Results 18,641-18,660 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Pre-Budget Consultation Process: Discussion with Minister for Social Protection (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank the Oireachtas joint committee for its invitation to appear before it to consider the budget and Estimates process for 2014. As the Chairman said, I recently appeared before the select committee to discuss the Revised Estimates for 2013. While we look forward to next year, it is important to outline some of the issues that I highlighted at the select committee meeting. I want to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 157 to 160, inclusive, together. The Revised estimate for SIF income for 2013 is €7.1 billion and the estimate for 2014 is €7.5 billion. The estimate for 2014 is subject to review pending receipt of details of actual receipts for 2013. The additional breakdown of information requested by the Deputy is not available. The Deputy may wish to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161 and 163 together. The contribution that people provide in caring for members of their own family is critical for society and it was for that reason that the Government last year adopted the National Carers’ Strategy – with a view to giving greater public recognition to carers and their work. In recognition of supporting carers to maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Family Income Supplement Appeals (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been registered by that office. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27 March 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 Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Appeals (10 Jul 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 Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (10 Jul 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 24 June 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 and is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (10 Jul 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 Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: A farmer who retired on the early retirement scheme and has reckonable income (including income from the letting of the farm land) over €5,000 is liable for Class S PRSI contributions on that income, provided the person is under pensionable age (currently 66) and no tax exemptions apply to the rental income from the farm. Where tax exemptions apply to the rental income from the farm...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: Class M PRSI relates to people with a nil contribution liability (such as employees under age 16, people aged 66 or over (including those previously liable for Class S), persons in receipt of occupational pensions or lump-sum termination payments and public office holders with a weekly income of less than €100 a week). PRSI credited contributions are an integral part of the social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: To qualify for carer’s allowance the applicant must satisfy a means test. The income which is taken into account for the means test is set out in legislation and regulations and described in the information material produced for the scheme. Money received as a rebate of past medical expenses, say under a scheme of medical insurance, is not assessable. However, money received as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 11th April 2013. This application was referred to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors who considered that the child was not medically eligible for the allowance. A letter issued on the 13th June 2013 advising of the decision. The person concerned subsequently requested a review of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 6 February 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. These papers were received in the Social Welfare Appeals Office on 28 May 2013 and the case...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Budget 2014 Issues (10 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I hosted a Pre- Budget forum in Dublin Castle on Friday, 5 July last. It was attended by 37 voluntary and community groups, including Active Retirement Ireland, Age Action Ireland, Alone, Barnardos, Care Alliance Ireland, Carers Association, Centre for Independent Living, Children’s Rights Alliance, Congress Centres Network, CROSSCARE, Cúram, Disability Federation of Ireland, End...

Other Questions: Paternity Leave (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: About 23,000 women take maternity leave every year. If it were available, it is estimated that half of all fathers would take some paternity leave. I favour the idea in principle. The cost of maternity leave is about €300 million. The difficulty with previous working groups was agreeing how such leave would be provided for and who would pay for it. There would have to be an agreed...

Other Questions: Paternity Leave (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: That is a de facto arrangement with employers, rather than a universal legislative arrangement, and it varies from employer to employer. If we were to change the system, there would be very significant issues of administration. None the less, especially as the economy recovers over time, it might be something we would consider as a socially progressive measure that would give more...

Other Questions: Mortgage Interest Supplement Eligibility (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 86 together. The purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme is to provide short-term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments. There are currently some 12,000 people in receipt of mortgage interest supplement, for which the Government has provided almost €42 million in 2013. To ensure that...

Other Questions: Mortgage Interest Supplement Eligibility (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: We are spending €42 million on this very important supplement, which is being received by around 12,000 people who are in difficulty with their mortgages. The critical issue is that there must be a solution between the borrower and the lender - namely, the bank and the person who is in difficulty. The Department of Social Protection spends €42 million on mortgage interest...

Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: I will have to come back to Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh on the details of the project. Yes, there is a role for enhanced investment in social housing, particularly at a time when we need stimulus programmes. We need to see some of those in the construction industry who have been long-term unemployed get back into employment. Under the recent stimulus programme my colleague, the Minister...

Other Questions: Paternity Leave (9 Jul 2013)

Joan Burton: While male employees are not entitled under law to either paid or unpaid paternity leave, they may be entitled to parental leave. Parental leave entitles parents who qualify to take a period of up to 18 weeks of unpaid leave from employment, generally in respect of children aged up to eight years. While there is no provision for a social insurance based payment for periods of parental...