Results 11,061-11,080 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for their State pension (contributory) on 18 September 2020 and will reach pension age on 18 February 2021. They were awarded the maximum rate of pension with effect from their 66th birthday. They were notified in writing of this decision on 8 January 2021. The legislation confirming pension age as 66 was enacted on 22 December 2020. I hope this clarifies the...

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

Heather Humphreys: Due to the nature of the public health crisis, the numbers in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) have fluctuated over time. At the end of March, 283,129 people received a PUP; at the end of June, 438,933 people received a PUP; at the end of September 217,142 people received a PUP; and at the end of December, 335,599 people received a PUP. In total, over the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB) is the State's money advice service and provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted. As part of its free services, MABS also provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears, and administers the Abhaile...

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that the Department has no record of receiving an application from the person concerned for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on this particular case. However, in general terms, the following are important points to note. The Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department has not used outsourcing to consultancies for specifically Covid-related work, services or advice. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment received by the person concerned on the 20th October 2020 was in respect of the period 9th October 2020 to the 15th October 2020. I am advised that when PUP arrears were being calculated in respect of the person concerned, a payment in respect of the period from 2nd to the 8th October was processed but these arrears were nullified by an earlier PUP...

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

Heather Humphreys: To date over €5 billion has been paid in relation to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment since its introduction in March 2020 in response to the effects of the Covid-19 virus. On 5th August the payment was introduced as a statutory scheme to continue to mitigate the severe social and economic effects of the Covid-19 virus. To be eligible for the payment a person must have lost their...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Welfare (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Each year my Department publishes annual statistics on gov.ie in respect of a range of dog control responsibilities of local authorities.  Information up to and including 2019 is available at the following link:  The number of livestock worrying incidents reported to the local authorities in 2019 was also collated and published for the first time in 2020.  253livestock worrying...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Last December, I announced funding of €20 million for the Transitional LEADER Programme, which will come into effect from 1 April 2021 for new project approvals. In tandem with this announcement and in response to a number of requests for an extension of the timeline for project approvals, I extended the deadline for project commitments under the 2014-2020 programme to the end of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The application referred to by the Deputy was submitted to my Department under the 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme.  The 2020 scheme had an indicative budget of €25 million, which included an additional €10 million provided as part of the Government’s July Stimulus Package. The 2020 Scheme included two separate funding Measures - an Accelerated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Interdepartmental Committees (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Interdepartmental Committee for the development of a new Islands Policy was established in late 2019, and met on two occasions prior to a consultation process with island communities being undertaken.  It was intended that the Committee would reconvene on completion of the consultation process, and would then meet on a regular basis to oversee the development of the Islands...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that there have been no contracts awarded to the company referenced by the Deputy, by either my Department, or by the State agencies under the aegis of my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Pet Farms (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.  The day to day regulation of dog breeding establishments to ensure compliance with the Act is a matter for local authorities. It is the responsibility of each local authority to maintain the register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area.  The Act also places an obligation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Forbairt Calaí agus Céanna (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Tá teagmháil rialta idir oifigigh na Roinne agus oifigigh an Chomhairle Contae chun forbairt an Chalaidh Mhóir in Inis Meáin, agus an cheist sonrach seo  a phlé.  Tuigtear dom nach raibh rochtain ar an áis NMCI ag an Comhairle Contae ná ag ionadaithe ó phobal Inis Meáin fós de bharr na...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Forbairt Calaí agus Céanna (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Tá an Roinn agus Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe ag obair go leanúnach chun baill chríoch a chur leis an cás gnó i leith Cé Inis Oírr.  Tá leagan don chás gnó faighte ag an Roinn, ach tá ábhar forlíontach fós le theacht.  Ach é seo a bheith curtha ar fáil ag an Chomhairle Chontae, táthar ag...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Pet Farms (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.  The Act provides a robust regulatory framework for, inter alia, the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has not outsourced Covid-19-related work to consultants or sought their services or advice in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), the Government, having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of Covid-19, extended the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 145 together. Fortnightly payments were introduced by my Department to assist with social distancing measures in the early period of the current pandemic. Having listened carefully to the concerns expressed by groups, such as St Vincent De Paul, around the difficulties presented to people, including our most vulnerable, in trying to manage money on a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2 November 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...