Results 14,141-14,160 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with expenditure of more...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the entitlement of the person concerned, it was found that he had a decrease in his means from his previous assessment. Based on the information provided to my Department, a maximum rate of disability allowance (DA) was awarded with effect from 30 June 2021. A letter issued to the person concerned informing him of this on 29 September 2021. Arrears of payment due have...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 448 and 449 together. The person concerned is currently in receipt of a reduced rate of Illness Benefit from the Department, based on her earnings in the relevant tax year. She is also in receipt of a top-up payment by way of a basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance to bring her to the appropriate income level for her household circumstances. The Illness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Registration Service (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The criteria for consideration of a secular body to solemnise marriage in the State is set out in section 45A of the Civil Registration Act, 2004, as amended. These criteria are designed to ensure the institution of marriage is protected by applying a rigorous set of rules regarding the type of body that can be deemed eligible and are sufficiently robust so that the authority to solemnise...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: 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. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Programme for Government (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is the national strategy to reduce poverty and improve social inclusion in Ireland and aims to reduce consistent poverty to 2% of the population or less by 2025. The strategy contains seven high level goals with 22 specific targets, which will be delivered by 66 unique commitments - or actions - across Government. These include a commitment to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Revenue Commissioners (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The agencies under the Department of Social Protection have no issues to report and have not had to make a settlement with the Revenue Commissioners in relation to any issue in the past five years.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Agriculture Schemes (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 to 456, inclusive, together. Farm Assist is a social assistance support payment for farmers on low incomes who satisfy the scheme’s statutory conditions, including a means test. Recipients retain the advantages of the Jobseeker's Allowance scheme, such as the retention of secondary benefits and access to activation programmes. The 2021 Further...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government commits the Government to use the research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to properly inform the direction of future policy. My Department commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability in Ireland. The report has been received and my Department is considering it in detail. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a payment for people with an injury, disease or disability that has continued, or may be expected to continue, for at least one year and, as a result of this disability, the person is ‘substantially restricted’ in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable. Legislation provides that the scheme is subject to a means test, which takes account of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 460, 461, 463 and 465 together. The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Persons in receipt of disability allowance (DA) can return to education and training. They have the option of applying for back to education allowance (BTEA) or remaining on their DA while attending their course. While on BTEA they can apply to SUSI for the fees only portion of the maintenance grant. They can also commence part time employment and any income from it will not be means tested...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. Approximately 136,000 customers are in receipt of the TSA payment. The full year cost of the scheme is estimated at €18 million. The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Dormant Accounts Fund (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On 16 September 2020, I announced a funding allocation of €5 million under the Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan 2020 and a Call for Applications to support initiatives under the heading of "Measures to Support and Improve Employment (incl. self-employment) Opportunities for Carers and Persons with a Disability”. There were three measures under which organisations could apply: ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In relation to the customer concerned, the Chief Medical Adviser (CMA) has carefully reviewed her application for Free Travel Companion Pass including all medical evidence and additional evidence received from the customer's GP today. The CMA has conveyed his medical opinion to Free Travel Section who will be in contact with the customer within the next couple of days. I trust this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Employment Service provides a local service and facilities to support unemployed people to enter or return to work. The services include: - Referral to the mediation service, career path planning, career guidance and placement services. - Referral to local State and voluntary services for training, education, Job Clubs and other social services. - Information on the range of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance and the Christmas Bonus are paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income. The reason Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance or the Christmas Bonus is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My officials have advised that a PPSN application was received on 27/9/21 in respect of the person concerned. The person concerned has been contacted and requested to provide a copy of her national identity card so that her application can be processed. On receipt of the requested documentation her application will be progressed and confirmation of her PPSN will issue to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The person concerned was refused IP on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme are not satisfied. She was notified on 17 September 2021 of this decision,...