Results 19,421-19,440 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Application Numbers (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 48 together. There are approximately 13,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided approximately €42 million for in 2013. The purpose of the mortgage interest supplement (MIS) scheme is to provide short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 44, 140 and 141 together. In the first instance, the Government's primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. Past experience suggests that youth unemployment, which tends to rise relatively rapidly in a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Poverty (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Consistent poverty which is defined as a combination of at-risk-of-poverty (where household income is below the 60% equivalised national median income threshold) and basic deprivation (an enforced lack of 2 or more items of an 11 item list of basic goods and services) is the official Irish measure used to quantify the proportion of the population living in poverty. As measured by the CSO in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Fraud Cost (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department’s control savings targets for 2011 and 2012 were €540m and €645m respectively. In the two years in question, amounts of €645m and €669m in control savings were recorded as achieved by year end. The savings target for 2013 is €710 million which is an increase of €40m on the savings achieved in 2012. Control savings are an...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The requirement to be habitually resident in Ireland was introduced as a qualifying condition for certain social assistance schemes and child benefit with effect from 1 May 2004. It was introduced in the context of the Government's decision to open the Irish labour market to workers from the 10 new EU Member States, without the transitional limitations which were imposed at that time by most...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Applications (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department’s primary role in relation to the area of housing supports is the provision of income support through the rent supplement scheme for which the Government has provided a sum of over €403 million for 2013. The purpose of the scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I am grateful to the Deputy for his work on developing the proposed initiative which he has entitled “Ticket to Work”. While the establishment of such a scheme would be a matter for my colleague, Richard Bruton T.D, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation in the first instance, consideration of any such intervention would have to be cognisant of its potential effect on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of planned State pension reform measures underway and the standardisation of State Pension age at 66 in 2014 is one of the changes, together with changes to rate bands for State pension and the increase to 520 paid contributions. The State pension is a very valuable asset and therefore it is important that those who avail of it have made a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: There are currently approximately 86,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. Rent supplement is calculated to ensure that the person, after payment of rent, has an income equal to the basic supplementary welfare allowance rate, less a specified weekly minimum contribution which recipients are required to pay from their own...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Services for People with Disabilities (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Access to transport services for persons with mobility impairments is primarily as matter for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sports and the Health Services Executive. In a number of instances nationally, the Department of Social Protection, through the Community Services Programme (CSP), has been able to support the provision of services by community companies. Contracts under the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 31 January 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 27 May...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department is committed to ensuring that claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. The waiting lists and processing times for carer’s allowance were unacceptable in 2012 but significant improvements have been made in the past year by my Department. The backlog of carer’s allowance applications has been eliminated and processing times have improved greatly, with new...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Gender Recognition (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: As I have indicated on a number of occasions I want the legislation to deal with the gender recognition advanced as quickly as possible. The issues involved are complex and have implications for other areas of Government. I realise also that this is a very sensitive area for those involved and people are naturally keen that the legislation be brought forward quickly. I understand that but I...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (29 May 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 allowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 16th May 2013. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was launched on 1st July 2011. The Scheme has made very significant progress. As at 24th May 2013, 17,609 internships have commenced. There are currently 6,104 jobseekers undertaking internship opportunities. In addition, there are 2,218 internship opportunities available across a wide number of occupational sectors and geographic areas being...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence has allowed the appeal of the person concerned. The person concerned has been notified of the decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Payments (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme is administered by designated officers in the Departments Community Welfare Service. The Minister has no function in relation to individual cases. Where persons are in need of once off assistance in relation to an exceptional need, they should contact their local Community Welfare Service to have their entitlement considered. As previously advised,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned submitted an application for Jobseeker’s allowance and was refused as his means from parental income exceeded the prescribed limits for receipt of this allowance. The person was notified of this decision and appealed same on 3 December, 2012. His case is currently with the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal from the person concerned was scheduled for oral hearing by an Appeals Officer on 27 May 2013. As soon as the Appeals Officer has had an opportunity to fully consider all the evidence, including that adduced at the oral hearing, a decision will issue to the person concerned. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: European Council Meetings (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) is the relevant Council formation dealing with issues relating to social protection. The work of EPSCO also covers issues relevant to other Departments including Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Justice and Equality, Education and Skills and, to a lesser extent, Environment, Community and Local Government. To date,...