Results 14,601-14,620 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government published a National Carers’ Strategy in 2012 to signal its commitment to recognizing and respecting carers as key care partners and to respond to their needs, across a number of policy areas. The Department, in meeting its commitments under this Strategy, provides a range of income supports to assist with the financial burden of caring. These include Carer's...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Payments (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 335 together. 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 payment is made regardless of the carer's means but is subject to certain conditions, one of which is that the period of full-time care and attention must last for at least six months...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Capital Programme Expenditure (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Since 2009, the Department of Social Protection has been provided with a capital allocation for new accommodation, including the refurbishment and fit-out of buildings. Prior to then the funding was made available direct to the Office of Public Works. The annual amounts of capital spending on construction projects between 2008 and 2014 are shown in the following table Year Expenditure...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Capital Programme Expenditure (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Of the €19 million capital funding allocation to DSP in 2014, €13.5 is allocated to complete construction related projects. The majority of this allocation will be utilised to complete the office refurbishment programme which is being rolled out to facilitate the introduction of the Department’s INTREO service. INTREO is the integrated income and employment supports...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Report on Pension Charges, published in October 2012, was undertaken by my Department, working with the Central Bank and the Pensions Authority, and with support from PWC and was the first comprehensive Government report on this subject. The purpose of the report was to gather information on pension charges levied to assess whether charges are reasonable and transparent, and make...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. 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: Community Employment Schemes Review (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department is considering the option of outsourcing the management and the administration of the Community Employment Programme to Pobal. The matter is under examination and no decision has been made in relation to this.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: After a search, the Department can find no trace of an application for either carer’s allowance or carer’s benefit from the person in question. If the Deputy has any further information on this person, he is urged to forward it to the Department and the issue will then be revisited.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dental Benefit Scheme (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department’s dental benefit scheme currently provides for an annual free dental examination for people who meet the PRSI-based qualifying conditions. Other treatments are not covered by the scheme. People in employment may also be able to avail of a tax rebate on the cost of some non-standard dental treatments. Revenue will be able to advise in this regard. Anyone holding a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17 April 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. As part of this process the Department is making arrangements to have the medical evidence...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Industrial Relations (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Cases taken by civil servants against the Department that are before the Labour Court, Equality Tribunal, CPSA and EAT are outlined in the following table: Year Expenditure 2008 Nil 2009 €1.199m 2010 €3.161m 2011 €2.193m 2012 €1.018m 2013 €9.720m 2014 (to date) €3.253m

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Data (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the figures requested relating to cases reviewed under section 318 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 were not maintained prior to 2010. However the position in relation to the number of decisions of a deciding officer which were revised by the Chief Appeals Officer in favour of the appellant for the following years are: 2...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from those who are long term on the live register. JobsPlus is biased in favour of those who are longer term unemployed. It provides employers with two levels of payment: €7,500 over two years where a jobseeker who is 12-24 months on the live register is recruited and €10,000 for each...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Expenditure (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Family income supplement (FIS) is an employee incentive scheme for low-income working families, including one-parent families, aimed at supporting them through supplementing their income while they remain in work. There has been a steady growth both in the number of families supported by FIS over recent years and associated expenditure as set out in the table below. Expenditure on the FIS...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Market (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Labour Market Council’s role is to provide a constructive but challenging mechanism to support the effective and efficient implementation and delivery of Pathways to Work Work and Success of the Labour Market Council to Date The Council has set up an Employer Engagement Sub-Group. which has supported the Department in a number of activities to build relationships with employers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for Disability Allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 4 February 2012. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there is no trace of any appeal against this decision having been received from the person concerned. In the normal course, an appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 28th November 2013. This application was found not medically eligible for the allowance and a letter issued on 26 February 2014 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned requested a review of the decision and this review was completed by a Deciding Officer on 16 June...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 20 March 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: Departmental Staff Expenses (17 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The total amount spent on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments by my Department for the period 2011 to 13 June, 2014 is outlined in the following table: Description 2011 2012 2013 up to 13 June 2014 Total Subsistence €1,187,531 €1,575,093 €1,554,823 €626,998 €4,944,445 Taxi €34,552 €92,739 €107,352 €17,304...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (17 Jun 2014)

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