Results 21-40 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The aim of introducing auto-enrolment is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland, and to help provide for better retirement incomes for workers. The legislation to underpin this new savings system was enacted in July 2024 and a Statutory Instrument (S.I. No. 500 of 2024) was signed by the Minister which provides for the commencement of the system from the 30th of September...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The contributory State Pension is funded from the Social Insurance Fund through the contributions paid by workers. The rate of payment reflects the number of social insurance contributions paid over a working life. Eligibility for the State Pension (Contributory) (SPC) is based on a number of criteria: Being aged 66 or over; Having entered the Social Insurance system 10 years before...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Christmas Bonus announced as part of Budget 2025 provided a 100% increase in the weekly rate of payment for eligible recipients in the first week of December. The Christmas Bonus was paid to over 1.38 million long-term social welfare recipients. This includes recipients of the State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory). I trust this clarifies the matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports to carers provided by the Department of Social Protection 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 €1.9 billion in 2025. The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Recognition (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The annual report under section 6 of the Gender Recognition Act for 2023 is published. The report is available on the Gov.ie site under Gender Recognition - Annual Reports. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Department's Customer Charter 2023-2026 outlines the level of service customers can expect when interacting with the Department. It includes commitments to providing clear, accurate, and comprehensive information, ensuring courteous and respectful engagement. Additionally, it sets out measures to improve quality customer service through a Customer Action Plan. To fulfil these commitments,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: While it is acknowledged that most people on social welfare are claiming the correct entitlement due to them, my Department has a duty to ensure that it pays the right person the right amount of money at the right time. Therefore, it is important that all schemes operated are subject to on-going control reviews and eligibility checks. Control reviews, which may lead to overpayments being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. This payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April to assist households with their energy costs. Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long term social welfare payments with their heating needs. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Appointments to State Boards (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The State Boards operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. No appointments were made to these boards during the period in the question, that is from 1st November to date.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of the Department, the person concerned was initially in receipt of a Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) payment. Upon cessation of this payment, the person concerned submitted three claim applications for financial assistance to the Department; Disability Allowance (DA), Invalidity Pension and basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA). Disability Allowance and basic...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year). It is paid from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The Fuel Allowance is paid to social welfare recipients such as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an income-tested weekly payment which provides additional financial support to employees on low earnings with children. WFP provides financial support for employees who have low earnings/income relative to their family size. The WFP rate payable is 60% of the difference between the average weekly family income and the relevant prescribed income limit. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance contribution conditions. The person concerned was awarded IP with effect from 24 October 2024 and received first payment to his nominated bank account on 9 January 2025. He received all arrears due to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to confirm that the Jobseeker's Allowance application for the person concerned has been awarded and any arrears due have been calculated. All arrears payments due, including periods of Fuel Allowance entitlement, Christmas bonus payments, cost of living payments and annual budget changes have been included in the calculation and this payment is being processed this week for issue...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 7 June 2022. To qualify for IP, a claimant must have at least 260 (5 years) paid PRSI contributions since entering social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week is payable for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) to assist households with their energy costs. The Fuel Allowance payable at the weekly rate of €33.00 was awarded to the person concerned from 4th October 2024. Arrears covering the period 4 October 2024 to 16...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. The Nutritional Standards for School Meals were developed by a working group led by the Health and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Living Alone Increase is a weekly payment, which is not means tested. The Living Alone Increase is an additional payment made each week to persons who live alone and are in receipt of certain Social Protection payments. These payments include recipients, 66 or over, of State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-contributory), Widow’s, Widower’s, or Surviving Civil...