Results 10,021-10,040 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Local Development Companies (LDCs) implement a range of programmes on behalf of a number of Government Departments. In relation to my Department, LDCs are involved in the delivery of the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and the LEADER programme. LDCs are a valued stakeholder and will continue to play a vital role in implementing each of these programmes locally.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Water and Sewerage Schemes (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Funding for national water investment is allocated to Irish Water; some funding for group water schemes is allocated from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The allocation of Rural Regeneration and Development funding is overseen by my Department and this supports the development and delivery of ambitious and strategic projects which contribute to sustainable rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A broad range of digital hubs currently operate across Ireland, providing diversity in terms of the capacity, scale of facilities, and services they offer. The management and ownership of these hubs varies from privately owned facilities, to those under the responsibility of public bodies, and hubs operated by social enterprises. There is currently no centralised dataset on the number or...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The ecosystem of hubs and other facilities throughout the country offering hot-desk facilities are a significant support to both remote workers and students at the present time. These facilities cover the spectrum from fully commercially-operating business models, to public sector and social enterprise hubs. The Western Development Commission (WDC) has mapped over 100 remote working...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration Scheme (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Arising from the first and second calls under the Rural Regeneration scheme, 63 Category 1 projects have been approved for funding of €131 million and 76 Category 2 projects have been approved for funding of €35 million. Category 1 relates to major capital projects that can drive sustainable rural regeneration and development, while Category 2 supports projects that require...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Walks Scheme (20 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which my Department administers, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. Rural Recreation Officers, who manage the Scheme at local level, help to ensure that these walks are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: 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 courses of education at second or third level. The BTEA has been extended as part of the July Stimulus in response to Covid-19.  Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The current position in relation to the pandemic unemployment payment is that it can be paid concurrently with certain social assistance payments, including disability allowance.  The pandemic unemployment payment is not assessed as means.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Budget 2021 introduced an earnings threshold of €480 per month for self-employed people who are in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.  The threshold limit is based on gross income minus trading expenses and before tax and PRSI are deducted.  The measure will allow a self-employed individual to take up occasional work opportunities and still retain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The removal of the income threshold was introduced to enhance support for working lone parents. There is widespread evidence which shows that policies that allow lone parents to participate in the labour market while also maintaining social welfare support are integral to lifting lone parents and their children out of poverty. This measure was introduced in recognition of this....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Benefit (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A claim was received from the person concerned on the 3rdof September, 2020.  A Natural Justice letter has issued to the current child benefit recipient; this letter requires a response within 21 days to enable the Department make a decision on entitlement in this case.  Depending on the response to this letter, it may also be necessary to make some further enquiries before a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 163 together. The jobseeker’s allowance and jobseeker's benefit schemes provide income support for people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment. In the case of jobseeker's benefit entitlement a person must have sufficient PRSI contributions paid. If a person does not meet the contribution condition for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together. The United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on the 31st January 2020, and is in a transition period until the 31st December 2020. During this time the existing EU acquis will continue to apply to the UK, and with respect to social security coordination that is achieved through EC Regulation 883 of 2004. Under this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parent's Benefit (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Parent’s Leave and Benefit will be extended from 2 weeks for each parent to 5 weeks as announced in Budget 2021.  This extension will be made available retrospectively to parents in respect of children born or adopted on or after 1st November 2019.  The period during which this leave can be taken will be extended from 12 to 24 months so it can be taken up to a child's second...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Alone Allowance (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This gentleman applied for living alone allowance (LAA) on his disability allowance (DA) on 4 October 2019. The application was disallowed as he failed to supply information which was requested by this Department. The person concerned was informed of this decision on 28 November 2019 and also of his right to request a review or to appeal the decision to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (21 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. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 16 September 2020. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme currently supporting 18,857 active recipients. The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: When a person is in receipt of disability allowance (DA) and their child is in full-time education, an increase for qualified child (IQC) will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22. The person concerned was requested to submit confirmation of participation in full-time education in respect of his son....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 1 October 1994.  They applied for State pension (contributory) on 10 October 1997.  According to the records of my Department, the person had entered insurable employment after the age of 56.  They had a social insurance record of 156 contributions from self-employment for the tax years from 1991/92 to 1993/94 inclusive....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (21 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level.  A person wishing to pursue a course of study under the BTEA scheme has to satisfy a number of conditions including being in receipt of a qualified social welfare...