Results 18,281-18,300 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 298 and 300 together. The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country remains a priority for me and my Department.  It is important that the Community Welfare Service (CWS) remains an accessible, flexible, and responsive service to meet the varied needs of vulnerable people,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department recently completed a significant expansion of employment services across the State. This includes the provision of a State-wide intensive employment service for those furthest from the labour market - the new Intreo Partners Local Area Employment Service (IPLAES). This new service will for the first time cover all of County Wicklow. In a competition run in accordance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs. The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons. The threshold for the fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 325 together. 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. I understand that under the procedures adopted by the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) in relation to a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that— (a) it ought to be treated,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of my Department’s commitment to ensuring that claimants are receiving their full and correct entitlements, ongoing reviews of all means tested payments are carried out. In the case of an increase for qualified adult (IQA) on SPC, the primary claimant is contacted by my Department to notify them that their continuing entitlement to the means tested IQA payment is being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Social welfare legislation provides that, for social assistance schemes such as the State Pension (Non-Contributory), all income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her spouse/partner/cohabitant, where applicable, are assessable for means assessment purposes. The system of social assistance supports...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities, managed by my department. The funding for the programme amounted to around €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme and the Irish Exchequer. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Widow’s Pension (contributory) is a weekly social insurance payment to those covered by social insurance whose spouse or civil partner has died. Illness Benefit is the main income support provided to those who cannot work due to illness of any kind and who are covered by social insurance. If a customer is getting a reduced rate of Widow’s Pension, they may also get a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 01 April 2022. The person concerned has been awarded DA with effect from 06 April 2022 until the Tuesday after his death 06 September 2022. Arrears of payment from 06 April 2022 to 06 September 2022 less any necessary adjustment was issued on 22 September 2022 which will...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment in respect of a child with a severe disability who requires care and attention substantially in excess of that normally required by a child of the same age without their disability. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 consecutive months. The person concerned has been awarded DCA and backdated 6...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Parent's Leave and Benefit Act 2019 (as amended), working parents are entitled to seven weeks of paid Parent's Leave for each relevant parent, to be taken in the first two years after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has policy and legislative responsibility for Parent's Leave with my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Transport (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 314 and 315 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities, managed by my department, which concluded at the end of August 2021. In line with commitments under the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, the Final Evaluation of the Programme was published. The current Dormant Accounts Fund Measure to Support the Employment of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The date of birth of the person concerned is 18 March 1966 and under current eligibility conditions, they will reach pension age on 18 March 2032. Pension entitlement can only be assessed on the basis of the eligibility conditions applicable on the date an individual reaches pension age. Factors such as an individual’s social insurance record, their attachment to the workforce, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 30 July 2012 and applied for State Pension (contributory) on 28 March 2012. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 1697 paid and credited social insurance contributions giving a yearly average of 34 contributions. This gives entitlement to a current weekly rate of €248.30 which is 98% of the maximum...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides two main payment method options for its customers: payments in cash at post offices or payments direct to customer accounts in financial institutions. My Department intends, where possible, to continue to offer its many customers the choice of being paid in cash at the post office or directly into an account in a financial institution by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT)....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 322 and 323 together. The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities, managed by my department, which concluded at the end of August 2021. The funding for the programme amounted to around €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The details, as requested by the Deputy, are set out in tabular format as follows: Live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned Details of the person or body conducting the study/review/research Cost (including VAT) 1. A survey of employers to ascertain their views of the Department’s employer...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (27 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that— (a) it ought to be treated,...