Results 8,501-8,520 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Work Permits (16 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland operates a managed employment permits system maximising the benefits of economic migration and minimising the risk of disrupting Ireland’s labour market.  The system is intended to act as a conduit for key skills which are required to develop enterprise in the State for the benefit of our economy, while simultaneously protecting the balance of the labour market.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on all businesses and this includes the private trade credit insurance market. As a result of the significant economic shock, there is increased uncertainty regarding the financial performance of many companies in our economy. I understand that the trade credit insurance companies have had to adjust their coverage in response to...

Written Answers — Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Departmental Expenditure (16 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department incurred no costs for social media monitoring in 2018 and 2019. 

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The second call for Category 2 applications for the Fund closed at on 28 February 2020 and there was an excellent response from all across the country, with 76 applications received. On 25 June 2020, I announced details of 24 successful projects arising from this call.The successful projects have been allocated €13m in support from the Fund and will deliver a total investment...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The second call for Category 2 applications for the Fund closed on 28 February and there was an excellent response from all across the country, with 76 applications received.   On 25 June 2020, I announced details of 24 successful projects arising from this call.  The successful projects have been allocated €13m in support from the Fund and will deliver a total investment...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since the establishment of my Department in 2017, specific supports for social enterprises have been provided through the Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund.  These supports include small capital grants and funding to organisations to deliver training and mentoring to social enterprises.  Small capital grants funding has been provided to approximately 300...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Departments Community Services Programme, or CSP, currently supports more than 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model.  CSP funding is provided as a fixed annual contribution to the cost of an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions and a manager, where warranted.  The CSP co-funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government is aware of the challenges currently faced by community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these. Community sporting organisations are funded from a range of different sources across different Government Departments and agencies. My Department's Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides small...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Services Programme, or CSP, supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model with funding provided as a contribution to the cost of an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) and a manager, where warranted. Pobal, who manage the programme on behalf of my Department assessed the business plan from the organisation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Developmentwas established on 19 July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland. The Civil Service HR Division of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is currently finalising central guidance for the Civil Service on working from home. My Department will be guided by this and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is very much aware that many social enterprises, similar to other businesses, find themselves in financial difficulty as commercial activities have been curtailed due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.  In recognition of this, my Department recently announced a number of specific support measures for social enterprises, along with community and voluntary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 795 and 832 together. The COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic and Government has approved the extension of this payment until 10th August.  This payment is available to persons who were in employment prior to 13th March and lost their job as a result of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Job Losses (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My sincere thoughts are with all employers and employees faced with the prospect of forced restructuring and redundancies at this difficult time.  Many sectors and industries have been badly affected by the measures the Irish Government, like many other governments across the globe, has had to take in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.  It is probably fair to say that sectors...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time-limited emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. Government has recently approved the extension of the payment up to 10th August. The conditions for receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are that a person must be of working age between 18 and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In the exceptional circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is the intention of the Government to ensure that former employees entitled to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment do not have their social insurance contribution records interrupted or otherwise adversely affected.  In this regard, the Department is in the process of developing legislative proposals for consideration by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 sets out the key parameters around the taking of annual leave and payment of same. Section 19 of the Act provides that an employee shall be entitled to paid annual leave equal to: (a) 4 working weeks in a leave year in which he or she works at least 1,365 hours (unless it is a leave year in which he or she changes employment), (b) One third of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. There are no backlogs in most of the Departments scheme areas at present.  All scheme areas are up to date on claim processing with the exception of the jobseekers scheme where there...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been introduced as an emergency measure so that payments can be made as quickly as possible to the large number of people who have become fully unemployed due to the pandemic and Government has extended the payment until 10th August The conditions for receipt of this emergency payment are that a person must be of working age between 18 and 66...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified...