Results 8,721-8,740 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (14 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The main scheme operated by my Department for the specific development of outdoor recreation infrastructure is the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). ORIS provides funding for the development and/or enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as cycleways, walking trails, blueways and mountain access routes in rural areas. The 2020 scheme was launched on the 29th...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. In that context my Department is providing funding supports to organisations through a number of different schemes. The Community and Voluntary Sector Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Inquiries (14 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department, which was established on 19 July 2017, does not have any tribunals, public investigations or commissions of investigations in process.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Enterprise Support Services (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Enterprise Support Grant is being extended to assist eligible self-employed recipients who are exiting the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme after 25th June 2020 to re-start their business. A once-off grant will be awarded for 80% of eligible costs up to a maximum of €1,000 covering vouched costs associated with re-opening a business which was closed due to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 27 May 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that these were received by that Office on 29...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2011 provided for increases to the State pension age to make the State pension system more sustainable as life expectancy increases. This began in January 2014 with the abolition of the State Pension (Transition). This measure standardised the State pension age for all at 66 years. The legislation currently provides for increases to the State pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that the Department has no record of an application for a Personal Public Services Number (PPSN) in respect of this individual. In the event that this person already had a PPSN prior to their residency in the UK, they can confirm their PPSN by calling my Department at 00 353 71 967 2616. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers. This includes ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. The emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been introduced as a time-limited emergency measure so that payments can be made as quickly as possible to the large number of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The new Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” states that a Commission on Pensions will be established to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with state pensions and the Social Insurance Fund. The Commission is to report on to Government by June 2021 on options including the qualifying age, contribution rates, total contributions and eligibility requirements....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme (15 Jul 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 child...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy services on a wide range of public and social services. CIB delivers on this remit through its provision of some services directly to the public and through a network of service delivery companies. During the Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 115, 116 and 118 together. In November 2019, National Broadband Ireland was awarded the contract to provide high-speed broadband connectivity to almost 540,000 premises across the State, predominantly in rural areas. This project will be implemented on a rolling basis; however, the BCP initiative is designed to bring a measure of connectivity to remote and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Programme for Government (15 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A number of Departments have responsibility for investing in infrastructure to support the development of rural town and villages. My Department supports the development of rural towns and villages through a number of measures, and particularly through investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Since the launch of the Town...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme. CE sponsoring authorities are the legal employers of their CE supervisors, CE assistant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Proposed Legislation (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Under the current legislation it is possible for both parties in a same-sex female relationship to be declared parents and, also, to have both of their particulars entered in the register of births as parents of the child. The provisions in relation to parentage are contained in Part 2 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 (CFRA 2015), which provides for determination of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 118 together. In August 2019, the Data Protection Commission's (DPC) Final report into the Public Services Card (PSC), which examined my Department's compliance with its obligations in relation to legal basis and transparency, was received. On 6thDecember 2019, my Department received an Enforcement Notice from the DPC in respect of that August 2019...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 119 together. Since 1998, when legislative provision was first made for the Public Services Card (PSC), it was always intended that it would be used widely across the public service to assist people in their dealings with public sector organisations. The list of public bodies that are authorised to use the PSC is set out in Schedule 5 of the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Community Employment (CE) is a positive initiative that enables the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for prospective future employment and gaining valuable work experience. The scheme helps to break the cycle of unemployment and improve a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. A number of new conditions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of persons in receipt of domiciliary care allowance in each county is detailed in the table below. Recipients of domiciliary care allowance by county at the end of June 2020 County Recipients Carlow 693 Cavan 631 Clare 1,029 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance (16 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested (where available) by the Deputy is detailed in the attached tabular statements. The Department is unable to segregate the information in relation to claims that are registered, awarded or rejected for any scheme under it's remit by county or other geographical area. An Appeals Officer’s decision may be reviewed and revised by an Appeals Officer in accordance...