Results 16,181-16,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the entitlement of the person concerned, their claim was suspended on 13 December 2021 as they failed to supply the information required in order to assess their entitlement. The requested information was received from the person concerned and their file was sent to a social welfare inspector (SWI) on 22 December 2021 for a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (9 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government recognises the crucial role that family carers play in Irish society and is fully committed to their support. As part of Budget 2022, improvements were introduced to the income and capital limits for the Carer’s Allowance means assessment, effective from June 2022. The weekly income disregard increases to €350 from €332.50 for a single person, and to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Project Ireland 2040 (9 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together. The LEADER programme is part of an integrated suite of capital investment measures operated by my Department under the National Development Plan as part of Project Ireland 2040.  It is a key intervention which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. LEADER is administered by 29...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department was established in 2017 and funds a range of programmes and schemes to assist in rural and community development, which are available to eligible community groups and organisations throughout the country. In the 2022 Revised Estimates, my Department was allocated €378 million. This funding ensures that we are in a position to further assist communities seeking funding and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (9 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are public locations which have been selected to receive high-speed connectivity as part of the National Broadband Plan. The locations of the BCPs include public areas such as community halls, libraries, sports facilities, enterprise hubs, tourist locations and other public spaces A typical BCP receives its connectivity from National Broadband Ireland (NBI)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Consultations (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The following table sets out the 14 reports conducted by external consultancies for the period in question: 2019  Report Name of Consultants Publication Date Cost An Initial Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Intreo Activation Reforms ESRI Q1 2019 €82,820 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is a statutory independent body as set out in the Comhairle Act 2010 which operates under the aegis of my Department. CIB provides funding to 22 companies in order to deliver services on its behalf. This includes eight CIS companies, of which South Leinster CIS encompasses Co. Wicklow, that operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 26 April 2020. An application for State pension (contributory) was received from them on 24 April 2020.  Since April 2019, all new State (Contributory) Pension applications are assessed under all possible rate calculation methods, including the Yearly Average and the interim Total Contributions Approach, with the most beneficial rate paid...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: To date, my department has not received an application for any of the illness related schemes from the person concerned. 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. It appears that the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was disallowed fuel allowance on the grounds that he didn't meet the eligibility criteria. He is living with other adults who are not his dependants and who are not entitled to the allowance in their own right. A letter issued to the customer on 2nd March 2022 advising him of this decision. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter with details of the PPSN issued to the person on 28th February 2022. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16 and 17, if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves. No application for Child Benefit has been received from the person concerned. Child Benefit Section have attempted to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Mar 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. It is estimated that up to 400,000 households will benefit from the Fuel allowance in 2022 at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukrainian War (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Firstly, I want to say that my thoughts and prayers go out to those people who have been impacted by this terrible and unjust war. On 4 March 2022, the European Council adopted unanimously the implementing decision regarding the Temporary Protection Directive, due to the mass influx of persons fleeing Ukraine as a consequence of the war. This will allow Ukrainian citizens and others...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government's thoughts are with the innocent people of Ukraine in their most difficult hour, and we stand with them. Ireland and the European Union have the responsibility to do all we can to help Ukraine and its people, and this Government will not be found wanting in offering them the humanitarian support they will need. The European Union has put in place a temporary protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned will reach pension age on 02 April 2022. An application for State pension (contributory) was received on 07 February 2022. Determination of pension eligibility depends on the individual nature of an applicant’s social insurance record. Under social welfare legislation, a self-employed contributor is regarded as satisfying the contribution conditions for State...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The purpose of the Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) is to assist people with essential, once-off, exceptional expenditure, which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The ENP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Consultations (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The table here provides the information requested by the Deputy. External Consultancy Firm Title of the report Reason for Report Cost Completion/Publication date of the report Maynooth University. CLÁR Programme Review CLÁR Programme Review - Research Contract Agreement with Maynooth University. In...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Funding is provided through the CLÁR programme to projects that are physically located within a designated CLÁR area. Maps of designated areas are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (10 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Social Enterprises are businesses for social good which operate across a wide range of sectors, from social services to the circular economy. They are businesses which trade on an ongoing basis, but any profits are reinvested to support the core social or environmental purpose. The National Social Enterprise Policy for Ireland (2019 – 2022) aims to develop social enterprises both in...