Results 11,361-11,380 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Free fuel (FF) allowance is a means-tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people. The application from the person concerned for FF allowance was reviewed and he has been awarded the lump sum FF payment with effect from 6 January 2021. A letter issued informing him of this on 5 February 2021. This gentleman's first lump sum FF payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 27 February 2019. To qualify for IP a claimant must, inter-alia, have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (10 Feb 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. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 12 October 2020. The file was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A letter has issued to the person concerned on 8th February 2021, confirming that she is not currently in receipt of a Social Welfare payment. The circumstances surrounding the Jobseekers Allowance application of July 2020 is currently being examined by an officer of the Department who will contact the person concerned regarding this. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The dental benefit operated by the department is demand led, with the Department providing for an annual oral examination and cleaning for all qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouses who opt to avail of such services. An allocation of €57.16m has been assigned for the dental benefit scheme in 2021. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Authority Funding (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Control of Dogs Acts place statutory responsibility for dog control on local authorities. Under the Acts, local authorities are responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas, including the management of dog pounds or shelters, and my Department has no involvement in this process. Section 15(2) of the 1986 Act empowers local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cuanta agus Céanna (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Tá mó Roinn agus Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe théis a bheith ag obair go leanúnach chun baill chríoch a chur leis an chás gnó don fhorbairt ar Ché Inis Oírr. Tá leagan críochnúil don chás gnó faighte ag an Roinn anois. Tá seo á scrúdú anois ag oifigigh na Roinne agus tá súil é a bheidh...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has provided funding of almost €39 million for over 1,600 projects under a range of different Measures including: - Safety measures around schools and community facilities - Outdoor play...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The increased shift to remote working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has given us the opportunity for a greater regional distribution of jobs and to support a better quality of life for many people who previously spent many hours in long commutes. Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good quality jobs while continuing to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) initiative will see approximately 300 publicly accessible sites provided with a temporary high-speed broadband connection by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company contracted to deliver the National Broadband Plan (NBP). These sites will be in rural and isolated areas, including many off-shore islands. Typically, BCPs are community centres,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. It is funded by my Department and administered through the relevant Local Authorities. Since the LIS was re-launched in 2017, over €58 million has been allocated for improvement works on over...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1045 and 1046 together. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and/or enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as cycleways, walking trails, blueways and mountain access routes in rural areas. Since 2016, my Department has invested almost €55.2 million in over 920 projects across Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The regeneration and revitalisation of our rural towns and villages is a key priority for my Department. Since 2016, my Department has invested almost €93 million in over 1,300 projects under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. A budget of €20 million has been allocated for an expanded Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year - an increase of €5 million, or 33%,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU which operates a locally-led, bottom-up, approach to meeting the needs of local communities and businesses. The programme supports private enterprises and community groups in rural areas. The 2014-2020 LEADER programme for Ireland had an allocation of €250 million, including a contribution of approx. 63% from the EU. Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Remote, or connected working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to pursue careers in good quality jobs while continuing to live in their local communities. It also has the potential to encourage more people to move to the regions, to provide increased trade for local businesses and to revitalise our rural towns. A number of Government Departments and agencies...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first premises to be connected in the State intervention area under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). They are publicly accessible premises, such as community centres, libraries and sports clubs in more isolated or remote rural areas, including some of our off-shore islands. At this point, the majority of sites for inclusion in the BCP...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (10 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first premises to be connected in the State intervention area under the National Broadband Plan (NBP). They are publicly accessible premises, in more isolated or remote rural areas, including some of our off-shore islands. The BCPs will make onsite broadband access available for a variety of uses, such as remote working, remote study,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The telephone support allowance (TSA) is an allowance of €2.50 which is paid to over 135,000 customers weekly. The estimated full year cost of the scheme in 2021 is over €18 million. To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment such as the State Pension and also in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Support Services (11 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Ability Programme was introduced in June 2018 and is a pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. The funding for this programme will amount to around €16 million over a three-year period and is being provided jointly under the EUs ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme, 2014-2020 (PEIL, 2014–20) and the Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (11 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As requested in your representation, the fuel allowance application for the person concerned will be reviewed. In this regard, a deciding officer has requested further information in order to reassess his eligibility for the fuel allowance. As soon as this information has been received, his entitlement to the fuel allowance will be reviewed and he will be notified directly of the outcome. I...