Results 13,381-13,400 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Reports (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Scoping Report into Community Safety and Wellbeing in Drogheda was commissioned last year by Minister Helen McEntee following a number of violent incidents in Drogheda. The purpose of the Scoping Report was to gather and assess information relating to ongoing challenges and community needs in Drogheda, and to identify actions to support communities and connect...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Process (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In April of this year, Minister McEntee announced an initiative to expunge previous convictions for ‘sale of sex’, or prostitution offences. This is a significant step in recognising and responding to the needs of victims of sex trafficking, and those forced to provide sexual services. The expungement has not yet taken place because in order to do so, legislative amendments...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: If the Deputy could provide further details about the matters referred to, I would be happy to make further inquiries on the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the apology that was made by the Garda Commissioner and the Commissioner has assured me that when someone calls 999 now, they can expect and trust that An Garda Síochána will help. That should of course always be the case. As the Deputy will be aware, the Policing Authority, at the request of Minister McEntee, is overseeing the Garda review of this matter, and this work...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The resources provided by Government to An Garda Síochána have reached unprecedented levels, with an allocation of €1.88 billion in 2020 and of €1.952 billion in 2021. This has enabled sustained ongoing recruitment into the organisation. As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the general management and administration of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The introduction of the new Garda Divisional Policing model, announced by the Garda Commissioner in August 2019, gives effect to a key recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. The approach outlined by the Garda Commissioner is intended to addresses the challenges of modern day policing and has my full support. The new operating model includes restructuring...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Common Travel Area (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Common Travel Area (CTA), Irish citizens and British citizens in each other’s State have the right to access social security benefits on the same basis as citizens of that State. This includes reciprocal arrangements for Social Insurance schemes, Social Assistance schemes and Child Benefit. The Government is committed to ensuring that the reciprocity of social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 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....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Jul 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 approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Voluntary Sector (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 to 255, inclusive, together. Following on from a review of public employment services in my Department, my officials have commenced a series of procurement exercises to secure appropriate services to engage with the long-term unemployed and other cohorts throughout the State. The deadline for the submissions of tenders for the first phase has just...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Housing Provision (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme supporting 17,700 active recipients at the end of June 2021. The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Jul 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. My department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 10 March 2021. The application was awarded on 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The appeal of the person concerned along with the file and submission papers, will be forwarded to the Social Welfare Appeals Office this week. Should the person concerned wish to provide additional information to the Department this will also be considered. An Appeals Officer will make a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented or, if necessary, hold an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB), a statutory body under the aegis of my Department, provides funding to The Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) - the national service for the development, promotion and delivery of sign language interpreting services to the Deaf community in Ireland. The Remote Interpreting Application was a six-month pilot project developed by CIB and SLIS, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 16 February 2021. The evidence submitted in support of this application was examined and the deciding officer decided that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: An application for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) was received from the person concerned on the 10th May 2021. Applications are processed in date of receipt order, currently applications received at the end of April 2021 are being dealt with. The Deciding Officer will notify the customer in writing as soon as the application has been finalised. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 24 February 2021. According to the records of my Department, they had a total of 1,270 qualifying full-rate paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 13 July 1971 to end-December 2020. This person’s yearly average was calculated as 26 contributions and gave them an entitlement to a standard...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 8 June 2015. According to the records of my Department, they had a total of 1,035 qualifying full-rate paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 8 June 1965 to end-December 2014. The Homemakers Scheme was applied to the calculation of the person’s pension entitlement under the yearly average...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a social insurance record of 841 full-rate paid contributions, 717 credited contributions and 754 HomeCaring Periods in respect of childcaring duties for their three children. The person's entitlement to State pension (contributory) has been reviewed. They are entitled to 90.43% of the maximum rate of pension from 11 July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Payment of the secondary benefits outlined by the Deputy is directly linked to the payment of the primary payment – Disability Allowance. There are no circumstances where the payment of these secondary benefits can continue to be paid when the primary payment has ceased due to the person exceeding the income limit for receipt of the primary payment. Any decision to allow a person...