Results 18,981-19,000 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (26 Jun 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 27th May 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 Appeals Status (26 Jun 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 19th 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I refer the Deputy to the reply to his previous question on this matter (Reference No. 30220/13) which was issued on 25 June 2013. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy has previously been advised with respect to plans for 2013 I have published a comprehensive set of performance targets, set out on a on a quarter by quarter basis, on the Department's website . I intend to publish my Department's performance against these targets starting in July of this year with the results of the first quarter available before close of business on 28 June...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (26 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: A key objective of the transfer of the Community Welfare Service from the Health Service Executive to the Department on 1st October 2011 was to provide a streamlined and consistent service to the customer. As part of this process and to support the Department's activation commitments under the Pathways to Work Programme, it has been necessary to review the administration of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection has only three boards and representation of women on those boards is exceptionally strong. The Department contributes extensively to the Government meeting the overall requirement of 40% in gender representation of either gender. We will advertise the positions on the pensions council under the Public Appointments Service as vacancies on the Citizens...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: We have an existing Pensions Board, which was established in the early 1990s. While it does have consumer interests, representatives of trade unions and employers on the board, there is a large complement of people from various sectors of the pensions industry. I am anxious for the new council to have a strong consumer orientation. Younger people are, by and large, entering into defined...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand the point of view shared by the Senators and confess to tabling similar amendments. However, I am not in a position to accept the amendment. The amendment proposes that the premier title be "An Chomhairle na Pinsean". The English version is being used again because, in this particular case, it will be easier for the majority of the public to recognise and identify the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Senator will be aware that I published the first comprehensive Government report on charges attached to pension provision in Ireland last October. The purpose of the pension charges report was to gather information on the level of pension charges levied in Ireland, to assess whether charges are reasonable and transparent, to report on the findings and to make recommendations. The report...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: It can arise.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The most common debt due to an individual is where a person has a deposit in a bank, the bank is holding the person's money and that money is owed to the individual. It is implicitly moneys on deposit with institutions such as banks but it could be held by other people. If they have such moneys, they would be taken into account in the broad consideration of their capacity to repay. I am...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Section 343D, the follow-on section, sets out the procedures. Guidelines will be drafted, based on the Revenue guidelines which will set out, as does section 343D, the broad procedures on page 32 of the Bill, as amended by the Dáil.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The procedures are set out fairly broadly in section 343D and will be augmented by regulations which will be published and laid before the House once the Bill is enacted. It will take about two months to prepare them.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Section 343E(3) sets out the parallel situation to the 15%. It reads: The Minister, in determining the rate of periodical deductions under subsection (2), and in addition to considering the matters under section 343C shall not - (a ) without the prior written agreement of the overpaid person, determine a rate that exceeds 15 per cent of the net weekly emoluments to which the person concerned...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: We do not want a situation where the recovery of the amount is so onerous that the person would go on social welfare. If the person is in employment or has a business the object is not to destabilise that in any way but to reach a reasonable arrangement to recover the amounts.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I should add one further point. The actual overpayment recovery arrangements in this section will come into effect by way of a commencement order that will be made after the enactment of this legislation and its signing by the President as soon as the necessary administrative arrangements and the guidelines to which I refer are put in place. We will issue public notices through our...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: As I said, in many ways the provision here is a last resort because the attachment powers will be only exercised where the person who has been overpaid has failed to discharge or engage with the Department on an outstanding overpayment. One must satisfy that a reasonable capacity to repay exists, namely: that the person has sufficient earnings or money held on deposit so that reparation can...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: There is quite an amount of detail in the section. In addition, officials will spend a couple of months writing up fairly detailed guidelines modelled on Revenue's approach to this area. I can assure the Senator that circumstances will be taken into account. The only other mechanism open to the Department at the moment is the much more cumbersome route of going to court. This will be a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Yes. Part of amendment No. 15a states that prior to giving a notice under section 343D(1), the Minister, in determining the circumstances of the overpaid people, will take into account the following: their personal and family circumstances; any statutory deductions that may affect their earnings or income; the amount of the overpayment; the period of time for which the overpayment is...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: It is always open to a person to speak to somebody in the Department and reach a deal and on most occasions people find the Department very reasonable, depending on what are their overall economic circumstances. My advice is that if an overpayment has arisen, the person should speak to somebody in the Department to make a reasonable arrangement. If a reasonable arrangement is made on a...