Results 261-280 of 2,224 for long speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...in the event of certain contingencies arising during their working life such as unemployment, illness, maternity and, thereafter, upon retirement from the work force. It is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Fund is financially secure to meet these benefits. The 2020 Actuarial Review of the Social Insurance Fund found that even without any economic shocks to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Consultations (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Green Paper on Disability Reform is my department’s response to our commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The Green Paper is a consultation document we developed to start a structured discussion with disabled people and stakeholder groups on what the future of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Consultations (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Government committed as part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The proposals developed are set out in the Green Paper on Disability Reform. This was published on the 20th September and marked the start of the consultation process. The Green Paper is a consultation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Consultations (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...to ensure that those who can and want to work can reach their employment ambitions. I would like to emphasise that the Green Paper is not a final design. It is only a starting point for discussion on the future of long-term disability payments. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Green Paper on Disability Reform is my department’s response to our commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The Paper addresses concerns raised in the Pathways to Work Strategy and the Make Work Pay report, and the recommendations given in the Cost of Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Government committed as part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. One of the Green Paper’s proposals is to raise the qualifying age for Disability Allowance to 18 to create a common tiered approach to disability payments. The age of entry for Disability Allowance has been 16...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: In September, I published the Green Paper on Disability Reform to begin the conversation on improving long-term disability payments. I am strongly committed to disability reform and to ensuring the provision of improved income and employment supports for people with disabilities. I would like to emphasise that the Green Paper is not a final design. It offers one possible approach on how...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...doing transition year, there has been an increase in the number of 18 year olds still in secondary education. I believe the extension of Child Benefit to 18 year olds in full-time education is a long-term change for the better and will support families across Ireland into the future. I hope this clarifies the matter for the deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Green Paper that I published delivers on the Government's commitment under the roadmap for social inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The proposals of the Green Paper are not final; they are intended to invite discussion and debate. We recognise it is well documented that people with disabilities face...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...to care for someone in need of full-time care and attention. It is payable for a maximum of 104 weeks for each person being cared for. It can be taken in one block or in separate periods as long as the combined total does not exceed 104 weeks. The average duration of a carer's benefit claim is 76 weeks. I do not consider it necessary to extend the duration of the benefit for longer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...package. This is, for the second year in a row, the largest in the history of the State. This package provides a mixture of exceptional cost-of-living payments delivered over the coming weeks, along with an across-the-board €12 weekly rate increase in primary payments and an increase of €4 per week for a qualified child, both of which take effect from early January. This...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: .... This increases to 1.75 million customers when spouses and companions are included. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million. Since 2017, people moving from certain long-term disability schemes are able to retain their free travel entitlement for a further period of five years, provided they previously had an entitlement to free travel. Customers moving...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I take the Deputy's point about carers who, on getting a review, are cut off. While I cannot make any promises now, I will look at that. I am ensuring that long-term carers who have spent 20 years or more caring will be able to access the State pension from January 2024. Legislation has to go through the Houses and I am hoping to get it passed very quickly. It will be a big change to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Census 2022 data indicates that there are 1.1 million people with at least one long-lasting condition. While I would love to be in a position where I had unlimited resources, providing a weekly payment of €350 to such a large number of people would not be sustainable. Even if I could, such an approach would also be unfair because people with disabilities are not one single group with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...those on reduced rates, with an additional €4 increase per child; in January 2024, there will be an additional once-off double cost-of-living support payment, which will be paid to qualifying social protection recipients, including carers and people on long-term disability payments; the rate of payment for domiciliary care allowance will increase by €10 from January 2024. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this matter. The Government committed as part of the roadmap for social inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The consultation process has begun through the publication of the Green Paper. The Green Paper sets out the issues facing people with disabilities. Those...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...expand access to the Free Travel scheme to: People who have never been able to drive due to a disability.Drivers who have a license and have been deemed medically unfit to drive for a period of one year or longer. In some cases these drivers will only need the Travel Pass until they are medically certified to drive again.In addition, there will be no requirement that the person be in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...(Contributory). 3. The introduction of enhanced State Pension provision for people who have been providing full time care to incapacitated dependents for 20 years or more. This may assist long-term carers in these circumstances who currently may not be able to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory) by attributing the equivalent of paid contributions to them for those caring...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Communications (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Green Paper on Disability Reform is my Department's response to our commitment under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion to develop and consult on proposals to restructure long-term disability payments and to simplify the system. The Green Paper is a consultation document we developed to start a structured discussion with disabled people and stakeholder groups on what the future of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...,000 recipients in respect of over 1.2 million children at a cost of €178.8 million. I have also extended Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education from next September. This was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024 and I believe it is a long-term change for the better which will support families across Ireland into the future. As a result of Budget 2024,...