Results 18,021-18,040 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Eligibility (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These entitlements include wages, holiday pay, sick pay, payment in lieu of minimum notice due under the Minimum Notice & Terms of Employment Acts, 1973-2001, and certain pension contributions. Various other...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The community employment (CE) programme is a labour market intervention designed to assist the long-term unemployed return to the work force. The term for participants on CE has been set at two years maximum for those under 35 years of age by the Department. The person concerned has completed two years on Merchant’s Quay CE scheme as a support worker. As she is under 35 years of age,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I am very aware of the serious funding challenges facing pension schemes at this time. It is acknowledged that the fundamental problems facing defined benefits schemes are due to the requirements to fund increasing life expectancy as well as the impact of the recession which has resulted in lower than expected investment returns. The trustees of pension schemes are required to maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobBridge Scheme Eligibility (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 335 together. Individuals considering applying for internships should use the information published by the Department to assess their eligibility to participate in the JobBridge scheme. Eligibility requirements include that the individual be in receipt of a qualifying Social Welfare payment or signing for credits of 78 days within the last 6...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Insolvency Payments Scheme Eligibility (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The purpose of the insolvency payments scheme is to protect certain outstanding pay-related entitlements due to employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. These entitlements include wages, holiday pay, sick pay, payment in lieu of minimum notice due under the Minimum Notice & Terms of Employment Acts, 1973-2001, and certain pension contributions. Various other...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: As an important control measure, payments of one parent family payment at Blanchardstown Intreo Office are now being paid to customers at their nominated Post Office. Only in exceptional circumstances such as having a severe medical condition, hospitalisation of the customer, or where an urgent caring need exists can payments now be paid into a bank account. Based on the information held...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: All applicants for carers’ allowance, regardless of nationality, are required to be habitually resident in the State in order to qualify for the allowance. The requirement to establish that a person is habitually resident for the purpose of claiming certain categories of Social Welfare Allowances is governed by requirements in EC Regulation 883/2004 and its implementing Regulation...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Issues (8 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: Pension Provisions (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Short term social welfare schemes are payable to age 66, including illness benefit. Each application for any social welfare scheme, including the illness schemes, is assessed on its own merit in terms of qualifying criteria and contribution history. Where a person fails to meet the qualifying conditions of an insurance based scheme, the means tested assistance payment may be available...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Review (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The delivery of the Intreo service comprises a number of elements. The main elements being: i. The integration of the various welfare decision making processes to speed up decision making and minimise recourse to supplementary welfare payments; ii. The introduction of a profiling process to capture the unique characteristics and service requirements of each jobseeker; iii. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dental Services Expenditure (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The treatment benefit scheme is funded through PRSI contributions, with payments made to dentists on the basis of demand from qualified PRSI contributors for the free annual examination. The cost of the dental benefit scheme for each of the past two complete years is set out in the table below: Year Cost 2011 €9.15 million 2012 €8.94 million

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dental Services Expenditure (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: In 2012, the estimated number of people eligible for this Department's dental benefit scheme was 2.2 million (qualifying either on their own PRSI or on their spouses'). Dental benefit was actually claimed by 270,602 people in 2012, equating to 12.3% of the eligible population.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Government is committed to helping one-parent families to become economically independent. Under Pathways to Work 2013, the Department is developing proposals for the extension of activation interventions, such as profiling and personal engagements, to customers of the Department who are not on the Live Register, including lone parents. These proposals are due to be finalised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was received in that office on 2nd August 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: Carer's Allowance Appeals (8 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 16th April 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: Retirement Issues (3 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 to 132, inclusive, together. It should be noted that there is no statutory compulsory retirement age for employees in Ireland. Responsibility for setting retirement age is a matter for the employer/employee relationship and the contract of employment. It should also be noted that individuals who are awarded a State pension contributory at age 66 can...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (3 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The European Commission is only providing funding for at most one pilot Youth Guarantee Scheme per Member State. In the case of Ireland, funding was sought and awarded for the Ballymun area due to its particularly high level of youth unemployment. An implementation plan for national delivery of a Youth Guarantee commencing from 2014 onwards will be drawn up by the end of this year. This...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (3 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 17 September 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 Department...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code Issues (3 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: It is a fundamental principle of the social insurance system that those qualifying for benefits must satisfy a range of contribution and other conditions, including a sufficient and on-going attachment to the social insurance system. Once fulfilment of those conditions is achieved, there are a number of additional payments that may be available to recipients in certain circumstances. One...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (3 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Increasing the 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 the 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...