Results 11,021-11,040 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first deliverables of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and will provide high-speed broadband connectivity to publicly accessible sites in rural and isolated areas of the country, including a number of our off-shore islands. These sites will be provided with a temporary wireless connection by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (17 Dec 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. To date, over 3,700 core projects have been approved under the current programme, for funding in excess of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Public health guidance has been issued by Government, the HSE, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and others. This guidance should be carefully considered and should form the basis for any COVID-19 related plans. Further guidance for the community and voluntary sector has been developed by my Department in conjunction with Pobal to help...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good quality jobs while continuing to live closer to home. It also provides an opportunity for those that moved away from home to return to their roots to raise their families. The increased shift to remote work in the last nine months as a result of COVID-19 has given us the opportunity to...

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

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, due to delays at EU level, there will be a delay between the end of the current LEADER programme, which was due to conclude at the end of this year, and the next EU programme which will not now commence until 2023. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a transitional LEADER programme to bridge that gap. Yesterday, 16th December 2020, I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Retirement Allowance (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” commits to introducing a Retirement Payment for 65 year olds paid at the same rate as Jobseeker's Benefit without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. Officials in my Department are currently considering how the Government commitment could be implemented and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, and based on experience from past recessions, youth employment tends to be disproportionately impacted by any labour market shock.  This is because many employers operate a "last in-first out" protocol when reducing their labour force and also because young people tend to work in occupations and sectors such as retail and hospitality, for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On the 22nd of October, I announced the extension of referrals to the JobPath service for a further twelve months until the end of 2021.  This was announced in conjunction with similar commitments to ensure contracts for the Local Employment Services, Job Clubs and EmployAbility would also be extended into 2021.  These measures were taken in order to expand the capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A standard eye examination is available, free of charge, under the terms of the Optical Benefit scheme, to all qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouse/partners on a biennial basis.  Some optical providers can now provide additional eye checks using new technology as an optional extra and these may incur an additional fee payable directly by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 557 and 558 together. 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 scheme 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the Deputy's question relates to the past five years.  No contracts have been awarded by my Department, or by State agencies under the aegis of my Department, to the company referred to, during the period in question.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 26 August 2020. The first payment will be made by her chosen payment method on 6 January 2021. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable). I trust this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, responsibility for the operation of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme and for the eligibility criteria associated with the scheme lies with the Revenue Commissioners and with the Department of Finance. In so far as the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme is concerned, the statutory conditions governing the scheme provide that an employee must have fully...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 19 April 2020.  They were awarded State pension (contributory) at 65% of the maximum rate with effect from their 66th birthday, based on a yearly average calculation of 19.  The person was notified of this decision in writing on 30 March 2020, and afforded the right to request a review of the decision and/or appeal the decision to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Short-Time Work Support is a form of Jobseekers Benefit and is an income support payment for people who have been temporarily placed on a shorter working week by their employer. The payment is made in respect of the days of work that have been lost. Short-Term Work must be systematic and demonstrate a clear repetitive pattern of employment. Employees must also work at least one day...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (13 Jan 2021)

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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (13 Jan 2021)

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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 30 October 2020. It is a condition for receipt of a CA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My officials have advised that the person concerned submitted an application for an Exceptional Needs Payment to assist with funeral expenses on 08/12/2020.  The application was assessed and refused on the basis that a need had not been established due to the disclosure of significant Credit Union savings. A decision letter dated 10/12/2020 issued to the person concerned advising her of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget. The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new demands across a wide range of services. This is to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Responsibility for Parents Leave rests with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and it will lead on drafting and progressing the legislative change necessary to give parents the right to apply to their employer to take the additional parents leave, as provided for in Budget 2021.  Once this legislation has been enacted, parents will be...