Results 15,621-15,640 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 10th 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal from the person concerned was registered on 13th March 2014. In accordance with statutory requirements that Office have written to the person concerned and asked him to set out the complete and up to date grounds of his appeal. On receipt of his response the relevant papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13th January 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of Gateway is to focus on those people who are long-term unemployed. For this reason, eligibility is at present confined to those on the Live Register for 24 months and in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance. These provisions are to ensure a targeted approach to those currently affected by long-term unemployment. Persons in receipt of disability payments are not, therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Section 10 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 requires my department to commission an actuarial review of the position of the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) at 5-year intervals. The third Actuarial Review of the SIF was published in 2012 and covers the period to 2066. Projections in respect of the State pension (contributory) are as follows: - 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2030...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Staff (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is set out below in tabular format below. The number of staff and costs involved are in line with Government policy in this area. There are no other expenses or accommodation costs specifically associated with these posts as both officers are based in the headquarters of my Department. Salaries with effect from 1 July 2013 (Post Haddington Road...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Medical Aids and Appliances Provision (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: To qualify for Medical Appliance Benefit, a person aged 66 or over, must have paid a total of 260 contributions at Class A,E,H or P since first starting work, and either: - 39 paid or credited PRSI contributions in either of the relevant tax years on which the claim is based; or - 26 paid PRSI contributions in both the relevant tax year and the tax year immediately before the relevant tax...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Payments (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the Department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 30th September 2013. The employer of the person concerned confirmed that she is contracted to work a minimum of 15 hours per week and there was evidence that hours in excess of that number had been worked in respect of many weeks. Legislation states that, where it is shown to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: An unemployed person may qualify for jobseeker’s benefit or jobseeker’s allowance. Jobseeker’s benefit is based on a person’s social insurance record and jobseeker’s allowance is based on weekly means. A fundamental qualifying condition for a jobseeker’s payment is that a person must be available for and genuinely seeking full-time work. To be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 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 January 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 11 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Some 410,000 customers will receive the fuel allowance of €20 per week for 26 weeks from October to April, at an estimated cost of €208 million in 2014. The allowance is intended as a contribution to a person’s heating costs. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. The Department also pays an electricity or gas allowance as part of the household benefits...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3 February 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned was scheduled for 24 March 2014. The person concerned will be notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision when the appeal has been determined. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9 January 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Registration of Marriages (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Section 46 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 provides for the notification of marriages. A couple who wish to marry must attend a registrar’s office and notify the registrar of their intention to marry in writing. Both parties to the marriage are required to provide evidence as to their identities, civil status, age and nationality. If either party was born outside of the State, a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Data (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: All staff assigned to scheme areas in the Department of Social Protection are appointed by the Minister as Deciding Officers under section 299 of the Social Welfare (consolidation) Act 2005. Deciding Officer powers are not revoked on reassignment or promotion. Therefore, given the numbers involved a breakdown by grade is not readily available. The Department has requested the data from...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: EU Regulations (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 553 to 555, inclusive, together. The intention of the free travel scheme is that it should not confer any real financial advantage on participating undertakings. Moreover, the scheme’s objectives are of a social character and the benefits involved are targeted at individual consumers. The mechanism used to deliver those social character benefits to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision which was notified to her on 3 September 2013. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed in the light of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Applications (25 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was awarded a reduced rate disability allowance (DA) with effect from 30 March 2011. Following a review of her continuing entitlement to DA on 28 November 2013 she was disallowed payment from 3 December 2013 as her means exceeded the statutory limit for receipt of DA. Following a request by the person for a review of this decision, the person’s file is currently...