Results 17,261-17,280 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body with responsibility for the Citizens Information Service (CIS). CIB provides funding to eight CIS companies that operate a national network of Citizens Information Centres.  Each CIS is a limited company overseen by a board of directors and makes decisions independently on the delivery of services in their regions. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned will reach pension age on 12 April 2023, and has not yet applied for State pension (contributory).  Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory).  520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance 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.  Means include capital and income belonging to the Carer and their spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant, property, (except...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 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: Departmental Funding (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has provided a range of supports which both Men's and Women’s Sheds have availed of, depending on the works being completed. For example, In 2018 the Community Enhancement Programme provided capital funding for community groups which included €0.5m that was ring-fenced for Men's Sheds and again in 2019, €0.5m was ring-fenced...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched last year. An indicative budget of €180 million has been announced for the LEADER programme for the period 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70 million already provided for 2021 and 2022 under the Transitional LEADER Programme, a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Calafoirt agus Céanna (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Tá forbairt an Chaladh Mhóir ar Inis Meáin san áireamh sa Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta. Mar is eol don Teachta is faoi chúram Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe atá Céim 3 d’fhorbairt na céibhe sin.   Mar chuid lárnach den obair ullmhúcháin, tá Coláiste Náisiúnta Mara na hÉireann (NMCI) ag...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Defibrillators Provision (26 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not operate a dedicated fund for the purchase, maintenance, repair or service of defibrillators and there are currently no plans to introduce a specific current fund dedicated to this purpose. However, some of my Department's programmes can fund the purchase of equipment such as defibrillators, including the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). This...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The LEADER programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government's policy for rural development launched last year, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. Some €250 million has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This comprises €70...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The indicative budget of €180 million has been announced for the LEADER programme for the period 2023 to 2027. When taken together with the €70 million for 2021 and 2022 under the transition LEADER programme, a total of €250 million will be made available for the 2021 to 2027 period, thus maintaining the level of funding provided in the period 2014 to 2020. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Programmes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Commission is talking specifically about CAP. We have all the other schemes the Government is putting money into to support rural Ireland, which is what the Commission wants to see also. It wants to see the governments are putting investment in. We have the rural regeneration and development fund, from which the sum of €347 million has been allocated to 164 projects since...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Broadband Infrastructure (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, we are sharing.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 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 the scheme is funded into the future. The LIS was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding in place. The scheme is administered locally by the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I made a large additional allocation last year, which was welcomed, and I am committed to supporting the LIS. Some local authorities did not spend all of their allocation last year. Donegal was one of those. Its spend was €35,000 short. We allowed it to carry that amount into this year, but its 2022 allocation has been reduced as a result of the shortfall in delivery. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Funding is allocated each year based on the geographical area of each county, with a minimum and a maximum allocation applied, and the basis for allocating funds is reviewed each year. My Department has received indicative figures from the local authorities for the applications on hand. We need to be sure that the figures provided for each county are comparable. The officials are...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The focus of the LIS is to support the continued improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities but that represent vital infrastructure for rural residents. The scheme is also used to fund non-public roads leading to important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountain access points or other tourism and heritage sites. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I know exactly what the Deputy is talking about. When I was being reared on a farm, I lived on a lane that was a mile long. I know all about potholes on a lane. We had to swerve the bikes to get past them. I also know about septic tanks because I have a well and a septic tank.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LIS was always funded by the Department of Transport. In fairness, my predecessor, Deputy Ring, brought the scheme back and I have continued it. We doubled the funding for LIS last year and increased the funding available in the budget for 2022. My county is the same as the Deputy's; it is rural and it has lots of roads but I have to cut my cloth to measure and divide up the pot we...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I know about the milk tanks coming in these roads and there were a few concerns that they would not come in any more because they were in such bad condition. Thankfully, I am aware of one case where the road was fixed and the milk tanker is going in to collect the milk. The Deputy will appreciate that and I mention the challenges that rural people face. The only thing I have to make to him...