Results 18,321-18,340 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations and benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (28 Sep 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 Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 29 August 2022.  It is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are the primary means tested social assistance schemes, which are also subject to a number of other conditions, including a medical assessment and habitual residency requirements. It is important to note that within the schemes a number of disregards apply, for the purpose of the means test.  These include:   1. Both schemes are structured...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a number of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes.   The primary disability related social assistance scheme is the Disability Allowance, which is a means-tested payment for people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment for a parent / guardian caring for a child with a severe disability in the home. DCA ceases to be payable when a child reaches age 16.  A child may transition to Disability Allowance (DA) from age 16, even if still attending fulltime education, subject to satisfying all qualifying conditions for that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is responsible for the allocation of Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) to those who require one to transact with a public body. Any person applying for a PPSN, regardless of where they live, must specify the reason they require a PPSN and also submit the appropriate documents to support their application.  Persons taking up employment require a PPSN so they can pay...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned notified Invalidity Pensions on 4 January 2019 that she no longer lived alone and therefore her living alone allowance was stopped from 10 January 2019.  She applied for widows contributory pension on the 15th January 2019  but did not apply for living alone allowance, stating that a student lived with her. Living Alone Allowance is not payable to persons under...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Welfare Service (CWS) in my Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible.  Based on the available data, it is estimated that 50% of applications for Additional Needs Payments are finalised within 0-4 weeks and that 90% are finalised...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (28 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday 14th July 2022, and 1,048 applications were received with funding of almost €71 million sought. I am unable to confirm to the Deputy the number of valid applications per county, as the appraisal process is currently ongoing.  All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 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 private transport operators who participate in the free travel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am delighted that Budget 2023 includes a social welfare package of over €2.1 billion. This extensive packages includes measures in relation to the Working Family Payment. The Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings. The WFP is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (29 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded widow(er)'s & surviving civil partner's contributory pension with effect from 18/02/2022, together with living alone allowance.  His first payment, including arrears will be lodged to his bank account on Friday 30th September. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.