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Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 – Rural and Community Development, and the Islands (Further Revised) (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the committee and appreciate the Chairman's co-operation. I look forward to coming back next week.

Financial Resolutions 2020 - Financial Resolution No. 7: General (Resumed) (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This week I presented my first budget as both Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development. The budget of Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for 2021 will be €25.1 billion. This is the largest ever annual allocation and is more than €4 billion larger than the Department's allocation in last year's...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The guidelines governing eligibility for the Back-to-Education Allowance (BTEA) require that the allowance should only be approved where the course of study involved would lead to a higher qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) than that already held by the customer. I am advised that as the person concerned has already completed a Level 7 NFQ course and is now...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work supplementary payment that provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with qualified children. WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid employees with child dependents and to offer a financial incentive to pursue employment. The number of WFP customers who are employed by the Departments of Defence and Foreign...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in the State pension age next year will be deferred and it will remain at 66 years pending the report of the Commission on Pensions. This will require amendment to primary legislation and the Government will bring the necessary legislation before the Oireachtas later this year. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Farm Relief Scheme (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in the State pension age next year will be deferred and it will remain at 66 years pending the report of the Commission on Pensions. The Government announced, as part of Budget 2021 that this will require amendment to primary legislation and the Government will bring the necessary legislation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is aware of the Address Point service offered by An Post, which provides a free personal address and mail collection service for persons with no fixed abode. In relation to welfare payments, the An Post Address Point service can be used as a method of postal contact for a customer, but not as proof of address. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension is a pension paid to people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness. To qualify for an award of Invalidity Pension a claimant must satisfy both PRSI contribution and medical conditions. Where a person in receipt of Invalidity Pension wishes to return to work, they may apply for Partial Capacity Benefit. The Partial Capacity Benefit scheme extends the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. The person concerned was in receipt of CA for one care recipient only. This payment was in place from 22 May 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Referrals to all activation services, including those provided by the JobPath providers, were suspended in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In parallel with the Intreo service, our contracted public employment services, including JobPath and the Local Employment Services, resumed activation for new referrals in June. My officials were in contact with the various contracted employment...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 220 together. The 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 education courses at second or third level. The allowance enables qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and their prospects of...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) (SPC) on 30 June 2020. State pension (contributory) was awarded at €32.30 per week, backdated six months from date of application to 30 December 2019, in line with social welfare legislation. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 6 July 2020 and arrears due were paid. Since April 2012 payment of...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in the State pension age next year will be deferred and it will remain at 66 years pending the report of the Commission on Pensions. The Government confirmed on Tuesday as part of its Budget measures that the required amendment to primary legislation (the Social Welfare Consolidation Act (2005))...

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

Heather Humphreys: In December 2019, after a competitive procurement, my Department engaged with external consultants to review all contracted public employment services. Progress on this review was slowed, but not stopped, by Covid 19 restrictions and the finalised report was submitted to my officials in August. The report was examined by my officials and formally submitted to me in recent days for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A person’s entitlement to a jobseeker’s payment for claims made prior to 1stSeptember, where employees may have been in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, will depend on meeting the eligibility conditions, including satisfying the Department with regard to days of unemployment and days of remuneration by their employer. My Department has engaged with the employer...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (15 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: Regional Aid (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This PQ, which I note has been put down to all departments, is not relevant to any of the schemes or services provided by my Department. I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reviews (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that neither my Department nor its agencies have provided aid under the regional aid guidelines in the last seven years.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The temporary wage subsidy scheme was introduced by the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020. The scheme provided the payment of support to employers in respect of eligible employees where the employer’s business had experienced significant disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Eligible employees included those on full-time, part-time, temporary and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Direct Provision Payments (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Applicants for International Protection accommodated under the system of Direct Provision operated by the International Protection Accommodation Services (IPAS) of the Department of Justice and Equality are provided with full board, accommodation and other services. My Department administers the daily expenses allowance (DEA) which is paid to protection applicants who live in the direct...