Results 16,461-16,480 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: In the case of the contributory pension, it is a matter of the income of the person's spouse or partner. It is means tested and I have no proposals to change this. The changes to pension age were broadly set out in the financial framework of 2011 which followed a Green Paper and a paper on pensions launched by the Department in 2007 and 2010. They were broadly agreed to by everyone and,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: I will come to it later.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: In the Department there is wide consultation with different groups on a continuous basis. We engage in consultation with people with disabilities and organisations that represent those with disabilities. At official level we frequently sit down with organisations to discuss how the structures work. I have received, on behalf of the Department, positive feedback from members of all parties...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: First I will answer the Deputy's query about the changes in required contributions. I wish to draw attention again to the fact that the KPMG actuarial review in 2012 stated that the pensioner support ratio in Ireland is projected to decline from 5.3 workers for every individual person of pension age in 2010 to 3.9 workers by 2020 and 2.1 workers by 2060. In other words, the number of people...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: No, not really, but I thank the Deputy for them. We sent all of our material to the Clerk of the Committee over a week ago. I do not know if the Deputy's personal assistant has had an opportunity to examine the material. We have forwarded a lot of documentation and information, as requested by the committee. If someone is coming up to pension age, he or she should send his or her details...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: Table 3 on page 6 gives the summary. Deputies will see that for the State contributory pension there is extra spending of €160 million provided for this year. Members of the committee will be aware that every year of the three years I have been involved in budgets I have had to provide between €160 million and up to €190 million in extra spending on the extra numbers of...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: We have a working title of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. From time to time technical changes arise; for example, in many of the recent Bills they related to European requirements regarding pension directives and so forth which periodically we incorporate, as we are required to do, into Irish legislation. There are some technical pension amendments in almost every case. Obviously,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: There might be. There is no necessary pension legislation at this point in time, but it is a holding title on the legislation on which work is being done. We had a previous experience where we did not include "pensions" in the title, as the Deputy will recall, and subsequently that was required. In fact, there was a discussion about it on the floor of the House, so since then I have tended...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2014
Vote 37 - Department of Social Protection (Revised) (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: I thank the committee for the invitation to appear before it to discuss the 2014 Revised Estimates for my Department. My officials have provided detailed briefing material for the use of the committee at this meeting. This builds on the changed format introduced last year and is designed to better reflect the new performance-budgeting approach to the Estimates process. Understandably, there...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Severe Weather Events Response (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency events such as the recent severe weather...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Data (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The procurement of services is essential to support the Department in providing high quality service to the public in a cost effective and efficient manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory, legal and procedural framework. The Department engages consultants (individuals or organisations) to provide intellectual or knowledge based services (e.g. expert analysis and advice)...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Legislation (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The matter of representation by pensioner groups in consideration of a change to scheme benefits needs to be considered in a broader industrial relations context. This is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and I have referred this matter to him for consideration. It is normal practice for my officials to engage with representatives of stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: You will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to an individual pension scheme. Defined benefit (DB) pension schemes in Ireland are set up and maintained by employers on a voluntary basis. When a DB scheme is set up, the level of employer and employee contributions is agreed and established in contract in the Trust Deeds and Rules of each scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Applications (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The following details are outstanding in relation to the application for mortgage interest supplement from the person concerned; - the original loan application and approval forms (all components of which are required), - a four-year mortgage statement showing repayments made, - confirmation from the person’s employer of employment and wages over the previous 13 weeks, -...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the disability allowance appeal by the person concerned has been referred to an Appeals Officer 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: A breakdown of the live register in December 2013 by number of dependents is detailed in the following tabular statement. Breakdown of live register claimants by number of dependents, December 2013 Percentage Number of Claimants Live Register Category 72.1% 285,114 Are claiming for themselves only (i.e. no dependents) including people signing for Credits. (of these 221,627 or 56% of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Divorce Process (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: Recognition of non-EU foreign divorces is governed by the Domicile and Recognition of Foreign Divorces Act 1986. Section 5 of the Act provides that a foreign divorce is recognised if granted in the country where either spouse was domiciled at the date of the institution of the proceedings for divorce. The Registrar General is the statutory officer responsible for the system of marriage...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 9th 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 the appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These were received in the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (23 Jan 2014)

Joan Burton: The Department is examining the operation of all its services, including the Community Welfare Service, in the context of the Pathways to Work commitments and the development of Intreo services nationally. A significant reform programme to ensure appropriate resources are focused in the provision of opportunities, supports and assistance for unemployed persons is well advanced. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (23 Jan 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 hold an oral hearing in this case on 4th February 2014. The person concerned has been notified of the arrangements for the hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...