Results 15,941-15,960 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Schemes Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 and 397 together. The trust deed and rulesof the scheme will usually set down the various circumstances in which a scheme can be wound up. Typically, these would include the employer: -notifying the trustees of its intention to stop contributions to the scheme -failing to make contributions due to the scheme within a specified period -going into...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Ombudsman Remit (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The Pensions Ombudsman investigates and determines complaints and disputes concerning occupational pension schemes and Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs). The length of time taken for an investigation will vary, depending on the issues arising in relation to the matter to be investigated. There is no regulated timeframe within which a determination must be made. The annual Report...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payments (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: One Parent Family Payment (OPFP) is a means tested payment and earnings from employment are assessable as means. The customer concerned was awarded OPFP from 2nd April 1998. I can confirm that at the time of applying for the scheme this customer was not in employment. Subsequently, however, she commenced employment but failed to notify this Department. On the 6th January 2004 this...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Schemes Issues (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 399 and 410 together. You will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to an individual pension scheme. I am very aware of the serious challenges facing many pension schemes at this time and the efforts being made by both the trustees and the sponsoring employers of these scheme to meet these challenges. You will be aware...

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

Joan Burton: The person concerned had a review of his means on 31 December 13. At this time means of €54.00 were calculated based on savings held by the person concerned. There has been no further request to review means nor has a change in circumstances been notified to this Department. It is open to the person concerned to request a review of his current entitlement at his local social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (25 Feb 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 Appeals Status (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The applications for supplementary welfare allowance and jobseeker’s allowance, by the person concerned, were disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on the grounds that she failed to disclose her means and failed to furnish the requested and relevant documents. The application for disability allowance in this case was also refused as the person concerned did not satisfy...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 13th September 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors whose opinion was that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 1st November 2013 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Offices (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The Intreo service is fully operational in forty four offices across the country, including in Kilbarrack, Dublin 5. The Department is working with the OPW towards a target of completing the roll-out of the Intreo service to all offices by the end of 2014.

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

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 13th November 2013. The person in question was previously in receipt of carer’s benefit, which exhausted. While the care recipient satisfied the medical criteria for carer’s benefit, this was only for a two year period after which a review was recommended by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 20th May 2013. The application was disallowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 18th July 2013 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently requested a review of the decision. The case was reviewed again on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: A humanitarian assistance scheme was approved by Government in November 2009. The scheme, which is means tested, is available to assist people whose homes are damaged by flooding and who are not in a position to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair. Humanitarian assistance does not cover business or commercial losses. Accordingly,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18th 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 case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Application Numbers (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for children, aged under 16 years, with a severe disability requiring ongoing care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of that age. Table 1 refers to the outcome of applications processed over the past 2 years. Many applications are allowed following a review of the original decision,...

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

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 19th 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 case in question will be...

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

Joan Burton: The person in question has been notified that her carer’s allowance in respect of one care recipient is being stopped on 26th March 2014 as, following a review, it was decided that the medical criteria were no longer satisfied based on the medical evidence submitted to date in relation to one of her care recipients. In order for a child under 16 years to be deemed eligible for...

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

Joan Burton: Self-employed workers, including self-employed fishermen, whose businesses fail or suffer from reduced demand or who do not have constant or continuous employment, may access social welfare support by establishing entitlement to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker’s allowance and disability allowance. In the case of jobseeker’s allowance they can apply for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (25 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Under contract An Post acts as the Department’s paying agent in respect of cash payments made to social welfare recipients. In accordance with long established government accounting rules and procedures, payments routed through An Post are brought to account by the Department for expenditure purposes upon encashment (i.e. when the customer presents at a Post Office to collect their...

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

Joan Burton: There has been no reduction in the level of service in the Castle Street Community Welfare Office. Given the current workload, staffing levels are sufficient to continue to deliver a full Community Welfare Service for Dublin 12. Mail is collected on a daily basis, phone calls and voice mail messages are responded to within a reasonable timeframe, and appointments are prioritised from time to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (25 Feb 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 October 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...