Results 19,441-19,460 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Parliamentary Questions Numbers (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: There were five parliamentary questions withdrawn on the basis that the information would be provided directly to the Deputy. Their details are laid out in the table below. PQ No. PQ Date Date information provided 3160/13 23/01/13 18/01/13 16625/13 16/04/13 10/04/13 19118/13 23/04/13 08/05/13 20582/13 01/05/13 The PQ was withdrawn based on the information provided. Deputy...

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

Joan Burton: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term income support to eligible tenants living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...

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

Joan Burton: The Government is very aware of the serious funding challenges facing pension schemes. It is acknowledged that the fundamental problem is that pensions are significantly more expensive due to increasing life expectancy and lower than expected investment returns which are reflected in increased annuity rates. You will be aware of the range of both administrative and legislative measures that...

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

Joan Burton: Those who leave the workplace for homemaking/caring purposes can, if eligible, avail of the homemakers scheme which helps to provide a higher rate of pension for those who meet the qualifying conditions. The homemaker scheme comprises a period of disregard when calculating eligibility for a State pension so time taken out of the workforce for caring duties for those who qualify for the...

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

Joan Burton: The Department's debt management strategy is set out in the Fraud Initiative which I published in September 2011. It outlines that every effort must be made to prevent overpayments, but, if they occur, they should be regarded as a debt to the Exchequer, and every effort will be made to recover the amounts through all available means. Overpayments are generally defined as money obtained...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Staff Numbers (29 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The staffing needs for all offices within my Department are continuously reviewed, having regard to workloads, management priorities and the competing demands arising, taking account of the Employment Control Framework (ECF) target, as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Vacancies across the Department are prioritised according to their criticality. I can assure...

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

Joan Burton: Mortgage interest supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. There are approximately 13,000 mortgage interest supplement recipients for which the Government has provided €42 million for in 2013. The Department's review of the administrative,...

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

Joan Burton: Self-employed persons are liable for PRSI at the Class S rate of 4% which entitles them to access long-term benefits such as State pension (contributory) and widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's pension (contributory). Self-employed workers may establish eligibility to assistance-based payments such as jobseeker's allowance. They can apply for the means-tested jobseeker's...

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

Joan Burton: There are significant differences between the qualification criteria for illness benefit (formerly known as disability benefit), disability allowance and invalidity pension. These differences include both medical and non-medical criteria. Illness benefit is a payment for insured people who cannot work due to illness. A person may qualify if they are unable to work due to illness, satisfy...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (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, through the Community Services Programme (CSP), has been able to support the provision of services by community companies. Cork Accessible Transport Limited has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Insurance Issues (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Employees earning €38 or more in a week are subject to PRSI, which provides the employee with access to a wide range of long and short term social insurance benefits. For earnings between €38 and €352 a week inclusive, the rate of employer PRSI is 4.25%. No employee PRSI is payable. Where the employee’s weekly earnings exceed €352 per week, employee PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: 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 downturn, can be expected to fall relatively rapidly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 347 together. Applications for Disability/Invalidity schemes are medically assessed by Medical Assessors in my Department who are fully qualified and experienced practitioners. They provide a second opinion to that of the person’s own doctor. Their assessments conform to the ethical conduct and behaviour guidelines of the Irish Medical...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit Appeals (28 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 14 March 2013. The case was referred to an Appeals Officer who requested clarification on certain issues from the Department of Social Protection on 9 May 2013. This clarification has now been received and the Appeals Officer will make a summary decision on the appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The provision whereby people could receive half rate jobseeker’s benefit with certain other payments, including deserted wives benefit, was abolished for new cases in February 2012. Provision was made to allow customers, who were being paid half-rate jobseeker’s benefit immediately prior to 2 February 2012, to continue to be paid on their existing jobseeker’s claim. In...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Applications (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on 16 November 2012. Taking all the available evidence into account, a deciding officer decided that the person in question was not entitled to carer’s allowance as the care recipient was not in need of full time care and attention. A letter issued on 11 February 2013...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Eligibility (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: In order to qualify for a State pension contributory, a person must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions which include: - commencing insurable employment at least 10 years before pension age; - payment of a minimum of 520 qualifying contributions; and - achieving a yearly average of at least 10 qualifying contributions, paid or credited, over their working life. In April 2012,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Eligibility (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned made a claim for jobseekers’ assistance on 29 January 2013 which was approved. He also applied for the winter fuel allowance payment. One of the qualifying conditions for receipt of this payment is that the person must be living alone; renting a room in a house where others reside does not satisfy this condition. Following a visit to his home by a Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals Status (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Partial capacity benefit was awarded to the person concerned following an assessment by a Medical Assessor of the Department, who expressed the opinion that her restriction on capacity for work should be assessed as severe. An appeal relating to the extent of the restriction on capacity was opened and in the context of that appeal, I am advised that, as part of the appeals process, the case...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (28 May 2013)

Joan Burton: Invalidity pension is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the contribution conditions. This department received a claim for invalidity pension for the person concerned on 12 April 2013. The medical evidence provided by the claimant in support of her claim was examined by a medical assessor who was of the opinion that...