Results 19,681-19,700 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Numbers (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is collated, at county level only, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Work Initiatives (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: As the Deputy will be aware, INTREO is the name for the new service model of the Department integrating the employment services and community programmes formerly of FÁS, and the Community Welfare Services (CWS) formerly of the HSE and the income support services provided by the Department itself. INTREO’s one-stop-shop offices includes a single integrated decision-making team...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pensions Reform (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The issue of how the assets of a pension scheme are distributed on the wind-up of a pension scheme is a sensitive and complex issue and one which requires careful consideration before any change is made to the current provisions. My officials have undertaken a detailed review of this matter. This review involved consultation with all stakeholder representatives and the engagement of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: European Court of Justice Rulings (14 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The ruling by the European Court of Justice was in response to a reference by the High Court seeking clarification of the interpretation of European law emanating from EU Directive 2008/94EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer. Following the ECJ ruling, the matter will now revert to the High Court for consideration. Given this matter remains before...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (14 May 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 611,000 families in respect of some 1.16 million children. The Government is conscious that child benefit, as a universal payment,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Tax Code (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I am informed by the Revenue Commissioners that it is a long established principle of Irish tax law that a director (including a proprietary director) of an Irish incorporated company holds, for taxation purposes, an Irish public office the remuneration arising from which is chargeable to income tax in the State. Such remuneration is within the scope of deduction at source of tax and the USC...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Funding (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. In 2013, the Citizens Information Board has been allocated a budget of approximately €47.5 million of which some...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Disability Allowance Appeals (9 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 20th April 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 case in question will be referred to an Appeals Officer who will make...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115and116together. The Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to assist people in mortgage distress. The approach differentiates between mortgage information and mortgage advice. The first two elements involve the enhancement of the website www.keepingyourhome.ie and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Applications (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: In 2012, there were 230 claims for invalidity pension received from persons with an address in County Clare and there were 350 claims decided. Of the 350 claims decided, 131 were awarded and 219 were disallowed. Full year statistics for invalidity pension claims received from persons with an address in County Clare are not available prior to 2012. Social Welfare Appeals Office statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Fuel Allowance Payments (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: My Department will spend €211 million on the fuel allowance scheme this year, helping approximately 410,000 recipients with their heating costs. A similar number (approximately 410,000 people) receive the household benefits package, the electricity and gas element of which is worth €420 per year at a cost of €284 million in 2013. The fuel allowance is paid for 26 weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Invalidity Pension Appeals (9 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 1 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 the 13...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 122 and 123 together. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes operated by the Exchequer. There are currently approximately 86,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €403 million for 2013. Under the legislative provisions governing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Ministerial Expenditure (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will be sent to him as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Mortgage Arrears Information and Advice Service was established to provide a comprehensive and coordinated approach to assist people in mortgage distress. The website www.keepingyourhome.ie was substantially redesigned and now acts as the key online access portal for comprehensive mortgage arrears information. It is one of the two measures set up to provide mortgage information, the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The person concerned was, until the end of March 2013, paid Rent Supplement in County Kildare, at an address that the person themselves secured (in an area for which they listed two previous addresses) and which was, within the current rent limits for an adult and three young children. We have not received a new application for Rent Supplement from the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The personal rate of State pension contributory is a non means-tested payment based on PRSI contributions paid to the Social Insurance Fund over a working life. To qualify a person needs to: - enter insurable employment by age 55 for State Pension (transition) and age 56 for State Pension (contributory), - have paid 520 full rate social insurance contributions - have a yearly average...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Respite Care Grant Applications (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: I can confirm that carer's allowance (CA) is in payment for the person in question in respect of two care recipients. One of the care recipients currently qualifies for domiciliary care allowance (DCA) which will cease when she turns 16 this month. In order for a child under 16 years to be considered to be medically eligible for CA, DCA must be in payment for that child. Once the child...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Appeals (9 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Department would like to offer its condolences to the family of the deceased. I confirm that the department received an application for carer’s allowance from the person in question on the 14 June 2012. The application was awarded on 11 of January 2013 and payments issued to Post Office from 17 of January 2013 with the final payment issued on 27 of March 2013, six weeks after the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service Funding (8 May 2013)

Joan Burton: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service ( MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, assists people who are over-indebted and need help and advice in coping with debt problems, in particular those on low incomes and people living on social welfare payments. In 2013, the Citizens Information Board has been allocated a budget of approximately €47.5 million of which some...