Results 16,941-16,960 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 May 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). As the actuarial value of the State Pension is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned together with the relevant Departmental papers were received by that office on 29...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There have been no secondments from the Department of Social Protection to the university third level sector in the past 2 years.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of contracted employment service provision has been under review by my Department for some time with extensive consultation taking place with the sector since late 2018. My Department had initially planned that the two phased procurement process for the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service would be completed in 2021, with new services commencing in January 2022....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 and 324 together. My Department is currently undertaking a significant expansion of public employment services.  In particular, specialised employment services for those farthest from the labour market - previously available in just twelve counties - will soon be available State-wide for the first time.   In the first phase of this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Directives (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There have been no fines issued by the EU on my Department for failure to transpose EU directives. I hope that clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that the HSE administer and fund a number of personal assistance services for people with disabilities. There is also the Reasonable Accommodation fund which is administered by my department. Through this, a number of grants are available which can help employers and employees with a disability to take appropriate measures to help a person with a disability to access,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In addition to providing income supports, my department provides a wide range of employment-related supports for jobseekers/employees with disabilities and private sector employers seeking to support or recruit an employee who has a disability. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund Grants (RAFG) include a number of grants which are available through the department's network of Intreo centres: 1....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that there have been no secondments between the Department of Rural and Community Development and the third level sector in the past two years.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: EU Directives (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Since its establishment in 2017 my Department has not received any fines issued by the EU for failing to transpose EU directives.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Services (4 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The issue of mobile network blackspots is something I am very familiar with and I know the impact this has on those living and working in rural Ireland. Addressing these issues is one of a number of reasons why, in December 2021, Minister of State Ossian Smyth and I reconvened the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce. At the early meetings of the new Taskforce, we have set out our priorities...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 May 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.   The person concerned and her child entered the State on 31/01/2022. The claim has been awarded with effect...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am acutely aware that due to the geo-political situation, the increase in consumer prices, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices, has exceeded even the highest forecasts. Faced with these challenging circumstances, the Government has acted quickly and decisively to introduce measures aimed at offsetting the increased cost of living for social welfare recipients. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In addition to payments under specific social welfare schemes, my Department does provide a number of targeted payments to help people with their household costs including Fuel Allowance, the Living Alone Allowance, Telephone Support Allowance and both Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments as part of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme for people who have an urgent need, which they...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits package is comprised of the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence.  The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test.  The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Matters related to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and Tusla.   More widely, this Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role.  Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Breeding (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Each year my Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including those that relate to dog breeding establishments. This information is collated from annual returns received from all local authorities. Information up to and including 2020, by local authority and in tabular form, is available at...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Breeding (5 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Act provides a robust regulatory framework for the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. The day to day...