Results 14,821-14,840 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (10 Nov 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Home Care Packages (10 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The HSE Home Support Service (formerly called the Home Help Service or Home Care Package Scheme) is a matter for the Department of Health and the HSE and I have no role in the matter. This Question is therefore more appropriate to my colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Advertising (10 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The details of expenditure on advertising for my Department from its first full financial year in 2018 (following its establishment in July 2017) and in the year to-date, are set out hereunder. 2018 2019 2020 2021 €13,790 €19,813 €6,196 €4,796

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (10 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. LEADER is administered by 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area. Each LAG has been given a funding allocation for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government commits the Government to use this 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. This matter is significantly wider than the income support system which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A Personal Public Service (PPS) Number is a unique reference number that helps a person access social welfare benefits and public services in Ireland.  If applying for a PPS Number to take up employment, a person must have a signed offer of employment from the employer confirming when the job is due to start or when it started.  This letter should be on company headed paper...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 320 to 323, inclusive, together. My Department is now at an advanced stage in its first phase of procuring new employment services.  This phase involves the procurement of regional employment services for seven counties in the Midlands and North-West across four lots.  These counties do not have an existing local employment service and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am happy to confirm that the service referred to by the Deputy is scheduled to resume from next week.  People will be able to apply for a Public Services Card (PSC) or renew their PSC in Tubbercurry one day a week. My Department has an extensive range of offices providing essential services across rural Ireland.  This service will complement the service already provided in other...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 26 January 2021.  A decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final apart from in some limited circumstances.  The Chief Appeals Officer has power under...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  Entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.  My Department spent a total of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (11 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 327 and 328 together. Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) is a is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme.  It is a means-tested payment to support lone parents whose youngest child is over 7 and under 14 years old. It is a requirement for recipients of the payment to engage with the Department's Intreo service....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (11 Nov 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 places particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living in line with the objectives of “Our Rural Future –Ireland’s Rural Development Policy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In order to qualify for a payment under the terms of the Illness Benefit scheme, a person must have paid a prescribed number of reckonable PRSI contributions in the relevant tax years prior to their claim. The person concerned has been paying class S contributions, paid by those who are self employed, in the relevant tax years. Class S contributions are not considered reckonable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is primarily responsible for the provision of income supports to individuals. The PUP payment was the main income support introduced for those impacted by Covid-19 which was payable to eligible workers up to age 66 years. In line with the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan the PUP is being gradually withdrawn between September 2021 and February 2022, using a tapered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Oireachtas Committees (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A copy of the Poverty Impact Assessment (PIA) relating to jobseekers rates of payment for young people was issued for the attention of the Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development, and the Islands on 21st July 2021. The correspondence advised that the assessment was carried out further to the requirement as set out in Part 2 Section 7 of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB), under the aegis of my Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the Citizens Information Service (CIS). CIB provides funding and support to eight regional CIS companies, including North Leinster CIS. Each of these companies is overseen and governed by a Board of Directors. I have therefore forwarded your correspondence to CIB for its...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 22 September 2021. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that they were substantially restricted in taking up employment. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 26 October 2021 and was also notified of their right to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability in Ireland. The Programme for Government commits the Government to using this research to properly inform the direction of future policy. Costs of disability are significantly wider than the income support system, which is why a whole-of-Government perspective is being taken to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection is committed to making the information on all its online portals accessible to all, regardless of ability. In order to achieve this, we have designed our portals to follow guidelines set out by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium). The W3C WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) produces accessibility guidelines that are an internationally recognised...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (16 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's identity in a face-to-face interview, results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC), which can be used as proof of identity when accessing public services. At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process and the centralised online appointment...