CE Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors are paid by their local CE Sponsoring...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Eligibility (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The number of OFP recipients stood at 77,209 in May, 2014, and an estimated €863 million is due to be spent on the scheme in 2014. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2012, contains provisions to reduce, on a phased basis, the maximum age limit of the youngest child at which an OFP recipient's payment ceases to seven years from 2014 for new entrants and from 2015 for existing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 19 June 2014 and that the Appeals Officer is now considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer's decision when the appeal has been determined....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Health Services (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. Following the outcome of a review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Post Office Network (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: An Post advised the department that the Post Office in question was temporarily closing with immediate effect on 26 February 2014 and that social welfare customers were being transferred to Skibbereen Post Office. The reasons for the closure and any potential reopening are internal matters for An Post. The current contract for cash payment services between my department and An Post requires...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department administers over 70 separate schemes and services and serves a wide and diverse group of customers including families, people in employment, unemployed people, people with disabilities, carers, and older people. The Department will spend over €20 billion in social welfare payments this year and will provide support to some 1.4 million people every week. In order to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (1 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 21 May 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Payments (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was notified on 29 April 2014 that her domiciliary care allowance application was successful and that the allowance has been awarded from 1 November 2013. The first payment of the allowance, along with arrears due, issued to the person concerned on 20 May 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Budgets (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: The estimated savings in 2014 and in a full year of the measures for the Department of Social Protection contained in the Expenditure Report 2014 are outlined in the table below. Measure 2014 Savings (€ million) Full year (€ million) Recovery of social welfare payments – Recover the value of certain social welfare payments from compensation awards made to persons...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (1 Jul 2014)

Joan Burton: I have no plans at present to change the eligibility criteria for JobBridge. Those working part-time or casually and who are in receipt of an eligible payment or signing for credits are eligible to participate in JobBridge. Under the current arrangements, a person may meet the requirement of being in receipt of a qualifying payment (or signing for credits) for 78 days over a six-month...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Since then, in the lifetime of this Government, the number of post office closures has slowed down.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: There has been a certain amount of political scaremongering about post offices. Post offices are important not just in rural areas, but in city centres and disadvantaged communities in urban areas. Anyone with a bank account tends to use that facility to receive a retirement pension or child benefit payment. Much and all as one may admire and like one’s local post office, the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I will just go through a number of points that were made. Senator Marie-Louise O’Donnell asked about analysing the recovery of the repayments. They are very significant. For the three years of this Government we have recovered €175 million in overpayments. If people look at the social welfare bill, in 2010 the recovery of overpayments was €34 million; in 2011 it was...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Such persons are ordinarily resident in the State.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Over the last three years, many changes have been made to the social protection system to improve its long-term sustainability and to ensure we have a modem, responsible welfare state that provides both a safety net for those who need it and a springboard back to work for those who want it. There can be no doubt about the hardship and difficulties which the economic crisis has caused for our...