Results 16,881-16,900 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned informed Blanchardstown Intreo Office that he would be absent from the country for 4 weeks from 24 September to 21 October 2013. As is normal procedure, his payments of jobseeker’s allowance were suspended pending him contacting the office upon his return. After 4 weeks, when the person concerned did not present himself at the office, his claim was closed. He...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The household composition in the case of the person concerned is that of three adults and one child. Each of the adults in the household is in receipt of a social welfare payment. The minimum combined contributions to the rent of the person concerned and the liable adults residing as provided for in the regulations is €92.00 per week or €398.60 per month. The monthly rent...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Applications (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned re-applied for mortgage interest supplement on 9 October 2013. On 23 October 2013 he was requested to furnish supporting documentation. While some documentation required has been received, a letter requesting the outstanding information issued on 28th November 2013. A decision on eligibility will be made when all the necessary documentation is received.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a weekly illness benefit payment at a reduced rate and a top-up supplementary welfare allowance payment. His total payment is equivalent to the maximum weekly personal rate of supplementary welfare allowance payable less a deduction of €10 regarding an overpayment on illness benefit payment.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is in receipt of a jobseeker’s allowance payment at the weekly rate of €223.40 which comprises: Allowance Rate Personal rate €188.00 Increase for Qualified Adult €124.80 Increase for 2 Qualified Children €59.60 Sub Total €372.40 Less means from spousal employment €149.00 Total Weekly Payment €223.40 This is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Guardian's Payment Applications (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The deciding officer dealing with the claim of the person concerned is awaiting further information before a decision can be made on the applicant’s eligibility to guardian’s payment. On receipt of the outstanding information the applicant will be notified of the decision without delay.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Guardian's Payment Appeals (5 Dec 2013)

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 applicant was notified of this decision. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (5 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Increasing State pension age and the abolition of the State pension (transition) 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. These changes are already provided for in legislation. The Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (4 Dec 2013)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (4 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 the 10th 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 papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Reports (4 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. There are approximately 80,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 17th October 2013. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will issue to the person concerned. It can take up to 8 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Data (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: My Department accepts reports of possible fraud from members of the public in relation to the operation of its schemes and uses both a dedicated phone number and a facility on the Department’s website for this purpose. Members of the public are asked to provide as much detail as possible about the case they are reporting and they can do so anonymously. Reports can be made as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The personal rate of State pension contributory is a non means-tested payment based on PRSI contributions paid to the Social Insurance Fund over a working life. To qualify a person needs to: - enter insurable employment by age 55 for State Pension (transition) and age 56 for State Pension (contributory); - have paid 520 full rate social insurance contributions; - have a yearly average...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received in that office on 16th 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 21st ...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The Community Employment Operating Guidelines issued to Sponsors state that participants are paid the appropriate weekly rate for a maximum initial period of 52 weeks irrespective of the specific working arrangement. CE participant wages are paid weekly on a current week basis. For example if a participant starts on a community employment scheme on a Monday they will be paid on the Thursday...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Death Certificates Issues (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The loss of a child in any circumstances is an extremely tragic event for a family and I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to those families who have lost children. The procedures governing the registration of deaths are provided for under Part 5 of the Civil Registration Act, 2004. When a death occurs, it is registered on foot of a certificate of cause of death supplied by a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Security of the Elderly (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: The overall concern of the Government in this and previous budgets has been to protect the primary weekly social welfare rates. Maintaining the rate of the State pension and other core payments is critical in relation to protecting people from poverty. To allow us to protect these core payments, we have had to look very carefully at other additional payments. The cost of the telephone...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (4 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. There are approximately 81,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (4 Dec 2013)

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for pay related social insurance (PRSI) at a rate of 4%, which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). This compares to employees in respect of whom a combined 14.75% rate, under full-rate PRSI Class A, is paid giving entitlement to the full...