Results 9,881-9,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue full-time 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 prospects of gaining employment. The BTEA has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 to 300, inclusive, and 316 together. The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity when they apply for a PPSN is a face-to-face process, carried out in PPSN Centres across the country. At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to employees and self-employed persons who lose their employment due to the impact of Covid-19. The quickest and most efficient way to apply is online at www.MyWelfare.ie and approximately 97% of applications are received online. Claim inflows and subsequent processing are monitored on a daily basis. While the majority of claims are awarded...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment was implemented as an emergency measure intended to last for 6 to 12 weeks. However, the impact of Covid-19 has been deeper and will last longer than anticipated back in March. Changes have been made to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to ensure it continues to be sustainable over the longer duration of the scheme by linking the payment rates to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment of €24.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €686 each year) from October to April, to low income households, at an estimated cost of €295.35 million in 2020. This figure includes the additional four weeks of the Allowance which were paid to support these vulnerable households during the COVID-19 emergency. The purpose of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that they were in touch with the Deputy who had agreed to withdraw the Parliamentary Question on the basis that the person concerned had in fact submitted an appeal for disability allowance and not invalidity pension. I am also advised that the Office had written to the Deputy explaining the status of the disability allowance claim and I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: There is one private secretary assigned to the Minister in my Department. The private secretary is at the grade of Higher Executive Officer and is paid on the salary scale for that grade. They are also paid the private secretary allowance, which amounts to €20,685 annually. Selection of the private secretary is by way of an internal process confined to staff of the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) application for the person concerned was refused on the basis that she has previously undertaken two courses of education and not completed them. An applicant who is not satisfied with a recommendation of a Case Officer may request to have their application re-examined. The request must state the basis for which a review has been requested and must also...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision. The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection provides a range of income supports, including disability allowance, for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. Entitlement to disability allowance is not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability itself but on the extent to which a person’s capacity to work is restricted by illness or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (13 Oct 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 7th October 2020 with details of the PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A person on maternity leave will automatically be awarded credits while they are in receipt of maternity benefit. These credited contributions keep the person's record up to date for benefit entitlement purposes. If an individual avails of unpaid statutory maternity leave they must get their employer to complete an application for maternity leave credits when they return to work and return...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: DEIS Scheme (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,580 schools and organisations benefitting 250,000 children. The objective of the scheme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to a lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (13 Oct 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 in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An application for maternity benefit was received from the person concerned on 22/09/2020. The Department wrote to her on 25/09/2020, requesting that she have her employer complete a form MB2 confirming details of her maternity leave and to return the completed form to Maternity Benefit section. Once this information is received, a decision will be made on her application. I hope this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) are provided for in legislation by Section 201 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act 2005, as amended. The legislation does not confer a statutory right or entitlement to ENPs and every application is considered separately. ENPs may be considered in exceptional circumstances, where, because of the nature of the requirement, it would be unreasonable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The fuel allowance is a payment of €24.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €686 each year) from October to April, to an average of 352,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €261.35 million in 2020. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services Provision (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 979,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was referred on 11 September 2020 to an Appeals Officer who will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if required and subject to Covid-19 restrictions, hold an oral hearing. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (13 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned made an online casual Jobseekers Benefit claim on 23/09/2020. This claim was awarded on 12/10/2020 and the person concerned is being notified of this decision in writing. Any payment due to the person concerned will issue to her bank account on 20/10/2020.