Results 15,701-15,720 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently four Intreo centres in operation the County Mayo – Achill, Belmullet, Castlebar and Ballina. The standard opening hours in an Intreo centre are 9.15 to 17.00 Monday to Thursday and 9.15 to 16.30 on Fridays. These opening hours are in operation in Castlebar and Ballina Intreo centres. The opening hours in the smaller centres in Achill and Belmullet are 9.30 to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: One of the primary aims in the transfer of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1 October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to customers. 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: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Mar 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 3 February 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 and...

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

Joan Burton: In August 2013 the person concerned attended her Social Welfare Local Office and was advised that she should submit her back to education allowance (BTEA) application 2 weeks before the start of her course. At no time did she state her intentions regarding the course, i.e. that she planned to partake in a single semester only. In January 2014 she submitted her application and the Deciding...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Mar 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 4 March 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 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed when arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Issues (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Employment under the Community Employment Scheme is currently insurable under the Social Welfare Acts for all social welfare benefits and pensions. Community Employment (CE) Supervisors pay PRSI at the standard A1 rate. If a CE Supervisor reaches State Pension age and has 520 weekly full-rate PRSI contributions (10 years contributions), they would be due the full State Pension. If a CE...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (11 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 6 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 papers have been received from the Department, the appeal in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 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 28 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 papers have been received from the Department, the appeal in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. Under Social Welfare legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by the Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €31.3 million for the scheme in 2014. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. ENPs...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 28th August 2013. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. He was notified of this decision on the 28th of November 2013, the reasons...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Investigations (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The control process is an integral part of the day-to-day operations of the Department and all staff involved in the administration of the various social welfare schemes are acutely aware of the need to implement appropriate controls at every stage of the process. The exclusive function of the Department’s Special Investigation Unit, SIU, is to investigate and report on fraud and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Investigations (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 to 251, inclusive, together. The Department of Social Protection receives reports of possible fraud from members of the public in relation to the operation of its schemes. A dedicated phone number and a facility on the Department’s website is available for this purpose. It should be borne in mind that while there is often a perception of fraud,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Legal Costs (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department made no payments to law firms in respect of legal fees for services rendered to it in 2013. The Department’s legal advisors are the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Attorney General. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: An Education and Training Options Fair opened in the Clarion Hotel Liffey Valley at 12 noon on Thursday 27 February and was due to run until 7.00 p.m. Such Fairs are among the regular events which the Department organises throughout the country to help jobseekers return to work, training and education, and are a key component of the Department’s strategy to reduce unemployment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The issue raised by the Family Resource Centre Community Development Project in St Michael’s Estate, Inchicore, relates to the Community Lynks Special Drugs Community Employment (CE) scheme which is funded by the Department. The Operating Procedures for CE schemes outline the required ratios of supervision to number of participants; 1 to 25 participants on mainstream CE projects....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was disallowed Jobseekers Allowance by a Deciding Officer of the Department who was not satisfied that he was genuinely seeking employment based on the evidence presented in support of his application. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 March 2013. The case will be referred to an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 13th February 2014. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (11 Mar 2014)

Joan Burton: The total number of persons on labour activation measures who are not included in the live register figures at the end of January was 85,028 which compares to a total of 70,768 when the Government came into office. A breakdown by scheme of the number of persons on activation measures in both January 2014 and February 2011 is detailed in the tabular statement. Scheme Jan 2014 Feb 2011 Back...