Results 3,681-3,700 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Lowry. I listened to Michael Murray from North Tipperary Development Company on the radio this morning. My Department supports its work. When you hear about the work North Tipperary Development Company is doing, you find out that it is helping Ukrainians and international protection applicants with training and employment supports. It set up a Roscrea welcome group and is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy cannot blame the Government for people carrying out violent actions. She should not conflate the two issues of housing and immigration. Ukrainians and international protection applicants are being moved mainly into hotels and large-scale types of accommodation. They are not taking homes from Irish people. If that is the line the Deputy is trying to peddle, she is going down a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy is going down a dangerous road. The rise of far right ideology and anti-immigration sentiment in Ireland is worrying. It is something we have seen in other countries for many years but it had not been an issue here. Unfortunately, that has changed but when you look ahead to 2024 the world is becoming a scary place. When we look at what is going on in Gaza, at Putin's war in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. We are exceeding our targets every year. Every year we are building more houses and we will continue to do that. The Deputy acknowledges that capacity was a problem. That has been built up. Much work has gone into upskilling and retraining young people into the construction sector and it is working. I stated clearly that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. The Housing for All target for this year is to build 33,450 new homes. I do accept there is a gap between the existing target and what is needed. In the past, we did not have the capacity to deliver, but that capacity is increasing all the time. We need to have an informed process in setting new targets. The Department of housing is working with the ESRI on research...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We are allowing young people the opportunity to buy their own homes.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Approximately 500 new mortgages are drawn down each week, so the opportunity is there. We are creating more houses. More and more are coming on stream all the time and we can see that. The only way we would achieve house prices of €300,000, as the Deputy's party is suggesting, is to have a recession. That is the only way house prices will come down. I am being realistic about all...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: That is the fact of the matter-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: -----and there is no changing that. I ask the Deputy one question. Would she build her house for €300,000? I could not. It is not possible to do it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The best way to increase supply is to continue with what we are doing in Housing for All-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: -----and get more houses on stream.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is happening and will happen. The proof of the pudding will always be in the eating.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Before answering, I wish everybody a happy and successful 2024. In 2021, the Government took a number of actions. To discourage significant purchases in housing estates by investment funds, a higher 10% rate of stamp duty was introduced on the purchase of ten or more houses in a 12-month period. Planning guidelines were issued to restrict the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Flood Relief Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies. My Department provides assistance to eligible households in the immediate aftermath of emergency weather events under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme, administered by my Department through the local Community Welfare Service, was activated to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: 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. Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is an educational opportunities scheme for persons in receipt of certain social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned made an application for Jobseekers Transition (One Parent Family) on 12/10/2023.This claim was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector and a decision issued on 07/12/2023 . Payment, including arrears for this application issued to the person concerned on 12/12/2023. This claim closed on 22/11/2023 due to an application for Illness benefit. This illness benefit claim closed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Illness Benefit is a payment for people who cannot work due to illness and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance contribution conditions. The person concerned would not qualify for Illness Benefit as they do not have any reckonable PRSI contributions paid in the relevant tax years. It is open for the person concerned to make an application for the long-term, means-tested Disability...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Illness Benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for Illness Benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in Class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered on the 17th October 2023....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (17 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: 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. I can confirm the person concerned is in receipt of CA since 20 August 2020. Once claims are in payment, my Department...