Results 18,061-18,080 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Revised Eligibility Criteria for State Pension (Contributory): Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: From September 2012, new rate bands for State pension were introduced. These additional payment rate bands more accurately reflect the social insurance history of a person and ensure that those who contribute more during a working life, all other things being equal, benefit more in retirement than those with fewer contributions. That is the reason my comment on the non-contributory pension...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Revised Eligibility Criteria for State Pension (Contributory): Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank the committee for the opportunity afforded to me to discuss policy issues in respect of the revised eligibility criteria relating to the contributory State pension, including averaging the number of PRSI contributions over the years. As requested, my opening statement will be brief. The State pension is a key social welfare payment. It is the fundamental basis for the pension...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 Issues (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Revised Estimates for the Department provide for expenditure of over €189 million in 2013 on back to education allowance in relation to an estimated 23,350 recipients. The Deputy will be aware that the Expenditure Report 2013 published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform last December provides for additional new expenditure reduction measures of €440 million...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Yield (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 to 181, inclusive, together. The table below gives the estimated yield that would be achieved from increasing Employer PRSI from 10.75% to 12%, 13%, 14% and 15% respectively. The percentage increases in Employer PRSI are applied to income in excess of the thresholds specified by the Deputy. Threshold for higher Employer PRSI Rate of Employer PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Appeals (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned had been receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit until 20 July 2013. His claim was then examined to determine his entitlement to Jobseeker’s Allowance. This is a means-tested payment. His wife is in employment and after applying the relevant criteria to her income she is deemed to be earning in excess of the amount permitted under legislation. This decision has been...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (2 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 12 July 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 have been received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (2 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 29 July 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 an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Administration (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 to 188, inclusive, together. The JobBridge National Steering Committee met 6 times in 2013; 7 times in 2012 and 6 times in 2011. The participation of members of the National Steering Committee is not remunerated. They receive no allowances to cover expenses. The meetings are generally held in the Department of Social Protection's premises. There has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local Authority Work Placement Programme (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Gateway is a new initiative between my Department and county and city councils, the objective being to providing 3,000 part-time quality work placements by the end of the first quarter 2014. Participants will be randomly selected for this initiative by this Department from those on the Live Register for 24 months or more and currently in receipt of a jobseekers payment. Those agreeing to be...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Local Authority Work Placement Programme (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Gateway aims to improve the employability and work readiness of participants by providing them with the opportunities to put their work skills into practice and to learn new skills to enable them to progress to work, further education or other development opportunities. In line with Pathways to Work, Gateway will provide, for those selected, opportunities to maintain work readiness and to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Formal offers of a place on a suitable full-time training course are made to persons in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance as part of the Department's activation process. The timing and nature of an offer depends on the Jobseeker's individual characteristics, the availability of training places and the demand by employers for staff with particular skills. Some of the courses cited are...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Property Taxation Collection (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: In line with the arrangements in place by the Revenue Commissioners for the local property tax (LPT), property owners can voluntarily opt to have their liabilities met by deduction at source from salary or occupational pension. This includes Tús participants. Where individuals do not submit an LPT return or fail to meet their LPT payment obligations, mandatory deduction at source from...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: As per the commitment made under Action 52 of the Action Plan for Jobs, my Department releases a quarterly report on performance against the Pathways to Work targets. The Pathways to Work Performance report for Quarter 2 is available at at the following link: .

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Administration (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand that the National Transport Authority (NTA) earlier this month launched a public consultation process on its plans to enter into another direct award contract with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann from December 2014, to amend those contracts in 2016 to reduce the services within those contracts by approximately 10% and, to provide the removed services through separate contracts...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Regulation (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I cannot comment on issues relating to a particular pension scheme. The Pensions Board supervises the regulation of individual schemes in accordance with the Pensions Act.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief Application (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are currently approximately 11,300 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided almost €41.8 million in 2013. The Department is compiling the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Farm Assist Scheme Appeals (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was referred to an Appeals Officer who has decided to convene an oral hearing in this case. Every effort will be made to hear the case as quickly as possible and the appellant will be informed as soon as arrangements for the oral hearing have been made. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Consultancy Contracts Expenditure (2 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: No consultants have been contracted by me or my Department, since 1 January 2013, to advise on the possible sale of any assets.

Topical Issue Debate: Community Welfare Services (1 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank the Deputies. Let me explain a little of the background. Some 1,000 staff transferred from the HSE to the Department of Social Protection in October 2011. At that time, my Department took over 900 clinics, many of which were situated at crossroads and in hotels, as the Deputies will be aware, for an hour, a half-hour or even, in some cases, ten minutes. Previously, a large part...

Topical Issue Debate: Community Welfare Services (1 Oct 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputies Dara Calleary, Seán Kyne and Thomas Pringle for raising this issue. The Department is examining the operation of all its services, including the community welfare service, in the context of the Pathways to Work commitments and the development of Intreo services nationally. The Pathways to Work programme represents a significant reform in the social welfare system...