Results 16,681-16,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: My proposal is not exactly the same as that in the Mercer report.

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

Joan Burton: I improved significantly the thresholds for pensioners.

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

Joan Burton: Those with a pension under €12,000 are totally protected under the scheme. The median pension is €11,000. Second, almost all such pensioners also have an entitlement to the State contributory pension of roughly €12,000.

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

Joan Burton: That brings their cumulative pension to roughly €24,000 which, in the context of the average industrial wage of around €34,000 to €36,000, is moderately good. I would like to see it higher, which is why I would like to see the OECD's recommendation of a supplementary scheme being implemented in Ireland as economic conditions improve.

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

Joan Burton: Those in the Irish trade union movement have gone to extraordinary lengths to seek to protect members' interests, but one must bear in mind the difficulty that there are three different categories of member. What we have tried to do here is to balance the interests of the three categories of member in a difficult situation. I note that Deputy Shortall suggests in one amendment that anyone...

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

Joan Burton: Since becoming Minister, I have commissioned the most comprehensive review of pension schemes in the midst of all the economic difficulties that beset Ireland following the bank guarantee and the collapse in the construction sector. The OECD has strongly recommended, in the context of the continuing difficulties experienced by defined benefit pension schemes over a long period - the problems...

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

Joan Burton: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that a decision in relation to the appeal of the person concerned should issue within the next two weeks. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: A claim form for State pension (contributory) has been sent to the person concerned. On receipt of the completed claim form, his entitlement to pension will be fully examined and he will be notified of the outcome without delay. Periods of self-employed insurance will be taken into account in the assessment of his pension entitlement.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: It is standard Departmental practice to make jobseeker payments at the customers designated post office. The vast majority of jobseeker customers receive their payments in this manner on a weekly basis. Exceptions are made in certain circumstances, for instance while a person is undertaking a course of study under the back to education allowance, partaking of an internship under the Work...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Issues (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, provides a high quality personal service to assist people who are over indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. The table below provides details of the number of people in Cork City and County...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 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 7 October 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 have been received from the Department, the case in question will be referred to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The processing of rent supplement applications for County Carlow was transferred some months ago to a centralised rents unit for the Mid Leinster area. There was an initial accumulation of applications following the transfer of rents that resulted in unavoidable delays in awarding. All claims are now being processed within a two week period from application where all relevant information is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: It is sincerely regretted that a reply regarding the jobseeker’s allowance enquiry in relation to the person concerned did not issue to the Minister’s office in a timely manner. The file was with the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office and the correspondence should have been forwarded promptly from the Western Divisional Office to that office. I can confirm that the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was disallowed a rent supplement on the grounds that their means exceed the amount payable to a person in their circumstances.New information provided by the Minister’s office has been forwarded to a Designated Officer who is currently reviewing the rent allowance payable. A decision will be made on their entitlement and the person concerned will be notified of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Following a review, the person concerned was awarded a rent supplement payment from 18th November 2013 at the weekly rate of €29.80 with an overpayment deduction of €10.00 giving him a net weekly payment of €19.80. He was informed of this decision on 12th November 2013. It is open to the person concerned to appeal this decision by writing to the independent Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person has been awarded State pension (non-contributory) with effect from 23rd November 2012, the date of application. Arrears will issue this week and the pension will commence in payment after Christmas.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Payments (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: At the end of August 2013, 41,391 customers were in receipt of FIS with 3,595 or 9% recorded as public servants. Of these, 1,365 (3% of the overall number of FIS recipients and almost 38% of the total public servant recipients) were recorded as members of the Defence Forces. At the end of November 2013, 43,668 customers were in receipt of FIS with 3,744 or 9% recorded as Public Servants. Of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together. 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 in include the benefits of deferred scheme member and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (18 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. This department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 25 September 2012. His application for IP was disallowed by a deciding officer (DO) on the ground that the person concerned was deemed to be engaged in...