Results 18,021-18,040 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 550 together. The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme offers a safety net within the overall social welfare system by providing assistance to people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance to those in need. There...

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

Heather Humphreys: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income.  This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own...

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

Heather Humphreys: There are currently 42 (full-time equivalent 38.9) Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) employed in Cork. The number of CWOs employed in Cork in each of the past five years is not readily available.  I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Leave (14 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As a result of measures introduced in Budget 2022, the rates of Maternity Benefit, Paternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent's Benefit were increased by €5 to €250 a week, effective from January 2022. Maternity Benefit is paid for 26 weeks. In 2022, it is estimated that my Department will spend in excess of €267 million on Maternity Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (14 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As of July 12th 2022, there were 10,846 recipients of the COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, and at the end of June 2022 a total of 623 individuals had received payment from the COVID-19 Related Lay-off Payment Scheme.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The total number of persons employed by my Department as at 30 April, 2022 is 6,781, which includes staff on temporary contract.  The number of staff who have been working remotely across business areas of my Department since March 2020 has been approximately 50% of the total staffing number, although this figure will have changed in more recent months, as restrictions have lifted,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Civil Service Departments and Offices have been responsive to and have been working in line with Government Covid-19 guidance. As an essential service, staff in my Department have continued, throughout the pandemic, to work both on site and remotely to deliver services to our customers. The number of staff who are working remotely at any one time across all business areas of the...

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

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension disallow decisions issued from 2017 to end of second quarter 2022 are set out beneath.  Year No of disallow decisions issued End of second quarter 2022 2139 2021 4551 2020 5270 2019 4753 2018 4601 2017 4544 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jul 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.   All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer.  In any...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jul 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 table below provides a breakdown of all 'live' appeals by scheme at the end of June 2022. Scheme Live Appeals at end June 2022 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jul 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.   All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year...

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

Heather Humphreys: Intreo Centres provide support for people, including people with a disability or illness, in reaching their employment ambitions. While it is a condition for the receipt of Jobseekers Payment that the person is available for, capable of and is genuinely seeking work, if a particular scheme is more appropriate to the individual's circumstances, they will be supported in making an...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability.  There is a range of schemes available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions. Entitlement to such schemes is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, the class of social insurance paid as well...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jul 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.  When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration the Appeals Officer makes a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is in receipt of state pension non-contributory at the maximum weekly payment rate, since 16 October 2015.  The person is also in receipt of fuel allowance, payable during the winter season.  Application forms for additional Increase for Living Alone payment and the Household Benefits Package payment have issued to the person concerned.The person has been...

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

Heather Humphreys: The department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 04 April 2022.On 09 May 2022, a deciding officer (DO) wrote to the person concerned requesting he provide a letter from his accountant or from Revenue confirming the date he ceased self employment.  The DO has been informed that the  information requested is currently being prepared by the person's accountant and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (14 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 02 April 2022. The person concerned had outstanding self-employment liabilities for the years 2019 and 2020 and was advised on 08 March 2022 that they were deemed not to satisfy this qualifying condition for a State pension (Contributory).  The claim was reviewed on 30March 2022 and 02 June 2022; the liabilities remained outstanding....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Jul 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.  A new claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 24 June 2022.  In order to establish medical suitability two forms were sent to her on 04...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister of Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that the appeal by the person concerned was disallowed by an Appeals Officer on 10 February 2022. The Appeals Officer...

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

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I can confirm that my department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 6 May 2022. It is a condition...