Results 18,681-18,700 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together. As is the case with any large customer service organisation my Department is constantly reviewing and refining its operational procedures and management structures. As part of this ongoing process in 2021 my Department made some changes to management reporting lines as well as how it organised the processing of Intreo centre claims so as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an income-tested weekly payment which provides additional financial support to employees on low earnings with children. WFP provides financial support for employees who have low earnings/income relative to their family size. The WFP rate payable is 60% of the difference between the average weekly family income and the relevant prescribed income...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is in receipt of state pension (non-contributory) since 7 May 1999 and until midyear 2022 collected their payment at their nominated Post Office. On 19 July 2022, a request was received from the person concerned that their payment be paid into their bank account, details of which were supplied.  The person stated at that time that they had pension payments due to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person’s application for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number has been processed.  Confirmation of the PPS Number issued to the person by post on 13/10/2022. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work weekly payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. An application for WFP renewal was received from the person concerned. Further information was requested in relation to the application by the Department. Once this information was received a Deciding Officer reviewed the application, and WFP was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 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 26 July 2022 and the relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 Oct 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. My department received an application for IP from the person concerned on 28 June 2022.  Based on the information supplied, it was refused on the grounds that the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Social welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme.  The means assessment includes income from sources such as employment, self-employment, occupational pensions and maintenance payments.  It also includes property owned other than the family home and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 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 one-off €500 Cost-of-Living lump sum, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The €500 Cost of Living payment referred to by the Deputy is a lump sum payment to those carers who are eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant. Unlike the annual Carer’s Support Grant, which is paid in respect of each person being cared for, this is a single lump sum paid to the carer, irrespective of the number of persons being cared for. This payment will be made in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 523 and 524 together. As is the case with any large customer service organisation my Department is constantly reviewing and refining its operational procedures and management structures. As part of this ongoing process in 2021 my Department made some changes to management reporting lines as well as how it organised the processing of Intreo centre claims so as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Property covered by the capital assessment rules includes second houses and/or any other buildings or land owned but not personally used or enjoyed as the principal residence or farming business. The house in which a person resides – their principal residence or home - together with furniture and personal effects, is not assessed. Property must be capable of being sold, let or put to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Property covered by the capital assessment rules includes second houses and/or any other buildings or land owned but not personally used or enjoyed as the principal residence or farming business. The house in which a person resides – their principal residence or home - together with furniture and personal effects, is not assessed. Property must be capable of being sold, let or put to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cost of Living Issues (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, I have secured a package of almost €2.2 billion for Social Protection measures as part of Budget 2023. This represents the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and will help to support our pensioners, carers, people with disabilities, lone parents and families during this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. Items which count as means include cash income, including foreign pensions, the value of any property (excluding a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisors is subject to Section 11 of the Public Service Management (PSMA) Act 1997. The appointment of individual Special Advisors is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Before the introduction of temporary public health measures in March 2020, the default payment method for Jobseekers was cash collection at a post office. The requirement to physically present at a post office to collect a welfare payment is an important financial control. This is particularly important for Jobseekers as the qualifying criteria for that scheme include being resident in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: When a person is in receipt of disability allowance (DA) and their child is in full-time education, an increase for qualified child (IQC) will be paid up to 22 years of age or up to the end of the academic year in which he or she reaches 22. The person concerned was requested to submit confirmation of participation in full-time education in respect of one particular child on 13 September...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the Department received an application for disability allowance (DA) from the person concerned on 23 February 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 and on the grounds that they were not found to be habitually resident in the state. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 Oct 2022)

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