Results 17,861-17,880 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (17 Oct 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 82,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Refunds (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: A four year limit on the return of PRSI contributions was introduced in the Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Act 2009 and has been in effect since 1 January 2010. The time limit governing the refund of PRSI contributions is in line with the arrangements of the Revenue Commissioners governing the refund of tax.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The customer was awarded her full entitlement to rent supplement and arrears on 9 October based on her household composition and circumstances.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Eligibility (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The review of the Domiciliary Care Allowance scheme (DCA), which was published in April 2013, makes a number of recommendations in relation to the medical eligibility guidelines pertaining to the scheme. Amongst these recommendations is the deletion of the advisory list of conditions more likely or less likely to be considered to qualify a child for DCA, (Appendix 8). In practice, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 106 together. 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 82,000 rent supplement recipients of whom...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Waiting Times (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 107 together. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the current average time taken to process disability allowance appeals decided by summary decision is 31.5 weeks and 40 weeks for those requiring an oral hearing. The current average time taken to process invalidity pension appeals decided by summary decision is 35.1 weeks and 41.7...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I would like in the first instance to refer the Deputy to the Annual Social Welfare Services Statistical Information Report, 2012 which provides most of the information requested by him and is available on www.welfare.ie. For convenience, I have set it out in the following tabular statement. State pension (non-contributory) 2011 2012 2013 - to date Registered 7,344 9,035 7,409 Awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Payments (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently some 11,000 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement for which the Government has provided almost €42 million in 2013. Statistics are not available on the number of applications for mortgage interest supplement that are currently pending.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested is contained in the following tables. Participants as at 30 September 2013 Programme Participants Supervisors Total CE 21,560 1,378 22,938 JI 1,077 40 1,117 RSS 2,584 130 2,714 Tús 6,752 344 7,096 CSP 1,764 308 2,072 Gateway - - - Total 33,737 2,200 35,937 Target participant numbers end 2014 Programme Total CE 25,300 JI 1,100 RSS 2,730...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government is implementing a number of programmes to assist young unemployed persons and keep young jobseekers close to the labour market. There are five main approaches being taken to tackle youth unemployment: education, training, job search assistance/guidance, work experience, and encouraging job creation. These actions range across a number of Departments and Agencies and include: -...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: JobsPlus was launched on 8th July 2013. This is a new incentive to encourage employers to recruit and employ persons who have been unemployed for long periods. It replaced this Department's Employer Job PRSI Incentive Scheme and the Revenue Job Assist Scheme managed by the Revenue Commissioners. Subject to meeting the eligibility criteria and creating a full-time position, employers will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I assume the Deputy’s Question refers to access to jobseeker allowance for people previously engaged in self-employment. A self-employed person may apply for jobseeker's allowance if their business ceases or their income reduces to a low level due a lack of demand for services. Jobseekers allowance is a means tested payment and income from self-employment activity is assessed by...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Levels (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: As of the end of September 2013 there were 408,670 people on the live register. The following is a breakdown by scheme and duration of this number for the Deputy's information. Live Register end of September, 2013 - Less than 2 years 2 Years and over Total Jobseeker's Allowance 190,653 121,739 312,392 Jobseeker's Benefit 61,535 179 61,714 Credits Only 18,694 15,870 34,564 Total...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (17 Oct 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. The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that State pension...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently in excess of 770,000 customers eligible for free travel and when spousal and companion passes are taken into account, there are over 1.2 million customers with some free travel eligibility. Expenditure on this scheme was frozen at 2010 levels by the previous Government. The available expenditure for the free travel scheme in 2013 is €77 million. The free travel...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (17 Oct 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (17 Oct 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 11th October 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (17 Oct 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 appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for jobseeker’s allowance in the case of the person concerned has been awarded. The first payment will be available for collection by the person concerned on Thursday 17 October at the full personal rate. The spouse of the person concerned can collect a separate payment for herself as an adult dependent on this claim and for five qualified children on the same date.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (17 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is in payment to the person concerned for her four children. Child benefit was awarded in February 2008 in respect of her two older children, payable from November 2007, the month she was granted permission to remain in Ireland. Child benefit was awarded for her 2 younger children from the month after they were born. According to the records of the Department there are no...