Results 9,641-9,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (24 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The specific categorisation of towns and villages requested by the Deputy is not maintained by my Department. Towns and villages applying for funding under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme are recorded under 2 categories: - Category 1 - settlements with a population of up to 5,000; and - Category 2 - settlements with a population of between 5,001 and 10,000. Lists of all of the towns...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of telecommunications services is primarily a matter for commercial providers operating in a liberalised market. Nonetheless, under the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the Government will fund the provision of a high-speed broadband network in areas where it is not commercially viable for service providers to do so. The NBP network, which comes under the remit of Minister Eamon...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Zero-hour Contracts (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The provisions relating to holiday entitlements are contained in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.  Section 19 of the Act provides for annual leave to be a proportion of hours worked, while Section 20(2) of the Act provides that the pay in respect of an employee's annual leave shall be at the normal weekly rate or, as the case may be, at a rate which is proportionate to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the July Jobs Stimulus package the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was extended by 7 months to the end of March 2021.  This extension continues the support for people who have lost employment due to the pandemic. The rates were changed to reflect that the payment had been extended and to take into account the earnings of the applicants before they had lost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 527, 552 and 585 together. The Government has extended the pandemic unemployment payment until 31 March 2021 to support people whose employment and businesses remain closed. I have secured Government approval to extend the closing date for new applications for the pandemic unemployment scheme to the end of this year. This provides security to anyone who...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (29 Sep 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. In February...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This matter involves an application for a birth certificate which was submitted on www.certificates.ie on 4th September 2020. I wish to advise the Deputy that the HSE is responsible for this website and that the Eastern Registration Office issues certificates once the application has been processed.  Due to restrictions due to Covid-19, the demand for certificates from this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: SOLAS Administration (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 530, 568 and 588 together. My Department’s Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level. The main focus of the allowance is to assist qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 531, 544, 545 and 586 together. Last week, my Department issued payments valued at €61.3 million to over 206,341 people on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). In total Government has spent over €3.5 bn on PUP payments. From 17 September the PUP is being paid at three rates linked to a person's pre-covid employment earnings....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the public policy and social issues in relation to funding a sustainable and adequate State pension system are complex.  As a consequence, the Programme for Government commits to establishing a Commission on Pensions to examine a range of issues including sustainability, eligibility, contributions and calculation methods. The Terms of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the July Stimulus package, and in tandem with a suite of enhanced and improved employment support services for workers, the Government announced the further extension of the pandemic unemployment payment until 1 April 2021.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Over €36 million has been spent on the enhanced illness benefit payment to date. The estimated cost of extending the COVID-19 illness benefit payment until the end of March 2021 is estimated to be an additional €35 million.  This includes payments for increases for qualified adults and children. The purpose of the enhanced Illness Benefit payment in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An employee subject to the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) must satisfy the conditionality requirements of the relevant social welfare scheme in order to receive payment. The Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme Section 28(5)(h) of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 provides that where the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme applies in relation to a specified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. The projected expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2020 is approximately €919 million. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2020 is expected to exceed €1.3 billion. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Department operates a range of means-tested social assistance payments.  Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse / partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme.  Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.  This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Self-employed workers who earn €5,000 or more in a contribution year are liable to pay social insurance contributions at the class S rate of 4%, subject to a minimum annual payment of €500.  Such contributors are currently covered for a wide range of social insurance benefits including State pension (contributory), widow's, widower's or surviving civil...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a payment made in respect of a child with a severe disability who requires additional care and attention, it is payable to the person providing for the child's care while they are resident with that person for at least 5 days each week. DCA can be paid, for a period not exceeding 13 weeks in any 12 months, if the child is admitted to hospital on a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” includes a commitment to examine options for a pension solution for carers, the majority of whom are women, particularly those of incapacitated children, in recognition of the enormous value of the work carried out by them. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The pandemic unemployment payment is payable to people between the ages of 18 up to 66 which is consistent with other social protection schemes payable to people of working age who have lost their employment. People aged 66 years and over are provided for through the contributory State pension or the non-contributory State means tested pension. A person in receipt of the State...