Results 17,821-17,840 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Authorities (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1146 and 1147 together. While my Department has legislative responsibility regarding local authority burial grounds, this responsibility does not extend to the management of burial records. This is a matter for each local authority in respect of the cemeteries and burial grounds they provide. That said, enquiries have been made with Cork City Council, which...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (12 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 Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not engaged the services of the first referenced organisation at any point from 1 January 2020 to date. My Department did engage the services of the second referenced organisation. The overall costs associated with or incurred for the provision of services from that organisation was €4,982 from 1 January 2020 to date. Please...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My colleague, Ms. Anne Rabbitte T.D., Minister of State with Special Responsibility for Disability at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, has responsibility for the development of the Autism Innovation Strategy. I understand that the designation of autism friendly towns is part of an initiative carried out by 'As I Am', a charity operating in the area....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The Scheme is administered through local authorities, who work closely with local communities and businesses to develop proposals that can make a lasting impact in revitalising rural towns and villages across the country....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The 2014-2020 LEADER programme for Ireland had an allocation of €250 million. €225 million of this budget was allocated to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who delivered the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covered both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAG. For the purposes of the LEADER Programme, County Cork was divided...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme, which I launched in June, will give remote workers free use of hot desks at participating digital hubs nationwide. These hubs are all members of the National Hub Network and voucher bookings may be made via the Network's online booking platform connectedhubs.ie Connectedhubs.ie is a shared online booking engine that provides a 'one stop shop' for users to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: When the State Pension (Transition) was in place, it was a scheme allowing those who were retired to receive a transitionary payment between the ages of 65 and 66 years. The maximum personal rate was equivalent to the then maximum rate for the State Pension (Contributory). Eligibility was based on PRSI contributions and credits and payments were calculated based on the Yearly Averaging...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated cost of providing an extra month Child Benefitis shown in the table below: Rates Cost of an Extra Month €m €140 current rate 170.4 €150 (€10 increase) 182.6 €155 (€15 increase) 188.7 €160 (€20 increase) 194.8 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who wish to pursue self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long-term unemployed and is payable for a 24 month period from the commencement of the new business. I understand...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2023 over the coming months, taking account of available resources. Over the long term, Ireland’s social welfare 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%...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025 included a commitment to develop and consult on a ‘strawman’ proposal for the restructuring of long term disability payments to simplify the system and take account of the concerns expressed in the Make Work Pay report. The Cost of Disability research report was published by my Department in December 2021, which will feed into...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In the sad circumstances outlined in the question, legislative provision has been made for this scenario. Social welfare supports can be availed of by the appointment of an agent on behalf of the person. Section 244(1)(b) of Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provides for the appointment of a nominated Agent, subject to medical certification of the payment recipient as being so...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My department is committed to do everything we can to assist people with disabilities to further their education. In March 2021, I signed new regulations which will allow those in receipt of Disability Allowance (DA) to accept stipends associated with PhD scholarships. The new disregard applies to Disability Allowance recipients and their spouse/partner who have been granted a stipend...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct limited resources in as targeted a manner as possible. This ensures that the Fuel Allowance payment goes to those who are more vulnerable to fuel poverty including those reliant on social protection payments for longer periods and who are unlikely to have additional resources of their own. Disablement Benefit is a benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The qualifying criteria for the Fuel Allowance scheme are outlined in detailed guidelines that are available to all staff...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 27 June 2021 and their application for State pension (contributory) was received on 18 June 2021. There is no record of receipt of an application for State pension (non-contributory). Under current eligibility conditions for State Pension (contributory), an individual must have 520 full-rate paid...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (13 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Assistant Secretaries General and Secretary General are paid in line with Civil Service salary scales. These scales are most recently outlined in Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 15/2022 available here: gov.ie - Circular 15-2022 - FEMPI Pay Restoration 1 July 2022 (www.gov.ie). The salary for the Minister for Social Protection is as set out in the Department of...