Joan Burton is a Labour Party TD for the Dublin West Constituency. She was first elected to the Dail in November of '92 but was not re-elected in the '97 election. She was elected again in 2002 and has remained a TD since. Burton is currently the Minister for Social Protection in the Fine Gael-Labour coalition.
Last week the minister circulated a briefing document criticising Minister Joan Burton’s proposal to increase the number of sick pay days an employers pays.
Meanwhile the Minister for Social Protection has called for an investigation into what happened at the Phoenix Park on Saturday, where nine people were stabbed at a gig.
Public Expenditure and Reform Minister Brendan Howlin has revealed that six ministerial advisers including his own breach the €92,000 cap he introduced last year.
In a strong speech about social welfare, the Minister gave the first major indication that Labour will strongly resist any big cuts to benefits in December’s Budget.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny insisted that there are no plans to reduce the allowance paid to carers of severely disabled children amid fears that some families could lose out.
The nine stories you need to know this morning, including: 1,000 more internships on JobBridge, the underwear bomber turns out to be a double agent, and all the details on the new social welfare ID card…
The Social Protection Minister claimed that the jobs initiative had boosted tourism numbers. Yesterday, the CSO said that there were fewer visits to Ireland in the first quarter of 2012.
The Minister for Social Protection has said plans to extend the National Internship Scheme to people claiming Disability Allowance should be revealed in the coming weeks.
A tweet from Fine Gael chairman Charlie Flanagan in which he asked had the Social Protection Minister “a government deathwish” has been criticised by Labour TD Colm Keaveney.
INDEPENDENT TD MICK Wallace is to file a complaint about the Minister for Justice’s use of information on RTÉ’s Prime Time last week.
Alan Shatter said on live television that the Wexford deputy benefited from garda discretion when he was cautioned for using a mobile phone – but not given penalty points. Wallace insists he is not aware of such an incident.
Shatter has stood by his remarks and he has also been backed by the Taoiseach who said that “people can’t have it both ways”. “You cannot be saying no discretion and at the same time availing of discretion.”
Labour Deputy Kevin Humphreys told Newstalk Breakfast this morning that he thought making the remarks was “poor judgement” on the minister’s part. He called on Shatter to explain how he received the information. Others have claimed the information could have been made public in a different manner, and not on live television without giving Wallace prior warning.
In today’s poll, we ask: Should Alan Shatter have made his comments about Mick Wallace on Prime Time?
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