Results 221-240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. A list of the CLÁR designated rural areas can be viewed on my Department's website at the following link CLÁR Funding Area Maps and District Electoral...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025, represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the sustainable development of rural Ireland. It sets out a vision for a thriving rural Ireland, and to that end establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. The delivery of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Equipment (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s information and communication technology services, including mobile phone services, are provided on a shared service basis by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The OGCIO has a contract in place for the supply of mobile phone services, awarded on foot of a public procurement process. The mobile phones are generally provided as part of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further round of funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's CLÁR scheme is a targeted investment programme that provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in rural areas that experience disadvantage and significant levels of de-population. The measures being funded under CLÁR 2024 are: Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities & Amenities (funding up to €50,000). Measure 2: Mobility,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Grant Payments (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further round of funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) provides funding for the development and construction of large scale capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. Since 2018, funding of €584 million has been allocated to 243 projects. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Departmental records indicate that a funding application received in 2023 from Westmeath County Council and involving the named Group, was considered by my Department by under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) rather than the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). TVRS was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There are some 2,200 primary schools currently eligible for hot school meals for the 2024-2025 school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children. Schools are responsible for choosing their own School Meals supplier on the open market in a fair...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: From September 2012, the rates of State Pension (Contributory) paid to those who had a yearly average of less than 40 contributions was lowered. In recognition that these rate changes may have negatively impacted certain cohorts, in January 2018, the Government announced an Interim Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to calculate the entitlement of pensioners who reached State pension age...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. 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. The table below shows the average processing times for CA...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the State Pension Contributory from the current weekly rate of €277.30 to €310 is €953.8M. The estimated full year cost of increasing the State Pension Contributory from the current weekly rate of €277.30 to €320 is €1,245.5M. The estimated full year cost of increasing the State Pension Contributory from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year costs of increasing all social welfare payments in 2025 are as follows: €5 increase: €381.3m; €10 increase: €762.4m; €15 increase: €1,143.8m. The costs shown above are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2025. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The total cost of increasing the Child Support Payment for children under 12 from the current rate of €46 to €80 per week is €377.8M. The total cost of increasing the Child Support Payment for children over 12 from the current rate of €54 to €100 per week is €188.3M. Budget 2025 will increase the weekly rate of the Child Support Payment for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing all personal rates of weekly carer's allowance from the current rates to €320 per week is €264.56 million. This costing is on a full year basis and is based on 2024 rates and the estimated number of recipients. It is not possible to estimate for subsequent years to 2030 due to lack of information on future recipient numbers, which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated cost of a Double Child Benefit payment for 2024 is €185.7 million. This estimate would change on a yearly basis due to updates of recipient numbers. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients. I trust this clarifies the matter...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am delighted, as part of Budget 2025, to have introduced a new baby grant of €280. This new payment will assist parents with the costs associated with new babies. It will provide additional financial support to a family to ensure adequate resources and that the material needs of a newborn are met. It is estimated that in 2025, the grant will be paid in respect of some 54,000...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16,17 and 18, if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves. The table below shows the total number of children resident in Ireland aged 16 and 17 for whom Child Benefit is being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Post-primary schools are not currently eligible for hot school meals. Post-primary schools in the DEIS programme prior to 2022 can, however, avail of the dinner option. This differs from the hot school meal in that it is generally provided by schools with onsite cooking facilities, whereas hot school meals provided to primary schools are prepared offsite. There are some 2,200 primary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (24 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has clarified that the Deputy is referring to PRSI rate increases outlined in the PRSI Roadmap 2024 - 2028, and that the base refers to Social Insurance Fund (SIF) revenue projections included in the Stability Programme Update. This forecast is produced on a no policy change basis. This means that potential future Budget measures, such as increases to the rate of payment for...