Results 17,361-17,380 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the Deputy has clarified that this question relates to whether any structural process changes have taken place regarding the administration of the appeals system, including whether there has been any centralisation of the function and, in particular, in relation to the supplementary welfare scheme.  The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 472 and 473 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children.  The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds was introduced on 25thJanuary 2021 in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to provide a benefit payment for people who are 65 and who retire at age 65 but do not qualify for a State pension until they reach pension age of 66.   The benefit payment is provided under the Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides a confidential, free and  representative advocacy service.  The NAS adheres to professional standards and it has a particular remit for people with disabilities who are isolated from their community and services. NAS is funded and supported by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), which has a mandate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 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 on 10 February 2022.  Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance with effect from 30 March 2022.  The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method on 15 June 2022.   Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments (if applicable). I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 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.  In 2021, Child Benefit was paid to 634,174 customers in respect of 1.2 million children at an annual cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year additional cost of increasing each weekly social welfare payment by €1 is shown in the table below.  Payment Personal €m Qualified Adult €m Total €m Social Insurance Schemes State Pension (Contributory) 22.7 3.0 25.6...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 May 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.  The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs.  The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.  It is not intended to meet those costs in full.  Only one allowance is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Paternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on Paternity Leave from work who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions.  It is paid for two weeks at €250 per week, the same rate as Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit. Paternity benefit was paid to 26,852 recipients in 2021 at a cost of approx....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Any changes to the Parental Leave scheme would be a matter for my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth who has responsibility for that scheme. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (31 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: Departmental Policies (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Pensions Commission’s Report was published on the 7th October 2021.  It contained almost 250 pages of analysis, consideration and recommendations.  The report established that the current State Pension system is not sustainable into the future and it has set out a recommended approach for Government. In the interests both of older people and future generations of older...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person in question reached pension age on 01 February 2019.  According to the records of my Department, the person in question  was a self-employed contributor who entered into insurable employment in April 2000.   There is a total of 520 qualifying paid reckonable social insurance contributions from April 2000 to end of January 2019.  This equates...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 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 Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings.  The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents, and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment.  There are approximately 47,000 families with 103,000 children in receipt of the WFP.  Estimated expenditure on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022.  The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs.  The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.  It is not intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with qualified children. An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 27th April 2022. The Department wrote to the person concerned on 9th May 2022 to request pay slips.  To date, no reply has been received. On receipt of the requested...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Claims for Illness Benefit must be accompanied by a Certificate of Incapacity for Work from the claimants GP.  This specifies the nature of the illness and the duration of the incapacity for work.  The use of HSE texts as an acceptable form of medical evidence to support claims for Enhanced Illness Benefit was introduced at the start of the pandemic as an...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (31 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I launched the Community Centres Investment Fund on the 15th April 2022.  This is a €15m fund to support community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with the upgrade of their community centre facilities. Applicants must register as 'users' at www.gov.ie/drcdin advance of submitting an application. The application process opens on 7 June 2022 with a closing date of 14...