Results 18,761-18,780 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance is the primary disability related social assistance scheme in the State. As of August 2022, there were some 157,000 people in receipt of this payment. The scheme is subject to a means test, medical assessment and habitual residency requirement. Disability Allowance has been designed to support recipients to pursue employment opportunities, be that self-employment or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people. An application for Fuel Allowance was received from the person concerned on 12 July 2022. Based on the information provided to the Department, the person does not qualify for the allowance as their household means are in excess of the current limit. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The individual concerned has been in receipt of Disability Allowance (DA) since 2016. I can confirm that the Department received a phone call from the person concerned on 16 June 2021 notifying a change in their circumstances. Following the resultant review of their DA claim, the person concerned was notified on 16 July 2021 that their entitlement would cease with effect from 21 July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (20 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 limit. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: All applications to the Community Centres Investment Fund are subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines.  Category 1 applicants were notified of the outcome of this process last week. Details of successful applicants are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/drcd.  The group the Deputy...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 191 projects have been approved for funding of €279 million for projects costing €379 million. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (20 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.  The Scheme was reintroduced in 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I confirm I have received the correspondence from Age Action Ireland. I am very grateful for the time and effort taken by Age Action Ireland in producing this documentation and in drawing these suggestions to my attention, as I am with all of the community and voluntary groups representing a wide range of cohorts within Irish society, all of whom advocate their position with clarity and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions; employment conditions; show that they are providing full-time care and attention; and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 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. For the purposes of the means test, cash income, including any additional pension(s), the value of any property...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides for a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods (of up to 20 years) outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The autumn Cost of Living double payment is part of a range of measures put in place as part of Budget 2023 to mitigate the effects of the increased cost of living. The autumn Cost of Living double payment is being paid to recipients of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Disablement Benefit and Partial Capacity Benefit. Qualifying payments for the autumn double...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Education and Training Provision (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The programme to which the Deputy refers is being funded under the current Dormant Accounts Fund Measure to Support the Employment of People with Disabilities which was a new employment support measure for people with disabilities introduced last year. On 30 July 2021, I announced that 45 projects had been funded up to an amount of €7.6 million. Prior to applying for this measure,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As of 18th October 2022, the number of persons working in my Department’s Press office and Communications unit are outlined below in tabular form. There is no dedicated social media team in my Department. Function Number of staff (Full time equivalent) Press Office 4 Communications Unit – this unit comprises 4 teams...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-contributory) Pension is a means-tested payment payable to a widow, widower or surviving civil partner who does not qualify for the Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension. The rate of payment is €208 per week. For the purposes of the means-test, from application stage through the lifetime of a claim,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €273 million this year on HHB for over 497,000 customers. People over the age of 70 receive the Household Benefits Package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On reaching pension age on 3 February 2020, the person concerned was automatically transferred from the Invalidity Pension to State Pension (contributory) maximum rate increasing their weekly payment by €39.80. The autumn cost of living double payment for State Pension (contributory) issued to them on 21 October 2022. They will also receive the Christmas Bonus double payment in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 26 February 2017. An application for State pension (contributory) was received on the 06 June 2018. Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years...