Results 10,441-10,460 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since the introduction of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme in March, approximately 815,000 people have applied for payment and in some cases, they have done so on a number of occasions as they moved in and out of employment. Consequently, there are over 1.4 million applications to be examined to determine if arrears are due. During the month of March, my Department received and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591, 592 and 594 together. I am pleased that the Government recently approved the establishment of the Commission on Pensions, as committed to in the Programme for Government. As the Deputy will be aware, I announced on Budget Day that the planned increase in the State pension age from January of next year will be deferred, in line with our Programme for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 27 August 2020.   Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market.  The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments in relation to the LEADER programme, including the question of increasing the rate of aid applicable to private enterprises from 50% to 75%. My Department has engaged with a number of stakeholders, including the Local Development Companies who work closely in the delivery of the LEADER programme, to obtain their views on the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Funding may be available through the LEADER Programme for the type of project referred to by the Deputy. LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-2020 which is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country.  Funding is provided under a broad range of themes, including enterprise development and social...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The current LEADER programme, which is co-financed by the European Commission, comes to an end this year as far as new project approvals are concerned.  The Programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme, which will not commence until 2022 at the earliest. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructure projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. The areas originally designated for CLÁR were selected in 2001 based on the level of population decline in each area between 1926 and 1996.  The Cooley Peninsula was also included on the basis of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the current 2014-2020 LEADER programme comes to an end this year as far as new project commitments are concerned.  Currently, all funding allocations to projects must be committed before 31stDecember 2020 by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver LEADER locally. The LAGs have previously indicated to my Department that they will have their...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Budgets (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A contingent liability arises in any situation where past or current actions or events create the risk of a call on Exchequer funds in the future, for example, entering into guarantees, litigation or contractual indemnities. As required by Government Accounting procedures, any contingent liabilities must be noted in the annual Appropriation Account. Since establishment the Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 918 to 920, inclusive, together. The current 2014-2020 LEADER programme, which is co-funded by the European Commission, is due to end in December this year as far as new project approvals are concerned.  Due to delays at EU level, the next EU LEADER programme will not commence until 2022 at the earliest. The Programme for Government includes...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020.  €225 million of this budget was allocated at the outset of the programme to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level.  The funding allocated to each LAG covers both core project expenditure and the administration costs...

Rural and Community Development: Statements (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Go raibh maith agat a Cheann Comhairle. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak today on the work being carried out by my Department. At the outset, I acknowledge the work of my predecessor, the former Minister, Deputy Ring. It is worth remembering that when the Department of Rural and Community Development was established back in 2017, it did not even have a building to call...

Rural and Community Development: Statements (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank all Deputies who contributed. Although we do not always agree on everything in this Chamber, the interest in this debate shows that there is a strong passion on all sides of the House for rural and community development. As Minister, I have had the opportunity to witness at first hand the vision, commitment and energy which is present in communities across the country. Those...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Registration of Births (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 121 together. Parents are able to register births by submitting a Birth Registration Form, by email or post, to a local office of the Civil Registration Service or via the General Register Office (GRO).  The process is relatively straightforward requiring the completion of the information and declarations requested on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Commission on Pensions (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 to 115, inclusive, 117, 122 and 125 together. I am pleased that the Government approved the establishment of the Commission on Pensions in fulfilment of the Programme for Government commitment. As the Deputies will be aware, I announced on Budget Day that the planned increase in the State pension age from January of next year will be deferred, in line...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID-19 Enterprise Support Grant is designed to assist self-employed people who had been in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment or a Jobseeker's Payment and who closed their claim to resume their self-employment since 18 May. This grant seeks to support micro self-employed enterprises, not currently eligible for similar grant funding through other departments. The support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Brexit Issues (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government regrets the UK’s decision to leave the EU, although we respect it. My Department's key policy area is in respect of the impact of Brexit on the reciprocal arrangements for social insurance (which includes pensions) and social assistance (means tested schemes linked to residency rights) and child benefit between Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the individual referred to by the Deputy has been contacted regarding his application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) by officials of my Department so that they may proceed to progress his application. Upon receipt of outstanding information, this application will be processed without delay.   I trust this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Residency Permits (18 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Justice has granted a further extension for permissions to reside in the State that were due to expire between 20th September 2020 and 20th January 2021. The details of this extension were contained in a notice published by that Department on its website on 18 September. The notice stated that "In light of the uncertainties caused by the...