Results 17,461-17,480 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: We got it down to €226 million, and they are very difficult decisions. Everything in social welfare affects an individual, a family or a community. However, on balance, I believe we have a budget that strongly supports people to get back to work. I listened with interest to the contribution by the Sinn Féin Senator. When I last checked, Sinn Féin has been in government in...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I certainly hope that the review of the apprenticeship scheme being carried out by the Minister for Education and Skills will become one of the opportunities. The mortgage interest supplement was also raised by many Senators. In recent years during this crisis, the Department of Social Protection has spent €319 million on mortgage interest supplement. I would like to outline two...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Senators on all sides of the House who contributed to the debate, particularly those who put forward useful proposals. This is the third successive budget in which the Government has protected all weekly primary welfare rates. I have met extensively, on a weekly basis from April onwards, with organisations advocating on behalf of older people, carers, people with disabilities and so...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: It is little wonder that the protection of primary rates is a priority for people given the actions taken by Fianna Fáil and the Green Party in government.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Amnesia seems to be well in favour with Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The bottom line is that it was Fianna Fáil which introduced cuts in primary rates. I listened carefully to what Senator Mary White had to say. I refuse to accept, however, that anybody in this House, of any party or none, actually believes it is in the interests of young people in this country to have a social welfare system which facilitates people as young as 18 years of age in going...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Senators will appreciate that it is a difficult job to find the resources to finance everything I would like to provide. In regard to work incentives, we are opening up the JobsPlus scheme to include people under 26 years of age who are unemployed for six months or more. JobBridge is already open to those who have been unemployed for three months. We have to get employers in this country,...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: It is very important that we send out a message this evening asking employers to think creatively. Can they take on some extra young people who unfortunately have found themselves unemployed and give them an opportunity to get working? We have already had 22,000 people on the JobBridge internship scheme. The report from Indecon shows that 60% of those people go on to further significant...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: They all talk now.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: No, not at all. It is a matter for the insurance company.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: It will not affect the individual.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: There is provision for those aged 62 years.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: Absolutely not. That is a matter for the insurance company, not the individual.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I did not.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: In recent days we have seen another welcome indicator that Ireland's economic recovery is continuing. The live register has fallen below 400,000 for the first time in over four years. This is not a cause for celebration-----

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: -----because the number of people out of work remains far too high, but it confirms that the Government has taken the right measures since coming into office and inheriting an unprecedented crisis. The labour market is improving because of the policies we have pursued, and that is why the economy is healing - slowly but surely. We are exiting the bailout programme and we can look forward to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection directs, funds, and manages a range of work placement and training initiatives in pursuit of Government policies, particularly Pathways to Work. Community employment is the primary scheme through which training associated work placements is delivered via a network of over 1,000 community and voluntary companies and bodies across the country. The rural...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 411 and 515 together. Generally persons between 16 years and under pensionable age are liable to PRSI on all of their different forms of income. All workers pay PRSI on their earnings from employment or self-employment. In the case of individuals who more than one income source, PRSI is generally paid on all forms of income. For example in the case of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 and 484 together. The halving of the 8.5% employer rate to 4.25% was implemented on a 2½ year time limited basis, as part of the Jobs Initiative, to apply from 1 July 2011 until 31 December 2013. The 4.25% employer PRSI rate currently applied to employees with weekly earnings of €356 or less will therefore revert to the original 8.5% rate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Birth Certificate Issues (5 Nov 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 413 and 415 together. Under section 46 of the Status of Children Act 1987, there is a presumption that the spouse is the father of a child. Section 22 of the Civil Registration Act, 2004 requires that, in order to support a declaration that the spouse is not the father of the child, it is required to have separation, divorce or nullity papers, a rebuttal...