Results 19,301-19,320 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Meals Programme (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Minister of State and I are fully committed to the school meals programme. The evaluation is being carried out, and if it recommends an increase in the rates, I will fully support that. If we are going to give children a good, hot dinner in the middle of the day - nothing can beat that - my aim, and I am sure that of the Deputy, is that every child in this country, regardless of his or...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Meals Programme (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I assure the Deputy that we want to make sure children get quality food but we have to wait until the outcome of the review. The Deputy was a teacher and, therefore, he knows first-hand the benefit of feeding children when they are at school. It helps their educational attainment. For those parents who are trying to come up with lunches children might eat, it makes it an awful lot easier...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make an additional needs payment to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from his or her weekly income. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme. These can and do include support to assist people with clothing costs outside of emergency situations where they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I asked about this and was told that clothes are included in the one we have. I take the Deputy's point, however.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I take the Deputy's point; she read it out to me. What I have written here is, "food, clothing or shelter in the aftermath of a fire or flood or other emergency event." I take her point and I will raise it with the officials. The CWOs have discretion. If the Deputy wants to give me the specific details of the case of that lady who did not get that payment, I am happy to take them. I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that a final settlement was reached with unions at the end of 2021 to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsoring organisations. The settlement resolves this long-standing issue through the payment of a once off ex-gratia payment to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2023 (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Budget 2023, I announced a number of measures in relation to supports provided by my department for carers. These measures acknowledge the important role that family carers play in our society and the particular challenges they face in light of the current cost of living crisis. The measures benefiting family carers directly include: - €500 Cost of Living lump sum payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (29 Nov 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 gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or to provide another full-time caring role. However, I recognise...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Welfare Service (CWS) is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. The Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance Scheme (BASI) is a weekly allowance paid to people who do not have enough income to meet their needs and those of their families. Where an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I announced on Budget Day that the Government will spend €2.2 billion on new Social Protection measures, including over €880 million in order to provide for a €12 increase to the weekly rate of social welfare payments from January 2023. This increase supports recipients across all Social Welfare weekly schemes including pensioners and those of working age. It also...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2023 (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: This Government recognises the challenges people are facing with the Cost of Living. That is why we announced the largest social protection Budget package in the history of the State. The Social Protection measures announced in the Budget amounted to almost €2.2 billion. Those measures will make a real difference in terms of protecting our most vulnerable – our pensioners,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments who pursue courses of education at second or third level. A person may avail of this payment more than once where they meet the criteria for the scheme. People, including women returning to the workplace, wishing to pursue a course of study under the Back to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Indecon Cost of Disability report identified that additional costs of disability run across a number of areas of expenditure, including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance services, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, and additional living expenses. The findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy. Based on this, one of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Community Welfare Officers (CWO) are available to facilitate urgent and in-person meetings in over 50 Intreo Centres nationwide, 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday. In addition to meeting citizens in Intreo Centres, Branch Offices and DSP offices, CWOs can facilitate an appointment within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Farm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,500 claims in payment at present. Government has provided €53.9 million for the scheme for 2022. Further to commitments in the Programme for Government and in the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, my Department reviewed the means assessment disregards for the Farm Assist....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports to carers provided by my Department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Spending on these payments in 2022 is expected to exceed €1.5 billion. A more generous means assessment for Carer’s Allowance has been called for over successive Budgets by organisations representing carers. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The State Pension (Contributory) (SPC) is a PRSI-based pension, financed by contributions made by current workers and their employers, and paid to pensioners, at a rate based upon their PRSI record. Social insurance records include people who have paid contributions at various classes (e.g. Class S and Class A). They also include people who have not contributed for many years or who may now...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Indecon Cost of Disability report identified that additional costs of disability run across a number of areas of expenditure, including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance services, mobility, transport, communications, medicines, and additional living expenses. The findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy. Based on this, one of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Nov 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 1,050,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Indecon Cost of Disability report was prepared following an extensive consultation with disabled people and disability stakeholders. This included one of the largest disability surveys ever undertaken in the State. The report identified that additional costs of disability run across a number of areas of expenditure including housing, equipment, aids and appliances, care and assistance...