Results 14,481-14,500 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €252m for projects costing over €343m. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. It is funded by my Department in partnership with Fáilte Ireland. Since 2016, my Department has invested €68 million in almost 1,000 projects under the scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The 2014-2020 LEADER programme for Ireland had an allocation of €250 million. €225 million of this budget was allocated at the outset of the programme to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covers both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAG. The balance of €25 million is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. This year's Town and Village Renewal Scheme, with an indicative budget of €15 million, will place particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living in line with the objectives of “Our Rural Future...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government "Our Shared Future" commits to the development of a Town Centre First (TCF) policy. A TCF Inter-Departmental Group (IDG) was established in November 2020 and is jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage. It has met on four occasions since its inaugural meeting in November last year. In parallel with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Development Plan (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 places a particular focus on priority solutions to strengthen housing, climate ambitions, transport, healthcare, jobs growth in every region and economic renewal for the decade ahead. With an investment of €165 billion over its timeframe it will be the largest National Development Plan in the history of the State. While the Plan is a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. On 29 September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme. In...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. This year's Town and Village Renewal Scheme, with an indicative budget of €15 million, will place particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, projects supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living as outlined in “Our Rural Future...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Policy (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. On 29 September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A vital part of the Department for Rural and Community Development's mission is to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country. In delivering on its mission my Department delivers a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support urban and rural communities, including helping to address the issue of isolation in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pensions Commission was established, inter alia, to develop options for Government to consider in addressing the sustainability of the State pension system and the social insurance fund. Its Report was published on the 7thof October 2021. The Commission’s deliberations on the policy options available led it to conclude that, as well as increasing social insurance contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is now at an advanced stage in its first phase of a two-phase procurement of new employment services. Phase two of this process, to commence shortly, will see the Regional Employment Service model rolled out across the State. It will take on board the learnings of the first phase. This is a significant expansion of employment services and will result in State-wide coverage of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Oct 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 25 August 2021. Additional information in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Oct 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 30 August 2019. The application was referred to a local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 8 September 2021. The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 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 Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 25 February 2021. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is now at an advanced stage in its first phase of a two-phase procurement of new employment services. This procurement process follows extensive consultations by my Department with the existing service providers over the last number of years. Officials in my Department also visited every Local Employment Service and Job Club in 2019 to get their views on what a new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. This is provided through the award of credits and/or the application of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance is one of a range of means-tested social assistance payments operated by my Department. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse/partner, if applicable), applying for the relevant scheme. The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Properties (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not own any buildings in Blanchardstown. Blanchardstown Intreo Centre at Westend House, Snugborough Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15 is leased by the Office of Public Works. It has been open and providing services to the public throughout the pandemic.