Results 16,241-16,260 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 314 together. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The Department has not engaged any companies to provide external professional advice on the appointments of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: According to the records of this Department the person concerned has not applied for a back to education allowance. It is open to the person concerned to make such an application to her local office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: A total of 44 Intreo offices have now been opened. The Department is working closely with the OPW on the roll out of the service (including the refurbishment and where necessary the acquisition of offices). It is expected that the remaining 16 offices, including Swords, will be delivering the full Intreo service by the end of 2014. Swords is scheduled to be delivered by Quarter 4 2014.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 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 2 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 referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (4 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 Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 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 30 July 2013. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 12 November...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Issues (4 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 including that adduced at oral hearing, decided to disallow the appeals of the person concerned. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 30 January 2014. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was in receipt of a mortgage interest supplement from March 2008 until September 2013 when his claim was reviewed and he was found to have no further entitlement. Under Social Welfare legislation a person in receipt of weekly supplementary welfare allowance is required to make a minimum contribution towards their rent. In his case the minimum contribution was...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (4 Feb 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 10 January 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: Invalidity Pension Application Numbers (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Invalidity Pension claim intake has increased substantially from 2011. This resulted in initial claim processing backlogs which my Department have cleared over the last two years. An outcome of this level is claim clearance is the resulting higher than normal volume of reviews and appeals which have and are been processed by the Department. The Table 1 below shows the number of claims...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that legislation provides that where an Appeals Officer is of the opinion that an appeal can be properly determined without an oral hearing, he or she may determine the appeal summarily on the basis of the documentary evidence provided. A request for an oral hearing will be considered by an Appeals Officer in the light of the documentary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Social Target (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 327 together. Tackling poverty remains a fundamental aspiration of Irish society and the Government. The Government has re-affirmed its commitment to reducing poverty by revising and enhancing the national social target for poverty reduction. This aims to reduce consistent poverty to 4% by 2016 and to 2% or less by 2020. The Department published the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 Feb 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 9 January 2014, who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required, hold an oral hearing. The Appeals Officer has been notified of your request for an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 8th November 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 5th December 2013 advising of the decision to disallow the application. The person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 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 partially allowed 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 Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: The community employment scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. In this way local organizations help to develop their areas by sponsoring projects and at the same time enabling unemployed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local Employment Service Issues (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Approval of technical employment support grants (TESG) are decided on a case by case basis and paid following agreement by the customer of a personal progression plan with their local employment service mediator. The training sought under the TESG must improve their employment prospects. The coordinator of the Local Employment Service in Dun Laoghaire will contact the person concerned in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (4 Feb 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 9 January 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: Social Insurance Payments (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: Employer PRSI is payable on earnings at the rate of 10.75% in respect of weekly earnings in excess of €356 and at 8.5% on weekly earnings of €356 or less. As part of the 2011 Jobs Initiative, the Minister for Finance announced the halving of the 8.5% rate of employer PRSI to 4.25%, as a means of helping job creation and improving labour cost competitiveness, particularly in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Data Protection (4 Feb 2014)

Joan Burton: My Department takes its responsibilities in relation to data protection and protecting the data of its clients very seriously. Every effort is made to ensure that personal customer data is used solely for business purposes and that it is not compromised in any way. My Department has data protection and information security policies, standards, procedures and guidelines in place governing...