Results 3,521-3,540 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66.? This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions. My Department received an application for DA from the person concerned on 17 July 2023....

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

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited...

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

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify, the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention....

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department's formal Blended Working Policy offers a varied attendance model from the minimum office attendance being one day per week, right up to full-time office attendance, in line with business requirements, individual suitability and workstation requirements. There is an annual application process. Approved Blended Working arrangements under the 2024 application process will become...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Agencies and Bodies under my aegis are Citizens Information Board and the Pensions Authority. The tables below highlight the position in both organisations. Citizens Information Board 2022 2023 No. of staff working remotely 77 78 % of staff at least 1 day per week remotely 96% 95% ...

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

Heather Humphreys: The introduction of a pensions auto-enrolment system is a Programme for Government commitment, and a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. Since the publication of 'The Design Principles for Ireland’s Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System' in 2022, officials in my Department have been singularly focused on the implementation of the AE system, with the aim...

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

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. There are currently 5,631 Working Family Payment...

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

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. Working Family Payment customers are eligible to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 Jan 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. Significant efforts and resources have been devoted to reforming the appeal process in recent years. Further improvements in...

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

Heather Humphreys: The spouse of the person concerned is in receipt of a State Pension (contributory) payment from my Department which includes an Increase for a Qualified Adult for the person concerned. An increase for a qualified adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Irish Sign Language (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Between 01 January 2023 and 31 December 2023, 100% of the videos posted on the Department's social media channels included subtitles. Of the bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of my Department, 100% of videos posted on social media included subtitles. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a wide range of income and employment supports to assist jobseekers and employees with disabilities, and their employers. These supports include the Reasonable Accommodation Fund and the Disability Awareness Support Scheme. The Reasonable Accommodation Fund provides financial support for people with disabilities and for employers to help make their workplaces more...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Welfare (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together. My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. This legislation makes provision for dog licensing arrangements and the functions of dog wardens. Local Authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts. Each year my Department collects and collates...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme was re-introduced in 2017 following several years with no dedicated funding. Between 2017 and 2023, my Department has allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The details as requested by the Deputy are outlined in the following table. The Department's Blended Working Policy was derived from the Civil Service Blended Working Framework. It is a blended arrangement of a minimum of 2 days in the office per week, and 3 days at home (where staff have sought to work remotely). Year No. of remote workers % staff who work...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is set in the tables below in respect of the agencies under the direct remit of the Department. Western Development Commission Year No. of remote workers % staff who work from home at least 1 day per week Average home working hours per week Gender breakdown of remote workers 2022* ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Irish Sign Language (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: For the period in question, 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023, 95% of all videos posted on my Department’s social media accounts included closed captioning/subtitling. None of the videos included Irish sign language (ISL) translations. There are four agencies under my Department’s remit: the Western Development Commission, POBAL, Water Safety Ireland, and the Charities...