Results 11,921-11,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy’s question relates to 'standard private pension products'. In terms of the Pensions Act, 1990, as amended, this refers to standard Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs). Personal Pension Plans (PPPs) / Retirement Annuity Contracts (RACs) and other retirement related investment products are regulated by the Central Bank. Any questions with respect to these are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to ensuring that State pension (contributory) claims are processed as expeditiously as possible. The operational target for State pension (contributory) claims is to have 90% of timely applications awarded (where qualified) by entitlement date, currently the applicant's 66th birthday. The State Pension Contributory Section in my Department processes pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Under current eligibility conditions, applicants must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment over a person’s working life. Calculation of an applicant’s entitlement to State pension (contributory) is based on their social insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 994,000...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Since 2016, my Department has allocated almost €68 million to nearly 1,000 projects through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). Earlier this year I announced details of 226 projects to the value of almost €15.8 million that were approved funding under ORIS 2020. The scheme invests in physical infrastructure that underpins recreational activities based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland's new Rural Development Policy, is an ambitious framework for the sustainable development of rural Ireland for the next five years. The vision of the policy is for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental wellbeing and development. Our Rural Future contains over 150 commitments across Government, for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2569, 2571, 2581 and 2588 together. 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,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seirbhísí Farantóireachta (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Faoi láthair, is ar mhaithe le díolacháin ticéid atá na h-oifigí atá luaite sna conarthaí agus is faoin gcomhlacht farantóireachta atá sé na socraithe cuí a dhéanamh le spás stórála a chur ar fáil cois céibhe le gur féidir ábhar a stóráil, go háirithe agus seirbhís lastais...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dog Breeding Industry (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2572 to 2574, inclusive, together. Each year my Department publishes annual statistics on gov.ie in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including those that relate to dog breeding establishments. This information is collated from annual returns received from all local authorities. Information up to and including 2019,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a total budget of €250 million to be allocated over the period 2014-2020. The programme, which is co-funded by the EU, is based on a local-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The programme supports projects from local community groups and businesses which, amongst other objectives, promote economic development, social inclusion and the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ‘Our Rural Future’, the new Rural Development Policy, contains over 150 commitments across the whole-of-Government, for both short-term recovery and longer-term development. As part of the development of the Policy an extensive research and consultation process was undertaken to identify the issues that matter most to people living and working in rural areas. Amongst the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Welfare Services (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The organisation referred to in the Deputy's question received funding from POBAL under the Dormant Accounts Fund. This funding has since been disallowed under the Dormant Accounts Fund process. A recovery process for funds received is ongoing.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is just one of a number of initiatives funded under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. This Programme also includes the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, CLÁR and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The Local Authorities are central to the delivery of these...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund was established to deliver on the National Strategic Objective in the National Development Plan 2018-2027 of Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities. The Fund provides investment to support suitable projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Air Services (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In 2017 my Department undertook a public consultation process whereby it sought submissions from interested parties in relation to the future use of both Clifden and Inishbofin airstrips. On foot of that consultation my Department is in discussions with the HSE with a view to the use of part of the Inisbofin site to locate a Health Care Centre for the island, a facility for which the Island...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland. In February 2020, Louth County Council were approved for funding of €200,000 under the 2019 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme for the development and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Appointments to State Boards (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Since September 2014 the Public Appointments Service (PAS) has responsibility for managing an open, accessible, rigorous and transparent system to support Ministers in making appointments to State boards. Under the Guidelines for Appointments to State Boards, these board positions are advertised and recruited through the dedicated website, www.stateboards.ie. This process enables...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Appointments to State Boards (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Public Appointments Service (PAS) is the centralised provider of recruitment and assessment services for the Civil Service, including management of the process to identify people for consideration for appointment to State Boards. The website www.stateboards.ie is the channel used by the PAS to both inform the public of vacancies on State Boards and to collate expressions of interest...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is just one of a number of initiatives funded under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. A total of €58 Million has been allocated under the Scheme since it was reintroduced in 2017 and this funding has benefited over 10,000 landowners and residents across 2,400 road projects. This has made a real difference to the landowners...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Carlow County Council submitted an application to my Department for funding in respect of Carlow Central Library in August 2020. However, as the Libraries Capital Programme 2016 - 2021 is fully committed, the Council were advised to consider making an application for funding to the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) which is administered by the Department of Housing, Local...