Results 18,781-18,800 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (25 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 payment, which will be paid during November 2022 to recipients...

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

Heather Humphreys: I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system on 20th September 2022. The measures, which were approved by Government, are in response to the recommendations from the Commission on Pensions. The set of measures represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system. The reforms announced included a phased 10-year transition to the Total...

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

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, a letter issued to the person concerned on 20/10/2022 requesting further information in support of his application for an Exceptional Needs Payment. When this information is returned, the person’s application will be processed promptly. I trust this clarifies the matter.

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

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, further information was requested from the person concerned on 20/10/2022 in support of her application for an Exceptional Needs Payment. When this information is returned, the person’s application will be processed promptly. I hope this clarifies the matter.

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 443 and 459 together. Work in my Department is underway to fill staffing vacancies in the Community Welfare Service which have arisen around the country, including in Co Donegal. The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for the Government and for the Department of...

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

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s own resources and are deemed...

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: Social Welfare Code (25 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. The scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and all the relevant circumstances of the case in order to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (25 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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. In Budget 2023, I was pleased to announce the largest ever expansion of the Fuel...

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

Heather Humphreys: Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet because of a specified medical condition. There are currently approximately 1,300 people in receipt of diet supplement. A review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. One of the conditions for receipt of fuel allowance is that a person must satisfy a means test. The person concerned applied for Fuel allowance on 28 September 2022. Following a means...

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

Heather Humphreys: I wish to acknowledge receipt of accounts for the year 2021 for the person concerned. The additional information received in the form of the accounts for 2021 would not change the decision that was made in relation to the means assessed for the person concerned The decision was made in line with current legislation in relation to assessing second properties which are assessed on the capital...

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

Heather Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a key role in supporting families and individuals in private rented accommodation, with the scheme providing support to 10,118 recipients at the end of September 2022. The scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have...

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

Heather Humphreys: There are four Community Welfare Officers based in the Tallaght Intreo Centre and they have been and continue to be available to meet with citizens during office opening hours daily, Monday to Friday. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (25 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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. When assessing the means of a Fuel Allowance applicant, in the case of applicants...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 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 28 July 2022. It is a statutory requirement of...

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 in Budget 2023 to mitigate the effects of the increased cost of living. The Autumn Cost of Living double payment will be paid to recipients of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Disablement Benefit and Partial Capacity Benefit. Qualifying payments for the autumn double payment are those payments that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Transport Costs (25 Oct 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 over 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 1,047,000...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's Pension under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (25 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, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. In Budget 2023, I was pleased to announce the largest ever expansion of the...