Results 19,181-19,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (15 Nov 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. The fourth call for Category 1 applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed on the 29thApril 2022. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tidy Towns (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Supervalu TidyTowns competition is a unique community movement which has a huge impact on our communities throughout Ireland. It is an extremely effective and important sustainability initiative in Ireland, both from an environmental and community perspective. It encourages communities to improve their local environment and make their area a better place to live, work and visit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development does not provide any ongoing operational budget for the Grow Remote organisation. My Department has provided some non-core funding to Grow Remote under our funding schemes, as follows: Social Enterprise Supports: The Small Capital Grants Scheme for Social Enterprises was funded by the Dormant Accounts Fund. It provided grants for equipment,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, established in 2018, provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 and rural areas across Ireland. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. The measures being funded under this year’s Scheme are: Measure 1: Small Scale Repair/Development/Promotion and Marketing (up to €30,000)Measure 2: Medium...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future (2021-2025), Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that support projects that facilitate remote working...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is part of a range of measures to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland. The Scheme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of “Our Rural Future”, and is administered on behalf of my Department by the local authorities. Since the introduction of the Scheme in 2016, almost €120 million has been approved for more than...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as I announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. Article 31 of the EU Common Provisions Regulation 2021/1060 requires Member States to ensure that community-led local development is focused on sub-regional areas. As is the case with the current LEADER...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for Fuel allowance on 21 October 2022. Following a means assessment, it was determined that the household means were €490.30 which is within the permissible weekly means limit of €610.30 for the household. Fuel Allowance was awarded from 21 October 2022, and the person concerned was notified in writing on the 21 November 2022. I hope this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection acted very quickly to deliver the Disability Support Grant and other budget measures within an exceptionally short timeframe. Wherever possible, budget measures that are usually implemented in the January to March period of the year following a budget announcement, have been brought forward and implemented within a period of weeks. While this early issue...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds, provided under the Jobseekers Benefit scheme, was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the pension age of 66. The payment is designed to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at 65 until they qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for Fuel allowance on 07 October 2022. Following a means assessment, it was determined that the household means were €352.57 which is within the permissible weekly means limit of €373.30 for the household. Fuel Allowance was awarded from 07 October 2022, and the person concerned was notified in writing on the 21 November 2022. I hope this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for an increase for living alone. My Department requested information to support their application on 12 November 20222. On receipt of the requested information a decision will be made. The person concerned will be notified in writing. I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Illness Benefit is considered a short-term scheme and as such is not a qualifying payment for the secondary benefits associated with long-term social welfare payments. Most people only stay on Illness Benefit for a short period. As you know, some people are on it since 2009 – they are known as Continuous Duration customers. As of October 2022, there were 8,536 Continuous Duration...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 08 September 2022 and will receive her first payment to her nominated bank account on 01 December 2022. Any arrears due from 08 September 2022 to 30 November 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 18 November 2022. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Registration Service (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Registration of stillbirths in Ireland is voluntary. Access to the register is restricted to the parents of the child or authorised staff of the General Register Office (GRO) to reflect the sensitivity of parents. As a matter of practice, the GRO facilitate access to the register where the parents are unable to do so or are deceased. The GRO has examined the arrangements for registration...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 31 May 2022. Additional information in relation to the...

Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputies Tóibín, Canney and Grealish for bringing forward this Private Member's Bill. I am pleased to inform the House that the Government is not opposing the Bill. I have two dogs myself, a miniature Yorkshire terrier called Rusty and a King Charles spaniel called Lady. Like everybody else, they are part of the family and we would be heartbroken if anything happened to...

Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the debate. I thank the Deputies for bringing forward the Bill and for all their contributions. As I said earlier, the proposals in this private Members' Bill are consistent with my Department's overall objective to promote responsible dog breeding in Ireland. Deputy Donnelly mentioned crossbreeding, which is just awful. Mixing a small dog like a Pomeranian with a big dog really...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that - (a) it ought to be treated, having...