Results 10,701-10,720 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Child Poverty (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The rate of children experiencing consistent poverty reduced from a peak of 11.7% in 2013 to a low of 7.7% in 2018. However, recent data from the Central Statistics Office shows that, regrettably, this rate increased to 8.1% in 2019 which equates to some 97,500 children. It is unacceptable that so many of the children in our society continue to experience consistent poverty. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is a statutory scheme 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. Over €4.3 billion has been spent on PUP to date. The estimated cost of extending PUP to people aged over 66 in the workforce is not available as the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Alone Allowance (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 62 together. The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, and who are living alone. It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy is advised that policy for the Restart Grant is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since level 5 restrictions were introduced, there has been increased expenditure on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) and COVID-19 Illness Benefit. The 2020 Further Revised Estimate voted on by the Dáil on Wednesday, 18th November 2020 provided for an allocation of €5,094.4 million for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Post Office Network (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: While responsibility for An Post rests with the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, the company is a key service provider for the Department of Social Protection as it operates the Department’s contract for cash payment services. The Department has an excellent relationship with An Post which was most keenly demonstrated at the onset of the current pandemic when...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 50, 52, 64 and 69 together. Last month, the Government approved the establishment of the Commission on Pensions in fulfilment of its Programme for Government commitment, and I was delighted to attend its first meeting last week, on Wednesday 25th November. The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In Budget 2019, it was announced that research would be commissioned into the cost of disability as a first step in reaching an in-depth understanding of this complex issue. It is hoped that this important and much needed research, when complete, will inform policy direction in relation to the provision of adequate supports to meet the needs of people with disabilities from a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since its introduction on the 15th March in response to the global Covid-19 pandemic, expenditure on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment has amounted to some €4.3 billion. Last week, I secured Government approval to keep the scheme open for new applicants until the 31st March next year. Following a Government decision in September the scheme had been due to close for applications at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Employment Services (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I previously informed the House that I received the report for the external consultants which reviewed my Department's entire Public Employment Services provision. This report reviewed those services delivered directly by my Department particularly to the short term unemployed and all contracted public employment services which support those jobseekers who are long term unemployed. I have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Support Grant (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer’s Support Grant (formerly called the Respite Care Grant) is an annual payment for people who provide care for certain people in need of full-time care and attention. The grant is paid in respect of each person being cared for, to take account of the additional costs and challenges of providing care in those circumstances. The grant can be used for a variety of purposes,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,557 schools and organisations benefitting 227,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to 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: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to employees who lost their employment as a direct consequence of Covid-19. It is also available to self-employed people whose income from self-employment ceased or reduced as a direct consequence of the pandemic to the extent that they would be available to take up full-time employment. It is a long-standing feature of social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Qualified Child Allowance (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I was pleased to announce increases to the rates of payment in respect of qualified children as part of Budget 2021. This measure will provide for higher payments in respect of an estimated 419,000 children in 2021. All families with qualified children will gain €2 per week per qualified child under the age of 12 and €5 per child aged 12 years and over, at an estimated cost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the Comptroller and Auditor General's chapter on control over welfare payments, which is a key element of my Department’s efforts to address potential fraud and error. The Department has spent approximately €20 billion per annum across various social welfare schemes in recent years, with substantial additional expenditure this year, arising from the income support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit (3 Dec 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 partner's pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Dec 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: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Christmas Bonus will be paid in the week beginning 7th December to social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on social welfare payments for all, or most, of their income. In recognition of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment levels and the sudden...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Government has agreed that the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will continue in payment until end March 2021. This extension provides certainty to people, including those in the arts and entertainment sectors, that access to PUP remains available. The rate of PUP is aligned with prior earnings. Since mid-October the €350 rate of PUP has been re-introduced for individuals with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, and resulting public health measures, has greatly impacted economic activity in the State and the labour market. The latest CSO data records a Covid-19 adjusted overall unemployment rate of 20.2 percent, with an equivalent measure for youth at just over 45 percent. With the second wave of Covid-19 and the subsequent introduction of Level 5 restrictions...