Results 101-120 of 235 for going forward speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (25 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...for the islands, my Department’s regional footprint extended to Furbo, Co. Galway. At present, 93 of the 175 staff in my Department are based in regional locations. My staff have full capacity to work remotely and our ambition going forward is to introduce a blended approach of office and remote working. At this point, there are no immediate plans to further extend our...

Principles of Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Sherlock for bringing forward this Bill. It is always good to have a constructive debate in this Chamber and I appreciate that the Deputy's intentions in this matter are absolutely in good faith, with a view to ensuring our social protection system works well for all our people. Everybody in this House wants a system that abides by strong principles, one that delivers for its...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...of the PUP, I am working with my colleagues in government, namely, the Ministers for Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance, the Taoiseach and the Cabinet committee, on the issue. We plan to bring forward proposals on the future of the PUP in early June. The one thing I can say is that the Government has been clear that there will be no cliff edge for people. We will have a better...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Development Strategy: Engagement with Minister for Rural and Community Development (20 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...system. In simple terms, this will mean people will be able to log on to an app, find a hot desk at the hub closest to them and book it for a day, a week, a month or whatever suits their needs. We are going to invest significantly in remote working infrastructure. This will include investment in the development of new hubs but, equally important, investing in our many existing hubs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Development Strategy: Engagement with Minister for Rural and Community Development (20 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...for greenways. We know that the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has a big pot of money for greenways but in this round of funding, I was trying to target dereliction and centre-of-town properties that had gone out of use. Some projects just did not stand up to scrutiny. They did not represent good value for money or perhaps there were issues with sustainability. I would say to Deputy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Development Strategy: Engagement with Minister for Rural and Community Development (20 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Chairman and Deputy Donnelly. First, I reiterate, and I did not make this up, the legal advice is that the requirement is that we must go out to tender and it must be a competitive procurement process. What I am doing initially is expanding the service. These regions that do not currently have a service will get one. We want to expand the service there and we have engaged with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Development Strategy: Engagement with Minister for Rural and Community Development (20 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Senator is correct. Rural businesses need to do that, especially now with their doors closed. To apply, they need to go to their local enterprise office, LEO, where they can get a trading online voucher. Around this time last year, when I was the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, my then Department strongly promoted that scheme. People from many businesses have told me...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...;was launched in 2017 as a three year framework to progress the economic and social development of rural areas.  The Action Plan ran to the end of 2019. I will shortly be launching a new whole-of-Government Rural Development Policy for the period 2021-2025.  The policy will be forward-looking and ambitious.  It  will build on, and go beyond, the achievements of...

Household Utility Bills Support: Motion [Private Members] (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...we are in and the prevailing weather conditions closer to the time. I am aware that a point was raised here about women who have had to give up work to carry out childminding responsibilities. Women who have to do that and are unable to reach an arrangement with their employer can apply for the pandemic unemployment payment. The main issue with the Sinn Féin proposal, while...

Seanad: Response to Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (1 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Thank you for your good wishes, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad on Covid-19 matters and look forward to hearing the views of Members. Nobody has a monopoly on good ideas and as Minister for Social Protection I am always open to hearing and considering how we can do things better. Since the onset of this crisis, the Government has taken a range of...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the opportunity to address the House today. We are all aware of the sudden and sustained impact that Covid-19 has had on our everyday lives. The priority for the Government throughout this crisis has been twofold: first to protect public health and limit the spread of the virus and second to put in place income supports that mitigate the financial impact on households. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I look forward to going back to County Cork at some stage. I would love to go back to see how they are getting on with that Banteer project. It was quite an amazing project they put forward. They had wonderful plans for the area and I had a lovely day there. As I said, the Charleville project mentioned by the Deputy will be assessed by an independent panel of experts. I have no doubt...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tidy Towns Committees (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ...the country and the pride of place which binds people together during these difficult times. We may need to alter and adapt our approach to delivering the competition next year given the on-going constraints posed by COVID. My Department is currently considering the appropriate format for the 2021 competition, having regard to restrictions at each of the five Levels of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Transport Services (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is currently finalising a new rural development policy for the period 2021–2025, which will reflect a whole-of-Government commitment to rural Ireland. The new policy will be forward looking and will reflect other relevant Government initiatives to support rural Ireland. As part of the development of the policy an extensive consultation process has been undertaken...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ...in whatever part of the country they are. It is difficult to have a family and be present in the Dáil; there is no question about it. I know that others have looked at the issue but it is always good to look at things again with a fresh set of eyes. Technology has changed our lives this year. Senator Craughwell is correct that there are many things that we are doing now that we...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ...Protection in 2021 is €25.1 billion. This is more than €4 billion larger than the Department's budget day allocation for 2020. Much of that additional spending will be required to meet the ongoing costs of the pandemic unemployment payment and other jobseeker's payments and supports. I am pleased, even in these difficult times, to have also been able to secure almost...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ...seeking work and they will receive a payment of €203 per week for 12 months. I am now signing off regulations that formalise the arrangement that we currently have in place that was introduced a good number of years ago. For people who had worked all of their lives, it was demeaning for them to have to apply for the jobseeker's allowance so this issue has been dealt with and the...

Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ..., I have been encouraging people to shop local because it is important that this money is spent in the local economy. It should help businesses the length and breadth of the country that when people go out to spend that money, they go to their local shops to do it. A number of Deputies mentioned the fact that the Bill was delayed. A good deal of time was spent on the Brexit Bill and...

Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: ...Protection in 2021 is €25.1 billion. This is more than €4 billion larger than the Department's budget day allocation for 2020. Much of that additional spending will be required to meet the ongoing costs of the PUP and other jobseeker payments and supports. I am pleased, even in these difficult times, to have also been able to secure almost €300 million for a series...

Rural and Community Development: Statements (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Go raibh maith agat a Cheann Comhairle. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak today on the work being carried out by my Department. At the outset, I acknowledge the work of my predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Ring. It is worth remembering that when the Department of Rural and Community Development was established back in 2017, it did not even have a building to call...