Results 19,081-19,100 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The reason that the Department of Social Protection (DSP) is taking the lead role in the implementation of the Youth Guarantee Scheme (YGS) is because the YGS is primarily concerned with activating young people, who are not in work, into employment through employment services, work experience, internships, education or training. Given that labour market activation is the primary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 121 together. Securing EU Council approval for an EU wide Youth Guarantee was one of the priorities of the Irish Presidency and I am pleased to say that current approval was secured during my chairmanship of the Council of European Employment and Social Welfare Ministers (EPSCO). I am determined that the Youth Guarantee be implemented as quickly and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Ballymun pilot project is due to start 4 months after getting approval for our proposal from the Commission. The latest communication from the Commission has intimated that a decision on proposals will be made by the end of this month. Hence, if approved, the Ballymun pilot can be expected to start in October. The various stakeholders will be brought together during the initial...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer having fully considered all the available evidence disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeal Officer's decision on 11th June 2013. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Care Services Provision (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Childcare policy and the provision of childcare is the responsibility of my colleague Minister Frances Fitzgerald, T.D. and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs currently administers the Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme and the Childcare Employment and Training Support Scheme (CETS). CCS funds some 1,000 community-based...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (19 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 19 March 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 13 June...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Appeals (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned has not been received 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 on social welfare entitlements.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Over the last number of years, a number of changes have been made to community employment to improve cost efficiency and programme effectiveness. The change process is ongoing and the Department is committed to the maintaining and improving the programme. The overall number of places available under community employment has been increased by 2,000 to 25,300 (including supervisors) in 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Eligibility (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The child benefit claim of the person concerned has been disallowed as she does not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition. She has been informed of her right to appeal the decision to the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Appeals (19 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 14th June 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 received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Payments (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: A decision regarding payment of arrears of jobseeker's allowance for the period 3rd January to 30th January 2013 cannot be made until the person concerned outlines his reason(s) for failing to collect the supplementary payments during this period. The prospective employer's letter provided by the person concerned was dated 6th January 2013. The Deciding Officer rang the person...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: When investigating eligibility for social assistance schemes, it is necessary to ask applicants to provide financial information as part of the means assessment process. It is normal practice that the customer is given the opportunity either to obtain the information him/herself directly from the financial institution or, alternatively, they can provide a mandate authorising a Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an oral hearing, of this case, was scheduled to be heard on 19th February 2013. At the hearing the person concerned, through his solicitor, requested an adjournment of the hearing pending the receipt of his file which had been requested but not yet received. The request for an adjournment was granted. The Appeals Officer...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Delays (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Carer’s allowance section has been involved in a business process improvement review and backlog elimination programme. New structures and processes were set up to deal with the normal weekly intake of new claims along with a dedicated team to clear the backlog of claims that had built up over the course of 18 months or so. All backlogged claims were actioned by the target date of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Eligibility (19 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 133 and 134 together. Invalidity Pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. Permanently incapable of work is defined as an incapacity for work of such a nature that the likelihood is that the claimant will be incapable of work for life or an incapacity...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (19 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 30th 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 received, the case will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Creation Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Jim Daly for the work he has done and the thought he has given to how the Government can improve incentives and target people who are long-term unemployed. We expect to launch JobsPlus in early July and we will see how the scheme goes. I had an opportunity, as part of the roll-out of the Pathways to Work scheme, to visit eight or nine major locations with a departmental...

Topical Issue Debate: Job Creation Issues (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I thank Deputy Jim Daly for raising this important matter. Support for job creation is central to Government policy at all times, and particularly in times of high unemployment. The employer job PRSI scheme and the Revenue job assist scheme are aimed at incentivising employers. As the Deputy has pointed out, neither of these schemes achieved a high level of utilisation. Both schemes were...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fishing Communities (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The employment status of fishing crew members, including inshore fishing crew members, reflects the differing pay and conditions that apply, which varies throughout the fishing sector. Where a crew member is paid a set wage, even where it may be supplemented by reference to a share in the catch, the worker is generally considered to be an employee and covered for all benefits and pensions at...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The recently published European Commission report, 'The Gender Gap in Pensions in the EU', deals with the gender gap in pensions across Europe and is the first study of its kind. The study reveals that across the 27 EU Member States, women who are currently in receipt of pensions, receive average amounts which are 39% lower than those of men. For Ireland, the report indicates this pensions...