Results 17,721-17,740 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department has received and responded to a number of FOI and Data Protection requests from the person concerned.  Thus far, the Department has released any and all records it has identified in relation to this person's requests in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2014 and the Data Protection Acts 2018 and 2013.  There is one GDPR request ongoing and this will be...

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

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy may be aware, Section 20 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 set out that restoration for public servants with annualised basic salaries above €150,000 would be completed by Ministerial order by 1 July 2022.  In accordance with the legislation, an Order under Section 20 of the Act was laid before the Oireachtas on 30 June.  The Department of...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 412 to 415, inclusive, together. Farm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes.  There are approximately 4,700 claims in payment at present.  The Government has provided €53.9 million for the scheme for 2022.    The amount paid weekly to a person in receipt of Farm Assist is dependent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Long-Covid does not constitute an occupational injury under the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme.  My Department is not conducting a review in relation to amending the scheme as this condition does not meet the criteria for the scheme. My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  Entitlement to...

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

Heather Humphreys: A replacement Public Services Card (PSC) has been issued to the person concerned which should be received within the next 5 working days. I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment to the parent/guardian of a child with a disability so severe that the child requires care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age.  This care and attention must be provided to allow the child to deal with the activities of daily living.  The child must be likely to require this...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department contracts with different service providers for a range of employment services including those provided by Job Clubs, Local Employment Services and JobPath services. Contractually, any payments made to contractors are solely related to the delivery of these employment services. There is no contractual provision for additional payments to contractors related to their fiduciary...

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

Heather Humphreys: I refer to the Deputy’s Dáil Questions No. 1148 and No. 237.  In initiating a review of the overpayment the person concerned was asked to provide her end of year payslips and those of her spouse for the years 2014 to 2020.  An official from the Ballyfermot Intreo Centre phoned the person concerned on 14/06/2022 requesting these documents.  A letter confirming the...

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

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance is an administrative (non-statutory) scheme, and is awarded only from date of receipt of fuel application.  The person concerned submitted an application for fuel allowance on 13 June 2022 and it was awarded from 15 June 2022.   Based on the information provided to the Department, I can confirm that in this case the Department has backdated the award of fuel allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (5 Jul 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, Technical Sub-Committee's working papers and submissions made to the Commission are available on the website, pensionscommission.gov.ie.  The report established that the current State Pension system is...

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

Heather Humphreys: With regards to providing the number of persons who have lost the increase for a qualified adult as a result of a fresh means test undertaken in the past twelve months, the Department's systems do not record the necessary data in the appropriate format in order to answer the query.  It should also be noted that, for social assistance schemes such as Jobseeker's Allowance or Disability...

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeals of the person concerned by way of summary decision.  The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 30 June 2022. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body responsible for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services.  It provides some services directly to the public and directly funds and supports an extensive range of services through its delivery partners including the Citizens...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.  My Department...

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

Heather Humphreys: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 24 March 2022. The processing time for individual DA claims may vary in accordance with their relative complexity in terms of the three main qualifying criteria, the person’s circumstances and the information they provide in support of their claim. The application has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Appointments to State Boards (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department currently has four agencies under its remit. They are Pobal, the Western Development Commission, the Charities Regulatory Authority, and Water Safety Ireland. I have set out the details the Deputy has requested in relation to each board below. Pobal There are no former civil servants, county mangers or chief executives of local authorities on the board. Western Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. In May 2021, I launched our National Hubs Network - Connected Hubs. Connected Hubs is a shared...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Derelict Sites (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The regeneration of our rural towns and villages and addressing issues of vacancy and dereliction is a key priority within both Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy. Accordingly, my Department implements a number of schemes which directly address these issues. For example, under the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme regeneration projects that assist in revitalising our...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Official Engagements (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm to the Deputy that neither my Department or the four agencies under its remit are funding any PhD positions.