Results 17,701-17,720 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department continues to provide learning and development opportunities to all staff.  As part of our refund of fees scheme, the Department is supporting 4 PhD students in their studies at present which are being undertaken on a part-time basis and the staff continue to work in the Department over the course of their studies.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned made an application for Illness Benefit from the 1st February 2022.  This application was disallowed as she did not satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions necessary for payment.  The person concerned wrote to us to inform us that she had previously worked in the UK, and my Department subsequently requested her contribution record from the UK in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 15 January 2020. An application for the State Pension (non-contributory) pension was received in July 2019.  The application was disallowed as their means exceeded the statutory limit.  The decision was appealed by the person concerned and upheld by the Appeals office in May 2020.  A further application was received in May...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, to over 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022.  The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.  The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a scheme which extends the Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people in receipt of these payments have a capacity to engage in open market employment while continuing to need to receive some income support from the State.  People in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit (the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 392 to 395, inclusive, together. The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) is a key policy initiative under the Government's national employment services strategy, Pathways to Work 2021-2025.  It is a funded work placement scheme to provide quality work experience to unemployed jobseekers to build their skills and experience.  Placements run...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Section 10 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) makes provision for the undertaking of an actuarial review of the social insurance fund at five yearly intervals. The purpose of the review is to determine the extent to which the fund may be expected, in the longer term, to meet the demands in respect of payment of benefits and other payments. The review takes account of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On an ongoing basis, and as part of the normal budgetary cycle, my Department actively monitors key economic indicators and also takes account of research data including that of the Minimum Essential Standard of Living from the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice. The social impact of budget measures is also assessed using the SWITCH model developed by the ESRI.  It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme.  These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. The person concerned has a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Further to the Deputy's previous question, I was pleased to recently announce a series of measures which will remove barriers facing social welfare customers who choose to accommodate tenants or those affected by the Ukraine crisis in their homes. I am introducing a new means disregard of up to €14,000 per annum, in respect of those who rent a room in their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: 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 measures including PRSI Credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods outside of paid employment in the calculation of a pension payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for a child, aged under 16 with a severe disability who requires ongoing (continual or continuous) care and attention substantially in excess of the level of care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The number of applications for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) that were received in 2021 and to date in 2022 are as follows: Year  DCA applications received during year. 2021 9,121 2022 to date - 01/07/2022 5,290 The number of DCA applications continues to increase. I hope this clarifies the position...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required by a child rather than the child's disability.  DCA applications are decided by a deciding officer on an individual case by case basis, while also considering the opinion of a Departmental medical assessor. While...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required by a child rather than the child's disability. DCA applications are decided by a deciding officer on an individual case by case basis, while also considering the opinion of a Departmental medical assessor. While statistics on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is determined primarily by reference to the degree of additional care and attention required by a child rather than the child's disability. DCA applications are decided by a deciding officer on an individual case by case basis, while also considering the opinion of a Departmental medical assessor. While statistics on overall...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary care allowance is payable in respect of children who have a severe disability resulting in the need for substantial extra care and attention compared to other children of the same age without that disability.  Eligibility is determined on the additional care required by the child and not on the particular disability. Before a decision is made on a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA ) is payable to a parent/guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 , who has a severe disability and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially over and above the care and attention usually required by a child of the same age.  The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Medical Assessors are fully qualified and experienced practitioners who provide independent, informed opinions on applications to the illness, disability & caring schemes, for the guidance of the Department's Deciding Officers. At the time of recruitment, they must have at least three years satisfactory experience in the practice of medicine since registration. Many of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The JobPath service helps and supports their clients to identify and pursue suitable job opportunities themselves and the personal adviser will provide any appropriate support that the person may require, from preparing their CV and assisting with the job application to financial assistance for clothing or transport costs at interview stage or in the first days of employment. JobPath fees...