Results 9,321-9,340 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The report on the impact assessment of the current and projected future increases in carbon tax on low-income families by my Department was required by Section 25 of Social Welfare no. 2 Act 2019 (Number 48 of 2019). The development and operation of emergency social welfare measures and the diversion of staffing resources required to deal with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic have, of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC). At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process to comply with public health guidelines in respect of social distancing. My Department has currently...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am happy to confirm for the Deputy that activation services in my Department and referrals to external contractors began to recommence on 8th June last in line with the move to Phase 2 of the easing of the Covid-19 restrictions. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis There have been no recent changes to the eligibility rules for CE participants. However, a number of changes were introduced...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Work Placement Programmes (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's employment support programme for people with disabilities is delivered nationally through its EmployAbility service. The Department has contracts for the provision of the EmployAbility service with 24 companies. This is a specialist employment service designed to improve employment outcomes for jobseekers with a disability and is available to people with disabilities who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's employment support programme for people with disabilities is delivered nationally through its EmployAbility service. The Department has contracts for the provision of the Employability service with 24 companies. This is a specialist employment service designed to improve employment outcomes for jobseekers with a disability and is available to people with disabilities who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Springboard Programme (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In advance of commencing a course of education, a person in receipt of Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will be required to establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare weekly payment, generally a Jobseeker’s payment, to access Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). A person will then be required to transfer from their PUP to the relevant qualifying social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As was announced as part of the July Jobs Stimulus package, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been extended until the end of March 2021 to support the employees and businesses who continue to be impacted by the COVID- 19 pandemic. The scheme is due to close for new applications on 17th September. Changes have also been announced to the rate of the pandemic unemployment payment to make...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (10 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. The Measures being funded this year's programme are: Measure 1: Schools/Community Safety Measures Measure 2: Community Recreation Areas (new in 2020) Measure 3: Community Wellbeing Supports, comprising: - (a) Meals on Wheels and Linked Services (new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Bereavement Grant (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Bereavement Grant was a payment of €850 made where the deceased or his/her surviving partner was an insured contributor to the social insurance fund.  Any decision to reinstate it would have to be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations. There are a range of supports available for people following bereavement which provide more significant support than...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated annual cost to the Exchequer in 2021 of a waiver of waiting days for Jobseekers Allowance is approximately €10 million  and for Jobseekers Benefit is approximately €22.4 million. The estimated annual cost for Illness Benefit and Occupational Injury Benefit (combined figure) is approximately €57 million.  I understand that there are no waiting days...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 472, 481 and 506 together. The pandemic unemployment payment is available to employees and self-employed persons aged between 18 and 66 years and has been extended until the end of March 2021 to support employees and businesses who continue to be severely impacted by ongoing Public Health restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  A...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Low Pay Commission (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government states that the Low Pay Commission is to examine Universal Basic Income, informed by a review of previous international pilots, and resulting in a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government. This matter will be progressed in line with the Programme for Government commitment and a referral to the Low Pay Commission will be made in due course.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy) (ME) is a complex debilitating disorder which is characterised by severe fatigue accompanied by a range of other symptoms. ME is sometimes known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). I am informed by my colleague the Minister for Health that there is currently no known, specific, medical diagnostic test to determine or confirm a correct diagnosis of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 475, 493, 498, 508, 510, 511 and 523 together. My Department has advised that subject to satisfying the relevant eligibility criteria, employees may claim casual (i.e. part-time) jobseeker payments or Short-Time Work Support payments for days of unemployment, even where their employer is claiming the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme for days of...

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

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity when they apply for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN), is a face- to-face process.  At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process.  This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned originally applied for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 24/03/2020, entering his date last worked as 29/02/2020.  On this basis a PUP did not issue as he did not meet the eligibility criteria of being in employment on or after 06/03/2020. On 27/04/2020, the person concerned revised his application to reflect...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department introduced a series of measures to maintain social welfare payments while assisting with social distancing measures designed to combat the spread of the Coronavirus.  Fortnightly payments were introduced to minimise the need for people to attend and queue in banks or post offices to collect payments, so helping people restrict their movements to essential activities...

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

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy.  A letter issued to the person concerned on 14th September 2020, with details of the PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The enterprise support grant was extended to assist eligible self-employed individuals who transition from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment or jobseekers schemes after 18th May 2020 to re-start their business which was closed due to the impact of the pandemic. The grant provides essential restart support to businesses not eligible for funding from...