Results 8,821-8,840 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the person’s record, I can confirm that his Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been re-rated to €350 per week. Any arrears due will issue next week. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. To be eligible for the pandemic unemployment payment a person must have been in employment immediately prior to the 13th March and lost their income from employment due to the onset of the pandemic. Self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The new Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” proposes an “Early Retirement Allowance or Pension” for 65 year olds paid at the same rate as Jobseeker's Benefit without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. The new payment will be introduced as early as possible for those who are retired...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The use of signing pads in Post Offices was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the reintroduction of signing pads is currently underway on a phased basis by An Post. This gives rise to different payment arrangements being operated in the Post Offices concerned. If a customer has concerns regarding these arrangements, there are further options available to them such as the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Enterprise Support Services (23 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: Pension Provisions (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Pension entitlement is determined on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an individual reaches pension age. The person concerned was born in 1956. The new Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” states that the planned increase in the State pension age (to 67 years) next year will be deferred. This will require amendment to primary legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In normal circumstances, jobseeker payments provide flexibility for a person, going on holidays, to leave the State for two weeks. During this period the standard conditionality of being available for work would be suspended. In light of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, my Department introduced regulations which require that any such holiday arrangements must comply with the Covid-19...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Grant Payments (23 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This year, the supports provided through programme referred to by the Deputy have been tailored to help rural communities in designated areas respond to the new COVID-19 environment. Project applications under the Measure of the programme referred to by the Deputy are selected by the Local Authorities for onward submission to my Department for consideration. My Department does not yet...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on her election to the esteemed position of Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I wish her well in her role, and particularly so as the first woman to hold that position. All very best wishes to her. I am pleased to be here to introduce this important legislation. The Social Welfare (Covid-19)...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputies for their good wishes and I look forward to working with them in my new role. I want to clarify that the Department of Rural and Community Development is a separate Department, as is the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. They are being maintained on a separate basis and I look forward to working as Minister, separately, for both Departments. ...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy should take that back. I have no set against the arts.

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The green list is not a list of holiday destinations and the public health advice is still for people not to go abroad. UK holidaymakers discovered last week that while they were on a Spanish holiday, Spain was removed from a green list, as were all the Spanish islands, and moved to the red list. These people have now returned home to a 14-day quarantine period they had thought would not be...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am sorry if I did not answer that part of the question; I thought I had. My Department will work with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to determine how much of the public expenditure incurred to date should be properly charged to the Social Insurance Fund given that many people who have been in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment had an underlying entitlement to...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, if I could.

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A number of issues have been raised. First, the payment for the self-employed is relative to what they put in their tax returns in 2018. I stated earlier that if they have updated figures for 2019, they should please lodge them with Revenue and we are happy to look at them and, if we can, we will increase their payments. To be very clear, we are not trying to harass anybody. One can...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Department will take a common-sense approach, so if one is in a sector that is waiting to reopen soon, that is okay, but we have to realise that, unfortunately, a lot of people will not be returning to the job they were in pre-Covid, so we want them to start looking for work. We want to help them to get back to work. That is why there is a €200 million jobs stimulus as part of...

Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: People want to get back to work, and we want to help them get back to work. As I said, that is why we have provided €200 million for employment and labour activation measures.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Minister for Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for parental leave.  My Department has responsibility for the payment of parent’s benefit which is provided for in the Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019.  Parent’s benefit is a payment made for two weeks per parent to employed and self-employed parents who are on parent’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Adoption Data (28 Jul 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Adoptive benefit is a payment made for 24 weeks to an employed or self-employed parent who is on adoptive leave and who satisfies certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The Department of Justice and Equality have policy and legal responsibility for adoptive leave entitlements. In total there were 29 claims for adoptive benefit awarded in 2019 at a cost of some...