Results 14,701-14,720 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (11 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: A person wishing to partake in the back to education allowance (BTEA) will have to satisfy a number of conditions such as being a certain age, in receipt of a prescribed social welfare payment for a specified time period, commencing the first year of a course, pursuing a full time course of study leading to a recognised qualification in a recognised college and progressing in the level of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Living Alone Allowance (LAA) was introduced from October 1977, and is an additional payment of €7.70 per week made to people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, and who are living alone. It is also available to people who are less than 66 years of age, living alone and in receipt of , invalidity pension, incapacity...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 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 the 16thApril 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 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 the 19thMay 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: Child Benefit Appeals (11 Jun 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 the 31stMarch 2014 and that the Appeals Officer was considering the appeal in the light of all of the evidence submitted, including that adduced at the oral hearing. In the meantime, the wife of the person concerned phoned the Appeals Office on the 6thMay 2014 and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (11 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Payments of Rent Supplement to the person concerned were re-instated following the previous suspension, as the Deputy contacted the Rents Unit on 9thMay 2014 to assure them that the person concerned had lodged an application with Dublin City Council for a Housing Needs Assessment, and that it was being processed. The Rents Unit wrote to the person concerned to advise him that evidence of this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (11 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on the 6thJune 2014 who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Appeals Officer will be advised that the person concerned has requested an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I notice that Sinn Féin's proposals to generate extra income are to increase taxes significantly, particularly for those in work or who have family homes. It has also promised on the doorsteps to abolish water charges, the property tax and the universal social charge, USC. It is important that the stabilisation and growth in the economy, particularly in employment, that we have...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I am saying to Deputy Collins that the independent actuarial review shows comprehensively that women actually benefit significantly from the social welfare system - in fact, more than men do. We do not have the time now to go into a detailed discussion of why this is so. I refer Deputy Collins to the actuarial review, which is on the Department's website. I am pleased to say that, as a...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: My lips are sealed.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 88 and 106 together. I will bring to the attention of the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the fact that Deputy Ó Snodaigh is supporting my budget. It is helpful to have an ally such as Deputy Ó Snodaigh.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government is committed to reaching the deficit target of less than 3% of GDP in 2015.

Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government will give detailed consideration to how the target will be reached over the coming months. The Exchequer returns to the end of May were published last week. They showed that taxes were €446 million or 2.9% ahead of profile while overall net voted expenditure was €156 million or 0.9% below profile. The Department of Social Protection returns showed that net...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Some 33%, or €6.5 billion, of all expenditure incurred by the Department relates to pensions. The number on pensions is increasing by approximately 17,000 annually. In other words and as a result of demographic changes in society, an additional 17,000 individuals seek payment of retirement pensions each year. In 2013, for example, the Department was obliged to make provision for an...

Other Questions: State Pensions Reform (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: It is important to reiterate that €6.5 billion of all social welfare payments made by Department relates to pensions. The cost in this regard is increasing by €190 million each year as a result of the 17,000 additional people who claim pensions each year. As the Deputy is aware, the social protection system provides alternative methods in supporting pensioners who have been...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: If departmental staff were to do that, they would end up before the Committee of Public Accounts facing complaints. When people are given allowances, there are procedures which must be followed, otherwise the Deputy's colleagues on the Committee of Public Accounts would be complaining. There is a procedure in place, but one of the good things about the Irish system, unlike that in other...

Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits Applications (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The area of disability payments, for example, is still undergoing reform. At the end of April 2013 over 4,000 people were awaiting a decision, whereas in April 2014, the number was down to 2,750. The average processing time of disability allowance applications going through the social welfare appeals system has dropped from 10.2 weeks in 2013 to 9.6. Departmental delays have been reduced...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Internship Scheme Funding (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Indecon study showed a displacement rate of 6%. If the Deputy studied displacement rates, he would know that this is an extraordinarily low rate. In fact, the return to the State from the people who participate in JobBridge every year-----

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Internship Scheme Funding (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: -----and then get a job and leave the social welfare system has been €15 million for each of the past two years.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: National Internship Scheme Funding (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I am telling the Deputy what the figures are. The saving has been €15 million.