Results 16,661-16,680 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The sustainability of the pension system is a particular concern because of the demographic challenges Ireland faces, the associated increases in pension (and other age related) costs, and the deterioration in the public finances. This means that, in the future, the task of financing increased pension spending will fall to a diminishing share of the working population as demographic...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 2013)

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 invalidity pension appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. With regard to the disablement pension appeal, I am further advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Benefits (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The replacement rate for given income levels is a tool used to measure the degree to which out-of-work benefits when unemployed replace take home income from work. While there is no pre-determined level of replacement rate, which would influence every individual’s decision to work, higher replacement rates may indicate lower incentives to take up employment. In this regard a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Freedom of Information Requests (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The response to the Deputy's question is provided in tabular format: No of requests 2012 1/1/2013 to 16/12/ 2013 Personal 1,581 n/a Non-personal 103 89 No of requests for which a fee was sought 2 5 Max fee sought €5,500 €200 No of requests not proceeded following the non-payment of fee 1 4

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: On 12 December 2013, the Department published a contract notice inviting tenders for the provision of employment services. This new programme, which is called “JobPath”, is aimed specifically at the long-term unemployed and those most at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. JobPath will be delivered by private/third party providers of employment services under contract to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The rent allowance claim for the person concerned has now been reviewed and the full extent of her eligibility has been reassessed. The outcome of this is that the amount she has been awarded has increased by €46.20 to €247.10 per month. This is based on her earnings from her casual part-time employment. An arrears payment for October and November has also been calculated and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Benefit Eligibility (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department received an application for carer’s benefit from the person in question on the 26th October 2012. Under the provisions of carer’s benefit and carer’s leave legislation, a person claiming carer’s benefit may take up limited employment outside the home for up to 15 hours per week. Earnings from this limited employment cannot exceed €332.50 per...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Child Benefit is paid up to and including the month of a child’s 16th birthday and continues to the month of the 18th birthday provided the child is in full-time education. In order for payment to continue after the age of sixteen, it is necessary for the school to certify that the child is in full-time education and will be until the age of eighteen. In the case of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Child Benefit is paid up to and including the month of a child’s 16th birthday and continues to the month of the 18th birthday provided the child is in full-time education. In order for payment to continue after the age of sixteen, it is necessary for the school to certify that the child is in full-time education and will be until the age of eighteen. In the case of the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th August 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: You will appreciate that it is not appropriate for me to comment on matters relating to an individual pension scheme. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2009 broadened the options available to the trustees of a pension scheme in the event of the restructure of scheme benefits to include the benefits of deferred scheme members and post retirement increases in such benefits. Prior to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer on 6th November 2013, 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: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The time taken to process claims for social welfare payments can vary due to a range of factors, including the complexity of the claim (e.g. whether or not it is subject to a means test, a test for medical conditionality or an assessment of the client’s residential status in the State) and the nature and completeness of the documentation submitted by the client in support of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Legislative Process RIA (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I have published seven Bills since taking office. To date, six of these have been enacted. Details are set out in the following table. Regulatory Impact Assessments (RIAs) are not ordinarily undertaken in relation to the package of measures announced in the annual Budget Day Statements or similar packages of measures. Accordingly, a RIA was not considered necessary in the case of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2nd July 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 Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection when I became Minister in March 2011 were: the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board), and the Social Welfare Tribunal. These bodies continue to operate under the aegis of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (19 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: 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, or a chairperson), and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Three chairpersons were in place when I became Minister in March 2011 and these three are still in that role.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Many points were raised and unfortunately our time has been cut very short. This is a rebalancing effort. We hope nobody has to suffer serious cuts in their pensions. If, as Deputy Ó Snodaigh stated, the fund is highly funded, which a significant number are, the consequent reduction would be far smaller than anything outlined in the legislation because it will be a repetitive process...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Very large.