Results 16,421-16,440 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection has a fund - the urgent needs payment - that is available for those who are experiencing difficulty. Such people should go to their community welfare officer.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The community welfare officer is available to help them. I do not want to see anybody in dire straits. That is the safety net. If anybody is in difficulty, they should go to their community welfare officer. If there is a specific instance, the Deputy should bring it to my attention and I am happy to talk to her.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 457, 478, 480, 482 and 490 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that the person concerned was receiving Carer's Allowance payment and had their payment suspended in September 2021 as they failed to supply information requested by the Department. A letter issued to the person concerned on 21 September 2021. There was no right of appeal involved as a decision could not be made on their claim until the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Work is ongoing on the compilation of the 2021 Annual Statistical Report on Social Welfare Services, which will include detailed expenditure and recipient breakdowns on a scheme-by-scheme basis in respect of 2021. The 2021 Accounts of the Department are due to be finalised at the end of March 2022, and as outlined on gov.ie/dsp/statistics, the Annual Statistical Report is expected to be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: It is important to note that the two schemes already have many similarities, but that differences exist that reflect the background to both. Disability Allowance was introduced in 1996 and replaced the Disabled Person's Maintenance Allowance which had been administered by the Health Boards. While the Blind Pension is a unique scheme in that it is the only social welfare payment which has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Parent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for five weeks to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be used within the first two years of the child’s life or adoption. Parent’s Benefit is paid at €250 per week - the same rate as Maternity, Paternity and Adoptive Benefits. Provision was made in Budget 2022 to increase the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Following the Deputy’s representation and given that the overpayment dates back to 2018, I have asked my officials to undertake a full review of the overpayment assessed against the person concerned. My officials will write to the person concerned detailing how the overpayment occurred and with the outcome of the review within the next two weeks. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: An application for Carer's Allowance by the person concerned was disallowed by a Deciding Officer of the Department on 7 February 2019. I am informed by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal for the person concerned was received in that Office on 21 March 2022. An appeal against the decision of a Deciding Officer must be made within 21 days of a decision being notified. Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 22 November 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 (29 Mar 2022)

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. An application for IP was received from the person concerned on 17 February 2022. In order to establish medical suitability for IP, two forms issued on 09 March...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Mar 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. Under social welfare legislation a decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is redeploying existing staff to work in the hubs established in Dublin Airport and in other locations where people fleeing the war in Ukraine are being assisted on arrival in Ireland. These resources are being supplemented with additional temporary clerical staff being recruited through the Public Appointments Service (PAS). The position is being kept under review.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The employment wage subsidy scheme (EWSS) replaced the temporary wage subsidy scheme with effect from 1 September 2020. The table below outlines the level of funding provided in my Department's 2022 estimate for the employment wage subsidy scheme and a breakdown of funding provided from 2020 to February 2022: €000 2022 Estimate 600,000 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Recognition (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The collection and collation of personal data within the State is a matter for the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in line with European and International practice. I am advised that the CSO has committed to conducting research and is engaging with stakeholders on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number online. This application was processed on 23/03/2022. Confirmation of the person’s PPS Number was issued to the address provided on 24/03/2022. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Prices (29 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, which is supporting up to an estimated 400,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million 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: Personal Public Service Numbers (29 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am sorry to hear of the person’s difficulty in contacting the Bishop’s Square Intreo Centre. The staff at the Intreo Centre are currently managing high volumes of phone calls and any delays in responding are regretted. The person concerned was invited to a Public Services Card (PSC) appointment which was scheduled for 25/03/2022. Following this appointment a PSC card has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Mar 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 was received from the person concerned on 21 March 2022. Additional information in relation to the...