Results 18,381-18,400 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Budget 2023, the social protection budget has been designed to assist people with cost of living increases through a mix of lump sum payments,  increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the fuel allowance scheme. The measures introduced include the provision of a €500 Cost of Living Support. This once-off €500 payment will be paid in November 2022 to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Public Services Card (PSC) for the person concerned has been extended to 1st December 2025.A replacement card has been requested and will issue to the customer concerned within the next 7 days.  I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy. 

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 Oct 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, which is supporting more than 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 Oct 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, which is supporting more than 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment and continue to receive a payment from my department.  A person must be in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) for a minimum of six months or Invalidity Pension (IP) in order to apply for PCB.  My Department will determine whether the applicant is eligible and (if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Budget 2023 includes a social welfare package of over €2.1 billion. This extensive package includes measures in relation to Maternity Benefit and Parent’s Benefit. A Cost of Living Support Double Payment will be paid this year to recipients of certain social welfare payments. Over 1.4 million people will benefit, including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 11 April 2022. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that they were substantially restricted in taking up employment. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 14 June 2022 and was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The budgetary increase of €12 per week applies to social welfare pensions recipients only. Any decisions in relation to public sector pensions are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. If the person concerned feels that they may have an entitlement to a State Pension payment either Contributory or Non Contributory, which is means assessed, it is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel Scheme allows people who are aged 66 years or over, and who are legally and permanently residing in the State, to travel free of charge on most CIE public transport services, LUAS, Local Link, as well as on the public transport services of a large number of private operators in various parts of the country. Certain people under age 66 may also be entitled to free travel if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: 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, and to offer a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Partial capacity benefit allows a person to return to work (if they have reduced capacity to work) and continue to receive a payment from this Department. The scheme is open to people who currently; (a) have been in receipt of illness benefit for a minimum of six months (b) are in receipt of invalidity pension. They may not work until they have received written approval to do so from this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (4 Oct 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, which is supporting more than 370,000 households in 2022 at an estimated cost of €366 million. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, as part of Budget 2023, I secured €1.2 billion in funding to provide for a wide range of lump-sum payments to assist individuals and families. My Department is currently working on putting in place the necessary IT systems to administer the various lump sum payments and I intend to publish a timetable in the coming days so that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with qualified children.  Once WFP is granted, it is payable for 52 weeks at the same rate, as long as the customer continues to be engaged in full-time paid employment as an employee for at least 38 hours every fortnight.The previous application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in one-off measures during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period.  The Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment will be paid to those schemes which are eligible to receive the Christmas Bonus, with one addition - the removal of the 12...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in one-off measures during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period.  Provision of the once-off grant payment of €500, for persons in receipt of the Disability Allowance, Blind Pension, Invalidity Pension and the Carer’s...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Transport (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The details of domestic flights are contained in the table below. The flight in 2019 relates to the Islands consultation process for “Our Rural Future”, the 5 year rural development policy. The other flights are linked to the delivery of my Department's remit for our offshore Islands which transferred to my Department in 2020, after the formation of the current Government. There...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (4 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday, 14 July 2022. I can confirm my Department received an application from the group to which the Deputy referred. The appraisal process is ongoing. All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines. Due to the high level of...

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

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 30 June 2022 Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that they were substantially restricted in taking up employment. The person concerned was notified in writing of this decision on 31 August 2022 and was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (5 Oct 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 September 2022. It is a statutory requirement...