Results 18,321-18,340 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (18 Sep 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 28th May 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Applications (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The means assessed on the jobseekers allowance claim of the person concerned was based on the capital value of a property owned by him.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pensions Reform (18 Sep 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: Disability Allowance Appeals (18 Sep 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 5 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: Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: Creating jobs and reducing unemployment are key challenges facing the Government. The tax and social protection systems have a part to play in addressing these challenges and in ensuring work is remunerative. To this end, I established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare, with the aim of harnessing expert opinion and experience to examine a number of specific issues. These include...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Eligibility (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The family income supplement (FIS) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. FIS is designed to prevent child and family poverty and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment as compared to social welfare payments. To qualify for payment of FIS, a person must be engaged in full-time insurable employment which is expected to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Bodies Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The recommendations arising the Critical Review on the Pensions Board were approved by Government in April 2013 and were provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013. The governance structure of the Pensions Board is being restructured with two distinct arms as follows: - Oversight of the Pensions Board will be undertaken by a three person body called the Pensions Authority,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The report of the Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare on child and family income supports was published in February 2013. It makes important recommendations as to how child benefit could be maintained as a universal payment while reforming the current system of child and family income supports through a two-tier payment so as to better target those who need these supports most, while...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Payments (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when their children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €48.8m for the scheme in 2013. Up to 2010 the scheme was administered by the Community Welfare Service of the Health Service (HSE) on behalf of the Department of Social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme Payments (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 598 to 601, inclusive, together. The free travel scheme permits free travel on most CIE public transport services, Luas and a range of services offered by over 90 private operators in various parts of the country at a cost to the exchequer of some €75.6 million in 2012. My Department also provides limited funding of some €1.5 million for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Live Register Data (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: A small number of disallowed jobseekers claims are included in the live register published total each month. There were 687 such disallowed claimants in the end August 2013 live register count. This figure does not include any claimants in the self-employed jobseekers category as this group is excluded from the live register.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Defined Benefit Pension Schemes Issues (18 Sep 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: Departmental Advertising Expenditure (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The total amount spent on all media advertising in the last five years is outlined in the following table: Total Cost of Media Advertising 2009 - 2013 to date Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 (To date) Expenditure (€) 198,000 141,000 115,000 123,000 33,000 Expenditure on advertising by the Department falls into two main categories: routine newspaper advertising such as advising...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Appointments (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Citizens Information Board The legislative provisions relating to the Citizens Information Board (C.I.B.) are contained in the Comhairle Act 2000 and Citizens...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Appointments (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 607 together. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Citizens Information Board There are currently two vacancies on the Citizens Information Board. Both...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (18 Sep 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 30 August 20103, 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: Employment Support Services (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: In line with the commitments given in Pathways to Work, eligibility for the Momentum initiative is targeted at the long term unemployed. To qualify for a momentum course a person must be unemployed and on the live register for 312 days or longer. Periods spent on a FÁS course may count towards meeting the eligibility criteria provided the person has completed the scheme and is back on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 Issues (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: No decisions have yet been taken by the government in relation to social welfare expenditure for next year, and any such decisions in relation to specific social welfare schemes will be a matter for the Budget.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (18 Sep 2013)

Joan Burton: The aim of Community Employment (CE) remains as an active labour market programme with the emphasis on progression into employment and/or further education and training. The core eligibility criterion for CE is that the person is in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a year or more. At present, persons signing for credits or who are otherwise ineligible for a social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobs Initiative (18 Sep 2013)

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