Results 16,061-16,080 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Disability allowance (DA) is subject to periodic reviews.  A control review was carried out on this persons entitlement and it was determined that based on the medical evidence provided, they no longer satisfied the medical conditions for receipt of DA. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 19 November 2021 and of their right to have this decision reviewed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Recipients of certain social welfare payments can claim an increase in their payment in respect of a Qualified Adult, subject to a means assessment. A Qualified Adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the recipient who is being wholly or mainly maintained by that claimant. The means test in respect of the increase for a Qualified Adult applies to both contribution based social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Feb 2022)

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 from the person concerned was received on 18 April 2016.  The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides two payment options for customers: payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer accounts by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). There are a number of social welfare schemes to support people who are ill, people with disabilities. and carers. Provisional 2021 transaction volumes, broken down by payment method, for this group of social welfare schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 171 and 172 together. Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash, on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. In addition to these primary payments, my Department also provides a range of other payments, both cash and non-cash, on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered secondary in nature. The Living Alone Increase (LAI) is one of those...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Living Alone Increase is a weekly payment for people aged 66 or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are living alone.  These payments include State pension (contributory), State pension (non-contributory), Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (contributory) pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the Occupational...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of 'Our Rural Future',the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. I launched the 2021 Scheme with an initial...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Welfare (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Control of Dogs Acts place statutory responsibility for dog control on local authorities.  Under the Acts, local authorities are responsible for operating and managing dog control and licensing services in their administrative areas, including the management of dog pounds or shelters, and my Department has no involvement in this process. Local Authority dog shelters are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (23 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of 'Our Rural Future',the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland.  Considerable progress has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Enterprise Support Services (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long-term unemployed and is payable for up to a 24-month period from the commencement of their new business. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Leave (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: A total of 143,437 applications have been received for Paternity Benefit to date up to end of January 2022, of which 138,020 have been approved, 1,671 have been withdrawn and 3,746 have been rejected or declined. The general reasons for disallowance are as follows (noting that statistics for disallowance reason are not available): - Late claim: Failure to apply for Paternity Benefit within...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There were on average 3,550 Carer's Benefit claims in payment between February 2021 and January 2022, with an average claim duration of 398 days. I trust this clarifies the position.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The qualifying criteria for the widow’s pension depend on whether a person is claiming the Widow(er)’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension. Each pension is payable to a widow or widower or a surviving civil partner, whose spouse or civil partner has passed away. To qualify for the Widow(er)’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Generally, Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) refunds can be applied for where the wrong PRSI rate has been paid from someone's income. Full details of where a refund may be applicable are set out on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/en/service/5706e5-prsi-refunds/. However, where a person enters the social insurance system after they reach the age of 56 they will not be able to make...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Meetings (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Both I and officials from my Department engage regularly with stakeholders, including the National Women’s Council of Ireland to provide them with an opportunity to raise core issues and discuss areas of concern. In 2019, the NWCI were invited to the pre-Budget 2020 Forum, which took place on 5thJuly. In 2020, 3 online engagements took place with me and/or my officials in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I value the considered input of stakeholders such as the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament each year as part of the annual budgetary process, and I will as always take these views on board. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In order to qualify for Illness Benefit, a person must have 39 PRSI contributions paid or credited in the second last complete tax year from which the claim is made, or they must have 26 reckonable PRSI contributions paid in both the second last complete tax year and the year prior to that. They must also have at least 13 PRSI contributions paid in one of the past 5 years from which the claim...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 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 has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department has no record of an appeal in this case. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.