Results 101-120 of 16,260 for are speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We do not need this amendment because it is already in the Bill. The Bill already provides for relevant information sharing arrangements, and these are set out in Part 7. In particular, section 108 provides for a specified body, which includes the Revenue Commissioners, to share with the new authority any information that is necessary and proportionate for the purpose of the performance of...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is no naivety here. There are extensive provisions with regard to employer compliance, information-sharing, and the anti-victimisation of employees, including employees having recourse to the WRC for the last point. We do not need the amendment because it is already there. The point is that from day one when you take somebody on, you enrol them in auto-enrolment. That is it. That...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...the minimum contribution rates. They saw such an offering as a benefit to aid the recruitment and retention of employees. I believe, and I hope, the same result will happen here in Ireland. We are in a competitive labour market and employers want to attract good staff, and in order to do that they have been upping their offering in terms of the occupational pensions they provide. They...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, or Revenue Job Assist. The household composition criteria do not apply: for applicants who are renting a room under prescribed conditions within the property for which the rental income is disregarded. This allows for a current limit of up to €269.23 per week in respect of income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations’. This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the criteria for recognition as an occupational illness or an accident at work under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Specifically, presumptions about workplace transmission would not be sustainable on a general basis in the current environment where infection rates are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to dependent spouses or partners, if applicable. As part of Budget 2022, I announced an expansion to the range of services available under the medical appliances strand of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Public service pension policy is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. However, as regards social insurance contributions, these are made in accordance with the legislation and the employment terms and conditions in force at the time they are made, and eligibility for social insurance benefits flows from those particular contributions. Civil and public...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...-rate insurable employment. As the person concerned worked in the civil service, they may be considered for a mixed insurance pension. To qualify for this pension, 520 employment contributions are required, of which at least 260 must be full-rate employment contributions with the remainder made up of modified contributions. They may also be considered for pro-rata state pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is a range of supports provided by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. These supports can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments (ANPs). The basic SWA provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the range of capital investment programmes operated by my Department, I have prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres across the country as they are a vital resource for all of the community. Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, which was the first year of the Fund's operation, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Transport (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2024 is €104 million. The scheme is not intended to provide transport services or to compensate for a lack of transport in rural areas. Any...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...is set at 50%, 75% or 100% of their previous payment depending on the extent to which their condition is assessed to impair their capacity to work. PCB has also been designed so that there are no restrictions or limits on earnings or on the number of hours a person can work. Furthermore, people on the PCB may return to Illness Benefit or Invalidity Pension if they find that they cannot...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...employees of the CIS, in providing people with free, quality and independent information, advice and advocacy services across the country. It is important to point out that employees of the CIS are not employees of my Department, nor are they public servants or employees of CIB. They are employees of independent companies, that provide important services on behalf of CIB, which are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...to or below the Clerical Officer maximum may stand as candidates at local election, subject to permission to do so being given by their Department. Departments must give such civil servants who are refused permission to take part in political activities, a statement of the reason for the decision; c. Special advisers and other personal appointees of Ministers, Ministers of State,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the case was referred to an Appeals Officer on 15 November 2023. A reply to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ..., in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission’s Report has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and that changes are needed and set out a wide range of recommendations in this regard - including the full transition to the TCA model and the phasing out of the Yearly Average approach. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Government approved the draft Heads of Bill on 9th January for the introduction of a new Pay-Related Benefit for jobseekers. The Heads of Bill containing the General Scheme for the new scheme are published on my Department's website. The committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands completed the pre-legislative scrutiny of the draft bill in March and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ..., advice and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers these functions primarily through a range of 22 Service Delivery Companies. These Service Delivery Companies are independent Companies Limited By Guarantee that are governed by voluntary Boards of Directors, which are responsible for all company matters, including pay and terms and conditions of employment....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Postal Services (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Cash welfare payments are governed by the Department’s Cash Payment Services Contract with An Post which was signed in December 2019 following an open public procurement process. This contract came into effect on 1 January 2020. This contract is exclusively with An Post. There is no contractual relationship between my Department and post masters. The working arrangements of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Burial Grounds (1 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ..., however the actual operation of burial grounds (cemeteries) is the responsibility of the local authorities. Under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their respective functional areas. Acting in their capacity as burial boards, local authorities are responsible for the management, regulation and control of...