Results 17,641-17,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department received an application for Illness Benefit from the person concerned on the 24th February 2022. This claim was awarded and a payment of €104.00 issued to the him on the 28th February 2022 paying him for the duration of his medical certification. My Department also received an application for Illness Benefit on the 7th June 2022. There was a delay processing this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In accordance with the Temporary Protection Directive implemented in March, people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of the supports and services, including income supports and employment services, provided by my Department. This means that they can work in Ireland and access social services and the full range of social welfare supports. A fast-track approach in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment for carers who look after a person in need of full-time care and attention. The payment is made regardless of the carer's means but is subject to certain conditions. CSG is paid automatically to all recipients of Carer’s Allowance (whether full rate or half rate), Carer’s Benefit, or Domiciliary Care Allowance. It is also...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Offices (29 Jun 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 Office is committed to enhancing its operations to continue to deliver an efficient and effective appeals service to its customers. To support this goal a programme...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cost of Living Issues (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am acutely aware of the increase in consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices including home heating oil. The Government has designed a package of measures to alleviate the impact of increased energy prices on all households, both rural and urban. The package of measures includes: - an energy credit of €200 including VAT, estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (29 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025. In furtherance of this commitment, my Department continues to focus on strategically developing the national...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: 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 them. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In accordance with the Temporary Protection Directive implemented in March, people fleeing the war in Ukraine have been granted the status to avail of the supports and services, including income supports and employment services, provided by my Department. This means that these citizens can work in Ireland and can access social services and the full range of social welfare supports. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 492,000 customers. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cost of Living Issues (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Over the long term, Ireland’s social protection system has performed strongly in protecting our most vulnerable citizens. In 2021, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 38.6% to 11.6%. This represents a 70% reduction on the at-risk-of-poverty rate. Ireland is consistently one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social transfers. It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the national agency responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice and advocacy on social services, and for the provision of the Money Advice and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 28 April 2022. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on 14 July 2022. Any arrears due from 28 April 2022 to 13 July 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 28 June 2022. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), funded by the Citizens Information Board (CIB), a statutory body under the aegis of my Department, is the State’s money advice service and provides assistance to people, in particular those on low income or dependent on social welfare supports, who are over-indebted. As part of its free services, MABS also provides support to those in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Administrative Arrangements (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Irish legal system, a person’s name is the name by which they are known, or commonly use. That name does not necessarily need to be supported by any documentary evidence though such evidence is often required for a wide range of administrative and legal matters. For most people this evidence is most commonly provided and accepted in the form of a birth certificate, which may...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, most social welfare payment rates are provided for, and set out in, primary legislation. These statutorily defined schemes account for the vast majority of programme expenditure in my Department. Changes to payment rates on these schemes are provided for by legislative change. This approach acknowledges that it is proper that changes to rates that are set out...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220, 224, 228 and 233 together. The Government is acutely aware of recent price increases and their impact on households who are dependent on social welfare. For this reason, this Government did not await a further budget cycle to address these challenges but acted early. Overall, the tax and spending measures we have introduced to ease the burden and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The number of State Pension (Contributory) claims registered, awarded, rejected and pending by year from 2019 to 2021 is shown in Table 1. Registered, awarded and rejected figures are taken as a cumulative total for the year while the pending figure refers to 31st December each year. Table 1: The number of claims registered, awarded, rejected and pending by year from 2019 to 2021 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not have complete data in respect of the information requested by the Deputy.  However, based on the data that is available, it is estimated that at least 80% of SPC applications, which have been refused over the last five years have been as a result of insufficient PRSI contributions.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is currently being complied by my officials and will be provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cost of Living Issues (30 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Over the long term, Ireland’s social protection system has performed strongly in protecting our most vulnerable citizens.  In 2021, social transfers reduced the at-risk-of-poverty rate from 38.6% to 11.6%.  This represents a 70% reduction on the at-risk-of-poverty rate.  Ireland is consistently one of the best performing EU countries in reducing poverty through social...