Results 2,921-2,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development. The programme is delivered through Local Action Groups(LAGs) and is based on a community-led approach to rural development. It supports a broad range of activities that aim to respond to the needs of our rural areas over the lifetime of the policy. LEADER plays an...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. Since the scheme was re-introduced in 2017 my Department has allocated almost €130 million towards improvement works on over 4,000 non-public roads and lanes. Last year alone, almost €30 million in funding was allocated to local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of library services in Mayfield is primarily a matter for Cork City Council. I am advised that the extension and refurbishment of the Frank O’Connor...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (5 Mar 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 depopulation over a defined period. Funding in excess of €13 million was provided for over 300 projects under CLÁR 2023. It included supports for a vast array of projects that will benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department of Rural and Community Development has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts including licensing and enforcement. Local Authorities are well placed to target measures in their areas. My Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future is the whole of Government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland. Published in March 2021, it contains more than 170 measures for delivery, for both short-term recovery and longer-term economic and social development as well as environmental and cultural wellbeing. Structured updates on policy implementation are regularly provided through six-monthly...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Community Recognition Fund recognises the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Funding of €50 million for some 900 projects is supporting towns and villages nationwide that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries. The Fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used in the future by all members...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands. A steering committee consisting of representatives from my Department and Galway County Council meets on a regular basis, with the most recent meeting taking place on 20th February, to monitor progress on the development of the piers on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I secured Government approval last November for the design proposals for a new Jobseeker's Pay Related Benefit scheme and approval for the draft Heads of Bill on 9th January this year. The draft legislation is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. My Department is working on the necessary arrangements to facilitate the introduction of the scheme in quarter 4 of 2024. People...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Rent Supplement (RS) scheme administered by my Department, 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 accommodation available to them from any other source. The responsibility for the provision of rent support to those with a long-term housing need has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is responsible for the administration and payment of a range of benefits that support parents of newborn and young babies. Entitlement to these benefits follows on from having an entitlement to the corresponding leave. The legislation governing the different forms of leave is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.7 billion this year. At the outset it is important to clarify for the Deputy that the payments of Carer's Allowance, Domiciliary Care Allowance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In September 2022, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system in response to the recommendations from the Pensions Commission. This set of measures represents the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system. One of the key measures under these reforms, which came into operation from the 1st January 2024 is the introduction of a flexible...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANPs) to help meet expenses that an eligible person cannot pay from their weekly income. The ANP scheme is demand led and payments are made at the discretion of the Designated Persons (DPs) in the CWS administering the scheme taking into account the requirements of the legislation and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered on the 19th September...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the valuable role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Advertising (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to ensuring that the public are aware of the welfare supports and services that are available to them and that they are notified of any scheme changes which may affect them. Public information and advertising campaigns are an important part of our work and cover national and regional print media, as well as radio, digital and social media. These campaigns are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that there is no record of any appeal by the person concerned having been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides for the making of payments by employers to employees in respect of redundancy. The purpose of the Redundancy Payments Scheme is to compensate employees for the loss of their job by reason of redundancy in cases where the employer can prove to the satisfaction of my Department that they are unable to make the payment. It is the...