Results 14,761-14,780 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Respite Care Services (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Government published a national carer strategy in 2012 to signal its commitment to recognising and respecting carers as key care partners and to respond to their needs across a number of policy areas. The contribution that carers make is critical to our society. The Department, in meeting its commitments under this strategy, provides a range of income supports to assist with the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 92, 96, 98, 99 and 114 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Since the lowest point of the jobs crisis, the unemployment rate has fallen from a peak of over 15% to 11.8% at present. The long-term unemployment rate has fallen from 9.5% to 7.3%. The number of long-term unemployed has fallen from 204,000 in early 2012 to 156,000 at present. In terms of the Live Register, a target was set that 75,000 of those who were long-term on the Register at the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy is aware, Gateway is a work placement initiative delivered by county, county and city, and city councils. While over 2,500 positions have been identified for Gateway by councils so far, progress on recruitment has been slower than anticipated. By week ending 13th June, a total of 270 jobseekers will be actively working on Gateway across 16 councils. For the Deputy’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Protection (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 95 together. As one of the largest data controllers in the State, the Department is committed to protecting the rights and privacy of individuals in accordance with the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003 and takes its responsibilities in relation to data protection very seriously. Every effort is made to ensure that personal customer data is used...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 94, 121 and 350 together. Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Ordinary employees who have access to the full range of social insurance benefits pay class A PRSI at...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The organisation in question recently submitted an application for additional places on the Community Employment project. 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. While, the application submitted details the benefits for the local community, it gives no...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ombudsman's Reports (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I welcome the publication of the Ombudsman’s 2013 annual report and the Department will examine its contents in detail with a view to ensuring issues of concern are addressed.The 491 complaints relating to the Department of Social Protection, represents a continuing drop over the last number of years in complaints to the Ombudsman regarding the Department’s decisions, as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Rights (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101, 298 and 309 together. The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme, which operates under the Protection of Employees (Employers’ Insolvency) Act, 1984, which, in turn, derives from EU Council Directive 987/80, is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 102 and 103 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services benefitting over 205,000 disadvantaged children. Despite overall pressures on social welfare funding, Budget 2013 provided an additional €2 million for the programme, increasing the total allocation from €35 to €37 million. This...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: European Court of Justice Rulings (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I am not in a position to comment on individual schemes. However, I can advise that this case is due to be heard in Court in October 2014. As this matter remains before the courts it would not be appropriate that I comment further on the issues you have raised or any specific aspects of the case at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy is aware, the rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for low income farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The Department has engaged 35 local development companies and Údarás na...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Opportunities to provide Branch Office services on behalf of the Department are advertised in the National and Local Press. Following inspection of proposed premises and interview by Departmental officials, the successful candidate is offered an appointment as Branch Manager on a contract for services basis. The contract is awarded subject to the provision of adequate accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 310 together. Table 1 contains details of those State agencies that have participated in JobBridge since it commenced on 1 July, 2011. Table 2 contains details of JobBridge internships that commenced in 2013 with State agencies. Internships other than JobBridge internships in State agencies fall outside the remit of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The processing times for appeals, which I will make available to the house, are kept under review in the Social Welfare Appeals Office and I am kept apprised of the situation by the Chief Appeals Officer. I am satisfied that significant progress has been made in addressing the Appeals backlog. The average processing time for appeals peaked in 2011 when the average time for an oral hearing was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: There are a number of Money Advice and Budgeting Services (MABS) companies which have been assisting and supporting their clients with a facility to make direct deductions from their social welfare payments for bill paying purposes through historical arrangements put in place by Cork MABS and the Lough Credit Union, using the Household Budget facility operated by An Post. This arrangement is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Homeless Accommodation Provision (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: The Mid Leinster Rents Unit in the Department has contacted the Homeless Section in Wicklow County Council on behalf of the client concerned. The client has been previously advised that a higher rent limit may be considered once supporting medical documentation has been supplied. The client should forward relevant documentation to the Department to allow further consideration.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: This Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability and is committed to removing any barriers that remain which prevent those persons with disabilities from participating activation programmes and employment.A wide range of activation programmes are available to persons with disabilities which cover both mainstream and specialised...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: A key objective of the transfer of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1st October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to the customer. As part of this process and to support the Department’s activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme and the development of Intreo services nationally, it has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (10 Jun 2014)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a universal monthly payment made to the parents/guardians for the support of their children. As at 31st May 2014, child benefit is in payment to around 614,122 families in respect of some 1.175 million children with an estimated expenditure of around €1.9 billion in 2014.Safeguarding the child benefit budget is a priority and in this regard the Department has taken a...