Results 17,421-17,440 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (2 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. I launched this year's programme in February with a total budget of €7 million.  This represents an increase of €1.5 million on the budget for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (2 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In November 2021, the €9m Community Activities Fund was launched to support community groups impacted by COVID-19. The fund supports groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.  Groups were also able to use the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (2 Jun 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”.  The Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the Local Authorities. Since the introduction of the Scheme in 2016, almost €113 million has been...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I again extend my sympathies to Ms Tracy McGinnis on the loss of her dear son, Brendan, and to his brother, Declan. This matter came to my attention at the weekend. I apologised on behalf of the Department and I accept we need to look at the matter. I am committed to doing that. I will put some context to how the system works. The key role...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I have asked my officials to examine the arrangements in respect of the case we are talking about. Some particularly difficult cases arise and, as I said, we must consider our processes. On foot of that review, I will consider a further change, if necessary. I give the Deputy that commitment. Since taking up this role, I have learned that the staff in my Department do not just say they...

Seanad: Cost of Living: Motion (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Fine Gael Senators for tabling this Private Members' motion. I am responding to the motion on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Government. The Government supports the motion on the basis that we agree with its call for a budget to help people, particularly those on the lowest incomes and the squeezed middle, deal with the cost of living. We agree that...

Seanad: Cost of Living: Motion (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Many commentators predicted a tsunami of redundancies and business failures but that has not happened. Instead, we have more than two and a half million people at work - the highest level of employment in the history of the State. At the same time, the number of people on the live register is now at its lowest level for many years. There are a significant number of job opportunities across...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1069, 1070, 1379, 1380, 459, 460, 926 and 927 together. On 4 March 2022, the Council of the European Union unanimously adopted the implementing decision regarding the Temporary Protection Directive.  This means that people arriving in Ireland from Ukraine under the Temporary Directive have been granted the status to avail of income supports from my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: WALK PEER was funded by my Department under the former Ability Programme.  The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities.  The total funding for the programme amounted to approximately €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Communications (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection has 119 active Business Response/Freepost licenses in place throughout the Department.  In 2021, 465,500 prepaid envelopes were printed for use via Department schemes.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath has provided the long-term unemployed an employment advisory service since 2015.  This service seeks to support the long-term unemployed in assisting them to obtain and sustain paid full-time employment. Between July 2015 and the end of April 2022, some 11,511 jobseekers in County Kerry have engaged with the JobPath service. In Kerry as of the end...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance.  Parent’s Leave and Benefit falls into this category and encourages the sharing of parental responsibilities equally between couples.  The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave for each parent of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance.  Parent’s Leave and Benefit falls into this category and encourages the sharing of parental responsibilities equally between couples.  The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave for each parent of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person applied for a State Pension Contributory on the 15 December 2020. In April 2021, the number of paid contributions required to qualify for a state pension (contributory) increased from 260 to 520.  As the person concerned turned 66 years of age prior to April 2021, to qualify for the State pension (contributory) they required at least 260 paid contributions and satisfy a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Jun 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 at the weekly rate of €33.00; or if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment made to carers by my department.  I can confirm that my department received an application for CSG from the person concerned on 20 April, 2022.  It is a condition of CSG that the care recipient must have a disability that meets the full-time care and attention requirements set out in the governing legislation such that: a person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jun 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 allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There was a delay in processing the Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned as it overlapped with a payment she received of Supplementary Welfare Allowance.  The monetary difference between the associated claim payment and her Illness Benefit entitlement needed to be calculated before any payments due to her could issue. Her Illness Benefit claim has now...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 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. The Department received a claim for IP from the person concerned on 27 November 2019 and she was awarded IP from 28 November 2019.  A request for backdating...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In March 2020 the Government introduced a number of emergency measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was an income support measure operated by this Department.  The scheme was open to employees and self-employed people who lost their job due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The scheme closed to new applicants on 22 January 2022. ...