Results 19,121-19,140 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222 and 252 together. Official labour market figures published by the CSO recently indicate that the number of unemployed people aged under 25 in Ireland has fallen by 10,000 on the same time a year earlier to 54,000. The unemployment rate for young people has fallen from 29.7% to 26.6% over the same period. This downward movement in unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Cost (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Programme for Government commits to a zero tolerance approach towards social welfare fraud. The Department of Social Protection’s Fraud Initiative which I launched in September 2011 further articulates this overarching policy objective. A key priority is to ensure that fraudulent activity within the social welfare system is vigorously prevented and combatted. The approach is one...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Services for People with Disabilities (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: My Department provides a range of income and employment supports for people with disabilities, including those with autism. The disability allowance (DA) scheme provides income support to people aged between 16 and 66 who have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year and who are consequently substantially...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance Applications (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: An application for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 29th May 2013. This application has been forwarded to one of the Department’s Medical Assessors for their medical opinion. Upon receipt of this opinion, a decision will issue to the person concerned. It can take up to 8 weeks to process an application for DCA.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payments (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off, exceptional and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €47.6 million for the scheme in 2013. There is no automatic entitlement to a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Numbers (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The number of interns who completed an internship, are currently on a placement and the total placements in the Dublin area broken down by postcodes is set out in the following table. The recent independent evaluation of JobBridge published by the Taoiseach and I on 1st May last, found that 61% of interns progress into employment. These exceptional rates of progression into employment...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Numbers (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The following table sets out the number of recipients of a living alone increase: Table 1: Living Alone Increase Living Alone Increase Numbers in Payment State pension non-contributory 32,836 State pension contributory 61,166 Widow/er's or surviving civil partner's contributory pension 49,148

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment Applications (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned has received one parent family payment from the DSP Local Office in Gort while registered at an address in Co Galway from 8th April 2010 to 19th June 2013. Payments of her one parent family payment are currently suspended pending the person concerned contacting the Intreo Office in Parnell Street, Dublin, in order to establish the correct details concerning her place of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) Applications (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an oral hearing of the appeal of the person concerned took place on 21st February 2013. The Appeals Officer referred the case back to Widows Non Contributory Section for clarification on certain issues on 14th March 2013. On receipt of their response, the case will be further considered by the Appeals Officer. The Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The United Kingdom winter fuel payment is an annual tax-free payment made to eligible people to help towards their winter heating costs. It is a lump sum and in most cases is paid automatically, but some people need to claim. The total amount of winter fuel payment can vary from £100 - £300 sterling having regard to age and household composition. Most payments are made between mid-...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (18 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 May 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. When received, the appeal in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services for disadvantaged children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects schemes through which funding is provided directly to participating schools and local and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Care Services (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: Carer's allowance can be stopped at any time. The recipient of the carer's allowance payment can notify the department if they cease to provide care and also the caree in question can notify this department if full time care is not being provided and the allowance. The payment will then be stopped. The number of days notice required to be given by a caree to a carer if the caree wishes to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Garda Vetting Applications (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department of Social Protection is committed to the protection and welfare of children and vulnerable adults. The types of occupations which require Garda vetting include those working both directly, with vulnerable people such as Childcare, Care of the Elderly or for People with Disabilities; and indirectly, where access is possible through the place of work, for example caretaking in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (18 Jun 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 I have made three appointments to the Citizens Information Board since coming into office. Mr. Eugene McErlean was appointed with...

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

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 4th December 2012. The person concerned was refused carers allowance on the grounds that the care recipient is not so disabled as to require full time care and attention as prescribed in regulations. She was notified of this decision on 27th of February 2013. Additional...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Data (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is collated by my Department annually for inclusion in the Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services report which is laid before the Dáil when published and copies lodged in the Oireachtas library. Furthermore these reports are available to the public at www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Annual-Statistical-Information-Repor ts.aspx . The number of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (18 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...

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

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 8th May 2012. This application was referred to one of the Department’s medical assessors who was of the opinion that the caree in question was not medically eligible for carer’s allowance. The application was also sent to a social welfare investigative officer...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (18 Jun 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 241 and 249 together. The purpose of the rural social scheme is to provide income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments. Participants are engaged for 19½ hours per week to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities. The scheme currently provides work opportunities...