Results 16,021-16,040 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to is in receipt of an invalidity pension (IP), awarded to her on 20 September 2021 with effect from 01 July 2021. She received her first payment to her nominated bank account on 07 October 2021 and arrears due from 20 September 2021 to 06 October 2021 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) issued on 04 November 2021. The person in question was notified of this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 2022)

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. The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 2 November 2021. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: A basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) is a weekly allowance paid to people who have insufficient income to meet their needs and those of their families. If a person has claimed a social welfare payment but it has not yet been paid and they have no other income, they may qualify for basic SWA while awaiting a decision on their claim. The person concerned applied for a basic SWA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that there is no statutory compulsory retirement age for employees in Ireland. Responsibility for setting retirement age is a matter for the employer/employee relationship and the contract of employment. The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has made rulings in a series of age-discrimination cases concerning Directive 2000/78/EC, which prohibit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not paid for advertising or features in the magazine specified.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The State Pension (Contributory) is a PRSI-based pension, financed by contributions made by current workers and their employers, and paid to pensioners, at a rate based upon their PRSI record when working. A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). T he actuarial value of the State Pension is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Feb 2022)

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: Public Services Provision (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not, at any time, been the beneficiary of an award bestowed by the cited publication.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The social welfare package in Budget 2022 was the highest in 14 years and meant that some 1.4 million people, including over 700,000 pensioners, received a €5 increase in weekly payments, and more if they have dependents. In addition to improvements in core social welfare rates, there were a number of targeted measures designed to support those most vulnerable to poverty, including...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. It is estimated that up to 400,000 households will benefit in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Deserted Wife’s Benefit is a social protection payment introduced in 1973 made to women who were deserted by their husbands.Entitlement to payment is based on social insurance contributions paid by either the woman or her husband.The scheme closed to new applicants with effect from 2 January 1997, on introduction of the One Parent Family payment. Following the decision of the Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. To qualify the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection provides a range 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 or disability itself but on the extent to which a person’s capacity to work is restricted by illness or disability. In all cases a deciding officer of my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) is a demand led scheme acting as a safety net within the overall social welfare system to provide assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. The maximum basic weekly rate of payment from SWA is €206. There are increases available on this rate for adult and child...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (22 Feb 2022)

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: Departmental Communications (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The application referred to by the Deputy is on my Government phone. The application is used on occasion, usually for transmitting videos for social media use in relation to my Department’s work. The 'disappearing messages' function is not activated.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Offices (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My officials in Coolock Intreo Centre have not been made aware by customers of any issues with queues outside the building nor have any complaints been received by my Department. The Coolock Intreo Centre is located in the Northside Civic Centre, in which a variety of other public service providers including the HSE, MABS and the Citizens Information Centre are based. There is a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Following an investigation by a Social Welfare Inspector, the details of an estimated overpayment of State Pension (Non-contributory) arising from previously undisclosed capital were communicated to the solicitor administering the estate. The solicitor has been in contact with the Social Welfare Inspector since this communication and has now requested that a formal decision on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (22 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Following notification from jobseekers allowance (JA) regarding the spouse of the person concerned and their commencement of employment, a review of the disability allowance (DA) was carried out. Departmental records show that both parties are living at the same address. On 17th August 2021, a request for information regarding their spouse's earnings, which was required in order to carry...