Results 16,201-16,220 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Cost (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The vast majority of people receiving social welfare payments are legitimately entitled to them. It should be borne in mind that there is often a perception of fraud, however when a case is examined the individual may be doing something that is allowed under the rules for receipt of the particular payment. For example, a person may work and still receive the one-parent family payment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (6 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 13 November 2013. 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: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The retirement age of Community Employment (CE) participants and supervisors is amended in the CE Operating Procedures to match the provisions of Section 7 of the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2011 regarding the qualifying age for the State Pension. This means that the revised retirement age will be based on the date of birth of the person as follows: - For persons born before 1 January...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 101 and 102 together. The correct level of rent supplement in the case of the person concerned is €731.30 per calendar month. A deduction of €50.00 per calendar month is being made by the person concerned in respect of an outstanding overpayment, resulting in a net payment of €681.30 per calendar month. The correct level of one parent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (6 Feb 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. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 21 October 2013. Under legislation, the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Work Allowance Eligibility (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: In addition to a number of other qualifying criteria, a person must be in receipt of a designated social welfare payment for a period of 312 days in order to qualify for the back to work scheme. It is open to the person concerned to call to his local employment services office in Maynooth where a member of staff will be in a position to advise him of the options currently available to him.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Guardian's Payment Appeals (6 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The claim of the person concerned to Guardians payment contributory was disallowed on 30 May 2012 as the deciding officer was satisfied that the care arrangements in place for the child were on foot of a private mutual agreement between the child’s mother and the applicant, and therefore the child was not deemed to be abandoned. The person concerned appealed this decision to the...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: If I may suggest to the Cathaoirleach that another discussion could be arranged. I agree with Senator O'Donnell and Senator Moloney that this is a very important issue and perhaps we can agree to return to it in a couple of months when we will have more confirmation from the European Commission as to what it will commit to Ireland. I suggest that Senators call to their local social welfare...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: When my officials receive the transcript of this debate, I will try to ensure more detailed replies are provided to those Senators who have made specific requests for information and made particular points. I will make a few general remarks about the position of young people in Ireland. As Senators will have seen, the secondary school completion rate in Ireland has reached 90%, which is a...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: She would be very welcome. I will send her a personal invitation, or I am sure the Taoiseach will. The Intreo initiative involves a physical overhaul of the offices, which will give people more privacy, and significant information technology changes. The Cathaoirleach is now probably familiar with those changes, which allow for claims to be processed much more rapidly. When one goes into...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I am sure the Senator will agree that it has transformed the social welfare experience. We are converting it into a public employment service. An Intreo-serviced office is a place where people can get income supports, including jobseeker's payments, but it is primarily a place where everybody can be placed on the first step back to work, education or training. I hope this service can be...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: It applies to those aged under 26 years, that is, until the end of a person's 25th year.

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: They are for two years.

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: To clarify, the JobsPlus subsidy is given for two years and paid on a monthly basis after every month of employment.

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The JobsPlus scheme has only just commenced.

Seanad: Youth Guarantee: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I thank the Members of the Seanad for this opportunity to discuss the youth guarantee implementation plan. I promised the Senators that when we had the plan ready, I would be happy to come back and discuss it. I also want to thank the Members of the Seanad who made contributions during the drafting of the plan, particularly Senators Zappone and O'Donnell, who made very considered, detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 79,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. Statistics are not available on the number of persons 23 years of age and younger in receipt of rent supplement for each of the past five years. The rent supplement age statistics that are available profiles recipients’ age subtotalled for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Increasing State pension age and the abolition of the State pension (transition), from January 2014, are steps that have been taken to ensure the sustainability of pensions into the future. The decision to reform State pension was taken in the context of changing demographics and the fact that people are living longer and healthier lives. Depending on the person’s pension scheme,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (5 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme 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 own resources and who do not have accommodation available to them from another source. There are currently approximately 79,000 rent...