Results 12,561-12,580 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Social welfare legislation provides that, for social assistance schemes, all income and capital (such as savings, investments and property (other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse/partner, where applicable, are assessable for means assessment purposes. The purpose of this means assessment is to maintain the overarching policy of ensuring that social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The department does not collate the requested data on the annual administrative cost incurred to conduct means testing of blind persons pension (BPP) and disability allowance (DA) applicants and therefore the figures are not available. Eligibility for BPP and DA is conditional on satisfying the medical criteria, a means test and being habitual residence in the state. A deciding officer must...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Blind persons pension (BPP) is a means tested payment paid to blind and visually impaired people between the age of 18 and 66 who are habitually resident in the State. Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance for people with a disability aged between 16 and 66 with a disability expected to last for at least one year and who satisfy the medical condition, means test and are habitually...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Blind pension is a residency-based means tested payment paid to blind and visually impaired people between the age of 18 and 66 who are habitually resident in the State.There are currently 1,069 customers in receipt of blind pension. The Department does not, in ordinary course, collate data on the specific grounds of disallowances in relation to the range of social assistance schemes it...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance for people with a disability aged between 16 and 66 with a disability expected to last for at least one year and who satisfy the medical condition, means test and are habitually resident in Ireland. The Department does not collate data on the number of DA applications which are refused due to their means being in excess of the statutory limit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can advise the Deputy that the Department has made extensive attempts to engage with the customer since the initial application was made in October 2020. Officials from the Department’s office in Ballybofey are arranging an interview with the customer, to discuss the claim and obtain further documentation. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: For reasons of operational and national security it would not be appropriate to disclose details of my Department’s Cyber Security arrangements, or those of State Agencies under my remit. Any information in relation to cyber security tools and services could assist criminals in identifying potential vulnerabilities in cybersecurity arrangements. Therefore it is not considered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: For reasons of operational and national security it would not be appropriate to disclose details of my Department’s Cyber Security arrangements, or those of State Agencies under my remit. Any information in relation to cyber security tools and services could assist criminals in identifying potential vulnerabilities in cybersecurity arrangements. Therefore it is not considered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer, the Appeals Officer will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if determined as necessary, hold an oral hearing. Oral Hearings are currently being conducted online or by telephone and these types of hearings will continue. Due to the public health restrictions arising from the Covid-19 pandemic,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána and for the effective and efficient deployment of Garda resources, including Garda stations. Following a review of An Garda Síochána's accommodation requirements the Commissioner decided that a Public Private Partnership (PPP) should...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, which includes operational decisions relating to road traffic matters. For clarity, there are no summons issued for the failure to pay a fixed charge notice within the statutory payment window. A person who chooses to exercise their right not to pay the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. Our technical staff operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and are closely engaged with experts in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that we follow best practice as it relates to all aspects...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. Our technical staff operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and are closely engaged with experts in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that we follow best practice as it relates to all aspects...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The focus of the Local Improvement Scheme is to support the continued improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities but which represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the Local Authorities. In any given year, the demand under the scheme exceeds the funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cybersecurity Policy (26 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together. My Department's ICT services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). For operational security reasons, neither my Department nor the OGCIO will provide any details of its data security systems or those of the bodies under its aegis, as it would be inappropriate to disclose information that may in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (27 May 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. 996,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Equality (27 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am aware of the recent publication of the Citizens Assembly recommendations in relation to Gender Equality and want to note the Programme for Government commitment that the Government would respond to the recommendations of the Assembly. This response will cover a wide range of policy areas and is being coordinated by the Department of the Taoiseach. The marriage bar describes a rule that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: With reference to the details supplied, the person was not working part-time with the company before the Covid 19 pandemic. However, as this person was put on a shorter working week by the company due to the pandemic they are now classified as a part-time worker for the purposes of Jobseeker's Benefit. A person who works on a part-time basis and is employed for a set number of days each week...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was awarded Jobseeker’s Benefit from 30 March 2020. She was advised by letter on 27 Jan 2021 that the duration of the claim was 234 days. It was not possible to give a definitive date when 234 days would be reached, due to the casual status of the employment in this case. A further letter on 19 May 2021 advised that benefit would end on 21 May 2021 and of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (27 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: There is a wide range of benefits available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Entitlement to such benefits is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, the class of social insurance paid as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the scheme being applied for. In general, self-employed people make PRSI...