Results 3,841-3,860 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 361 and 362 together. The One-Parent Family Payment is a means tested payment for lone parents, under 66, whose youngest child is under seven. The Jobseekers Transitional Payment is a special arrangement under the means tested Jobseekers’ Allowance for lone parents, under 66, whose youngest child is between 7 and 14 years old. Resulting from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath is a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs are borne by the companies. Referrals to the JobPath service ceased in June 2022 and the service is now in a run-off phase. Research into JobPath, including by the OECD, indicates that the programme led to positive employment and earnings outcomes across a variety of hard-to-reach groups. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It is important to note that the State Pension age was never 65 years of age. The State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) were never paid at 65 years of age. The State Pension (Transition) was a payment available to those aged 65 and who were retired from employment. It was not available to self-employed workers and so many manual workers could not qualify....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds is provided for under Jobseeker's Benefit and Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) schemes. Estimates are not prepared separately for those age 65 years and is included in the overall scheme costs. There are approximately 4,000 people in receipt of the Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds. The estimated average weekly payment value for recipients of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the qualified child increase by €1 per week is €11.8 million for children aged under 12 and €4.4 million for children aged 12 and over. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2024 and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of beneficiaries.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing Jobseeker's Allowance and Supplementary Welfare Allowance for those aged under 25, on age-related reduced rates, by €1 per week is €0.8 million. This cost includes a proportionate increase for Qualified Adults. This costing is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of beneficiaries.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

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 €412 million in 2023. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer's Support by €1 is €0.2m. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing Child Benefit by €1 is €14.9m. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: This Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system provides measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years outside of paid employment in the calculation of a payment rate. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Dec 2023)

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: Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 373 to 376, inclusive, together. My Department is committed to delivering on the requirements under the Official Languages (Amendment) Act, 2021. We are working to reach the 20% ad placement and 5% monies spent rules set out in Section 10 of the amended act, within the available advertising space. All campaigns are developed and targeted carefully in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has delivered significant policy achievements since June 2020. At that time, the country was in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and this Department introduced the Pandemic Unemployment Payment in response to the unprecedented disruption to the labour market caused by Covid-19. Some 29.7 million PUP payments issued at a cost of over €9.2 billion while 880,000 people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has responsibility for the Household Benefits Package, the Fuel Allowance and the Additional Needs Payments, all of which are referenced in the document referred to by the Deputy. The Household Benefits Package comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The Department of Social Protection will spend approximately €285 million this year...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Person Concerned is in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance since 15th November 2023 Their Current Rate is : Personal Rate : €220.00 + Qualified Adult €146.00 + Qualified Child €42.00 = Total €408.00 Means from the Qualified Adults employment were assessed at €280.00, these are deducted weekly. Total Payable weekly to The Person Concerned is €128.00.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There is a range of supports provided by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. These supports can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments (ANPs). The Department may make an ANP to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 28 November 2023. Additional information in relation to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

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. I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs), and certain supplements to assist with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Appointments to State Boards (14 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It has not been possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy in the timeframe available. My officials are currently working on compiling the information and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible, and within 10 working days at the latest.