Results 61-80 of 235 for going forward speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Island Communities (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...are the ones that keep coming up and the issues that were raised with me at the AGM. I am happy that because of the extensive consultation, those issues will obviously be part of this new policy on how we are going to address them. Housing is probably the biggest issue that I took from the meeting, in any event. I have not seen this draft policy yet. My officials have it and there are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cost of Living Issues (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am acutely aware of the increase in cost of living and consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices including home heating oil. The Government has designed a package of measures to alleviate the impact of increased energy prices on all households, both rural and urban. The package of measures includes: - an energy credit of €200 including...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cost of Living Issues (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices including home heating oil. The Government has designed a package of measures to alleviate the impact of increased energy prices on all households, both rural and urban. The package of measures includes: - an energy credit of €200 including VAT, estimated...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: .... Some really good projects have come out of Clare. I had a great trip that day to Clare. The Vandeleur Walled Garden is one project I went to see. That was just one and there are many others. I believe I will be going down again shortly. There is a big SeaWorld project that will be coming on stream that is being funded through this Department. I am looking forward to seeing them....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...they have paid. In advance of the ending of their entitlement to a payment a letter issues advising as to the date the entitlement is due to end. The letter advises as to the options available going forward. In this regard the person is advised that they may continue to submit medical certificates in order to be awarded credits, or if they expect to be unable to attend work for a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Services (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ..., improving outdoor mobile phone coverage.  This has provided the basis for a Work Programme for the new Taskforce. The issue of poor mobile phone coverage is one that I am very eager to see improved going forward. There are actions in the Work Programme that seek to improve mobile phone coverage and consumer experience with blackspots. I expect to see the Work Programme formally...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Standard of Living and Social Protection: Minister for Social Protection (24 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...on board the findings from the cost of disability research. As for employment-related supports for people with disabilities, I have already set out some of the improvements made over recent budgets. In addition, my Department is reviewing the reasonable accommodation grants fund. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to feed into the review later this month and we look forward to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Standard of Living and Social Protection: Minister for Social Protection (24 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...the workplace and become more independent. A number of measures will be examined. The Minister of State with responsibility for disability, Deputy Rabbitte, has established a committee that will go through all of these issues in detail. The Senator is correct that it requires a cross-governmental approach. It is not just about one Department. In fairness to the Minister of State,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pensions Reform (22 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Calleary. There are not going to be any easy decisions here. Some people want to cherry-pick the nice things and not deal with some of the other issues. I see this as an all-of-government approach. We have to bring it to Cabinet. I read the pensions commission report in its entirety. It is a comprehensive document that outlines the pros and cons and then comes forward...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (22 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: .... The measure provides that persons entitled to and in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment will have social insurance contributions attributed to them at the same value as they were paying while employed immediately before going on that payment. Contributions have been attributed in respect of former employees and self-employed persons who were entitled to and in receipt...

International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to today's discussion as part of International Women's Day. Sadly, today's debate is taking place against the backdrop of the ongoing atrocities in Ukraine. More than 1.5 million people have fled from Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, and the sad reality is most of those are women and young children, because Ukrainian men aged between...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...The attribution of contributions ensured that persons entitled to and in receipt of the PUP had social insurance contributions attributed to them at the same value as they were paying while employed immediately before going on the payment. If a self-employed customer was entitled to and in receipt of PUP, or a jobseeker’s payment in lieu of PUP, and was not liable to make a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Island Communities (17 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The work is at an advanced stage, thankfully. The Deputy is right. This has been going on for a long time. The draft is being worked on currently and, as I stated, officials of my Department are in regular communication with the representative groups. It is my intention that this will continue as the draft policy is being developed. I know exactly what the Deputy is saying. The...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (16 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...incentive to work in relation to tax and the social welfare system is something the Deputy has great knowledge of and keen interest in. I have met him concerning a number of suggestions he has put forward. My officials are working on those, particularly in relation to the means test. I was delighted to be able to make some changes to the means test, particularly for carers, in the last...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ..., they have been asked that any future actions would also be considered in the context of the report. It is very important that these actions are monitored closely right across the whole of government. The national disability inclusion strategy provides the overarching framework for policy and actions relating to people with disabilities. The Government has decided that the cost of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I cannot go into the details of the individual case the Deputy has raised but if he wishes to forward me a note on it, I will be happy to examine the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pensions Reform (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...spent a great deal of time considering the matter. The report runs to hundreds of pages. To be fair to the members, they did a huge body of work. As I said to the Deputy earlier, I am not going to start commenting on any specific measure. We cannot pick and mix. It is a package of measures and the Government will make a decision on it. We will bring a recommendation forward at the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...a modelled simulation for the harbour. That will inform the business case options for the development. It is very difficult to get agreement on how this work should be done, but we are working with people in Cork to find the best way forward. A lot of money was spent on this in the past, but it did not work. We have to try to figure out what way it should be done. I met the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: ...a person is approaching the date from which their entitlement is due to expire they receive a letter advising them that this is due to happen along with details of the options available to them going forward. Where the person feels that they are permanently incapable of attending work or expect to be unable to do so for at least a further year, it is open to them to make an application...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...does not qualify for any support, which is wrong. We need to address this and I would like to see all-party support on it. It should be discussed by the joint committee and I am happy to take it forward from there. I am happy to engage with the Seanad on it because none of us know where we will find ourselves and what difficulties life will present for people. People coming into...