Results 19,021-19,040 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

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

Joan Burton: We are talking here about a mutual obligation, namely, the State supporting people who have, unfortunately, lost their job but the other side of that relationship is a commitment and an undertaking from the person on jobseeker's allowance that they will engage in a meaningful way when offers are made to them in regard to various opportunities for education, training and engaging with the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Unemployment Statistics (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The definition of unemployment used in the above-mentioned survey is self-defined unemployment as opposed to the stricter definition used by the ILO. While the methods used in the survey can be questioned (e.g. door-to-door surveys can capture less employed people as they are more likely to be out at work) and recent Live Register figures show that there has been a 4.8% decrease in the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax and Social Welfare Codes (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: In line with commitments contained in the Programme for Government, I established an Advisory Group on Tax and Social Welfare in June 2011, with the aim of harnessing expert opinion and experience to examine a number of specific issues. These include making cost-effective proposals for improving employment incentives and achieving better poverty outcomes, particularly child poverty outcomes....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 349 and 352 together. This application for carer's allowance was disallowed on the 4th of June 2013. The additional information supplied with your question is currently being reviewed by a deciding officer. Once processed, the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: According to the records of this Department, the person concerned has not applied for a back to education allowance. It is open to the person concerned to submit an application to her local office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: According to the records of this Department, no recent application for a one parent family payment has been submitted from the person concerned. It is open to the person concerned to submit such an application to her local office and also to make an application for a supplementary welfare allowance to her local community welfare service.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Foster Care Expenditure (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned is in receipt of a qualified child increase on his State contributory pension and is also the recipient of child benefit for his grandson. The person concerned has been forwarded a claim form for a guardian's payment (contributory). He should complete and return the form to the Department. On receipt of claim form, his entitlement to a guardian's payment will be fully...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Foster Care Expenditure (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: According to the records of the Department, the person concerned has not applied for an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) on her widows contributory pension. She is currently in receipt of a supplementary welfare allowance payment in respect of her granddaughter. An application form to apply for an IQC on her widows contributory pension has been forwarded to the person concerned. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Nursing Home Services (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I understand this Question refers to nursing home charges, the person concerned should contact the Health Service Executive in relation to the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (25 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 14th 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 and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Yield (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The table below gives the estimated revenue to the Social Insurance Fund from employees’ PRSI, employers’ PRSI and self-employed PRSI for the years 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. 2010 2011 2012 2013 Employer € 5,000,275 € 5,460,786 € 4,994,724 € 5,205,345 Employee € 1,377,140 € 1,617,352 € 1,479,626 € 1,542,020...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Child benefit is a universal payment that assists parents with the cost of raising children and it contributes towards alleviating child poverty. The estimated expenditure on child benefit in 2013 is around €1.9 billion and it is currently paid to around 613,000 families in respect of some 1.17 million children. The Government is conscious that child benefit, as a universal payment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Illness Benefit Appeals (25 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 30th 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 and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is independently responsible for determining appeals against decisions on social welfare entitlements. The role and function of the office is to provide and deliver an independent, accessible and fair appeals service in a prompt and courteous manner. Appeals Officers are statutorily appointed by the Minister for Social Protection to act as administrative...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal, by the person concerned, was registered in that office on 03rd April 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. When these are received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The class of PRSI payable by an individual is determined by the terms and conditions of the employment in which they are engaged. Generally an individual is classified for PRSI purposes as either an employee or self-employed. When determining whether an individual is employed or self-employed, consideration is given to the Code of Practice for Determining the Employment or Self-employment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Rates (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Persons who cease to be covered by compulsory social insurance, including those who were previously self-employed, may opt to protect their existing long-term social insurance pension entitlements by becoming insured on a voluntary basis and paying voluntary contributions. Payment of voluntary contributions does not provide social insurance cover for short term benefits such as illness...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Tús is a community work placement initiative aimed at providing up to 7,500 short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. The initiative is being delivered through the network of local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas – referred to as Implementing Bodies (IBs). Implementing Bodies play the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Eligibility (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provides that state pension age will be increased gradually to 68 years. This will begin in 2014 with the abolition of the state pension (transition) thereby standardising state pension age for all at 66 years. The state pension age will be further increased to 67 years in 2021 and to 68 years in 2028. These changes apply to all fully insured...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (25 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 376 together. The Department takes the view that internships in the Education Sector are a special case where interns, who under the terms of the scheme are entitled to receive a high quality real workplace experience, are at risk of missing out on that high quality internship experience during academic holidays. I accept that there may be some...