Results 15,221-15,240 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Private Rented Accommodation Provision (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 389 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible persons living in private-rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently approximately 78,000 rent supplement...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Irish Aviation Superannuation Scheme (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: My officials are engaged with officials from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on the issue of access to the industrial machinery of the state for representation of pension scheme beneficiaries. These discussions are not being undertaken in the context of any particular scheme. Any proposals which may emerge from these discussions will apply to all pension schemes.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 378 to 380, inclusive, and 384 together. The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement. Number of participants at the end of December 2012, 2013 and end of March 2014 Scheme 2012 2013 End of March 2014 Back to Work Allowance 18 11 8 Back to Work Enterprise Allowance 10,811 10,098 10,270 Short-Term Enterprise Allowance 1,066...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below: Year Participants Supervisors Total 2012 21,081 1,364 22,445 2013 22,575 1,368 23,943 2014 (as at 25/04/14) 22,956 1,371 24,327

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Carer's allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are looking after a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). If a person is getting certain social welfare payments (such as the state pension) and is providing full-time care and attention to another person who is in need of full-time care, he or she can keep their main social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for disability allowance was received from the person concerned on 20 March 2013. The application, based upon the evidence submitted, was refused by a deciding officer on medical grounds and the person was notified in writing of this decision on 24 May 2013. The person submitted further medical evidence in June 2013 and his application was reviewed. However, following this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to a particular pension scheme. However, I can advise that the provision in the trust deed/scheme rules will determine the pension rights of scheme members. Where a pension scheme operates across EU Member States, the employees who are employed in a different Member State (i.e., the host...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (30 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Deputy will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to an individual pension scheme. A number of changes have been made to the Pensions Act in recent years to assist employers and the trustees respond to the funding challenges facing many defined benefit pension scheme. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2009 broadened the options available to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (30 Apr 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 4 December 2013. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (30 Apr 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 16thApril 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (30 Apr 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 6thNovember 2013. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Personal Public Service Number is the individual’s unique reference number for all dealings with Government Departments and public bodies. Section 262 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005 provides the legislative basis for the PPS Number. Only Government Departments or public bodies authorised in legislation (or their agents) can use the PPS Number as a personal...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to assist people in mortgage arrears or pre-arrears in assessing their options. The service, which differentiates between mortgage information and mortgage advice, has three elements: - The website which was developed as the key online access portal for general mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Payments (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 February 2014 together with the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer. I understand that Farm Assist is currently in payment to the person concerned. The question of arrears due to the person concerned is under appeal. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: Persons who are registered as full-time students are disqualified from claiming a jobseeker’s payment and this disqualification includes the summer months except where the final year has been completed. A person who has completed a course of study and who satisfies all the conditions for payment, which include being available for full-time work and actively looking for that level of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Change of Name Procedure (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: A name can be changed following marriage or civil partnership through submission of authenticated documentation such as a either a marriage or civil partnership certificate. This applies regardless of the jurisdiction in which the marriage or civil partnership is registered.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The General Scheme of the Gender Recognition Bill was published on 17 July 2013, following Cabinet approval. The Bill provides for the recognition of the acquired gender of transgender people aged 18 and over and who are not married or in a civil partnership. The legislation will also facilitate persons with intersex conditions. Once enacted, it will mean that a person who has been issued...

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

Joan Burton: All jobseeker claims are subject to periodic review to ensure that the customer continues to satisfy the conditions of the scheme and such reviews are undertaken regularly by the Department. Once a jobseeker agrees a personal progression plan as part of the activation process in an Intreo Centre, all other related reviews are supressed to avoid duplication, as progress under the plan is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (17 Apr 2014)

Joan Burton: The fact that Ireland’s long-term unemployment rate is significantly higher than the Nordic countries is mainly due to the scale and nature of the recession in Ireland. Our economy’s reliance on labour-intensive non-traded domestic sectors such as construction and retail and our exposure to the global financial crisis, inter alia, resulted in a relatively severe downturn in...

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

Joan Burton: One of the conditions for receiving jobseeker’s allowance is that a person must be genuinely seeking employment, and this requirement is periodically reviewed. In this regard the person concerned, who has been claiming jobseeker’s allowance since December 2010, was investigated on 23rd January 2014 in order to establish that he was looking for work. He failed to produce...