Results 16,981-17,000 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision on 28 January 2022. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts. I...

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

Heather Humphreys: No contracts were awarded outside the standard procurement process either by my Department or by the statutory bodies under its aegis to assist with the arrival of displaced Ukrainians. The Deputy will be aware that the European Union has put in place a Temporary Protection Directive to allow Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU as EU citizens. My...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection does not employ persons or firms to deal with public relations. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) ending in “W” that had been held by the person referred to by the Deputy has been purged by my Department. A letter issued on 6th May advising her of her correct PPSN as referred to by the Deputy. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) scheme provides a statutory income support payment to individuals who have lost work and are unable to obtain full time employment. To be eligible for the payment, a person must satisfy all of the qualifying conditions which includes that they must be available for and genuinely seeking full time employment. In general, the level of commitment required to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of my continued commitment to improve the CWS across the country, customers no longer have to meet in person with a CWO in order to make a claim. This change means that those who require community welfare assistance urgently no longer need to wait to visit a clinic if they do not wish to. These initiatives that I have put in place will ensure that the service is easily accessible...

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

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of children with a severe disability who require care and attention substantially in excess of that required by children of a similar age without such a disability, providing this additional care is likely to last for at least 12 months. In 2019 there were 6,383 awarded claims and 1,203 disallowed claims. Outcomes from decided appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, has responsibility for Parent’s Leave. My Department has responsibility for payment of the associated benefit. Parent's Leave and Benefit is currently available to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 for five weeks and must be used within the first two years of...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a range of income supports for full-time carers including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2022 is estimated to exceed €1.5 billion. Carer's Allowance acts as an income support for those who cannot earn adequate income in...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 February 2022. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. Those papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The spouse of the person concerned is receiving the maximum rate Increase for Qualified Adult allowance on their State Pension (contributory) since 15th February 2018. The rate of the increase is €227.00 which equates to just under 90% of the maximum personal rate payable for State Pension (contributory). The person concerned reached pension age on 23 February 2016. No...

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

Heather Humphreys: The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need.  The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring.  This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country remains a priority for me and my Department. It is important that the CWS remains an accessible, flexible and responsive service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people, particularly in a time of crisis or emergency. The continued availability of locally based...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to a Community Welfare Service (CWS) that remains a flexible service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people and the continued availability of local access to a CWO is a key feature of the service. CWOs can facilitate emergency and in-person meetings in all Intreo Centres across business hours, five days per week. Some CWOs are based in Social Welfare...

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

Heather Humphreys: Given the ongoing recovery from the impacts of COVID, the supports provided by my Department to assist communities are more important than ever. My Department has been allocated €378 million for 2022, which will enable continued delivery of a wide range of measures to support communities and address emerging needs. Supports, which are available to eligible community groups and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Futurein partnership with Fáilte Ireland. ORIS provides funding under a number of measures for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is part of a range of measures to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland. The programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of Our Rural Future. In February 2022 I announced almost €18.5 million in funding for projects under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2021. I announced further funding of €850,000 in March for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Media (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 887 to 889, inclusive, together. There are four agencies that operate under the remit of my Department (DRCD) as follows; - Western Development Commission (WDC), - Pobal, - Charities Regulator (CR), and - Water Safety Ireland (WSI). The table below sets out the information requested by the Deputy for the period in question in respect of my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ukraine War (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not awarded any contracts in 2022 outside of the standard procurement process in order to assist the arrival of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. There are four agencies under my Department’s remit: the Western Development Commission; POBAL; Irish Water Safety; and the Charities Regulator. In respect of these bodies, information relating to this matter is for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (10 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not employ external persons or firms to deal with public relations. My Department’s communications team deals with a wide range of internal and external communications matters, including press engagement, media events, online content and public relations.