Results 4,041-4,060 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tourism Funding (6 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which helps to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. The LEADER programme is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (6 Dec 2023)

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, progress on the works in Ballaghaderreen Library, and the timeline for completing the project are, first and foremost, a matter for Roscommon County Council. In response to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: A Community Welfare Officer (CWO) is at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) civil service grade level. The average cost of a HEO is €88,776 per annum. This cost is inclusive of salary cost, employer contribution for PRSI, an imputed employer pension contribution and employee overheads e.g. accommodation. Therefore, the estimated cost of employing 50 additional CWOs is €4,438,800 per...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 348 and 352 together. I was pleased to announce that a 100% Christmas Bonus will once again be paid this year to over 1.3 million recipients of long-term social welfare payments. The Christmas Bonus is paid to pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and long-term unemployed people in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Cost-of-Living Payment announced in Budget 2024 is payable to a person who is a carer under Section 224(1) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 and who on 27 November 2023 is still providing care to a relevant person under Section 224(1) of the Principal Act. To qualify for the Cost-of-Living Payment, a carer mustHave received or be eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 Dec 2023)

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. The aim of introducing an AE system is to address the pension coverage gap that exists in Ireland, and to help provide for better retirement incomes for workers. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection report of its...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment, made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 26 August 2022. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant’s means are less than the statutory limit,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Dec 2023)

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 significant efforts and resources have been devoted to improvements in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Dec 2023)

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: Information and Communications Technology (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: One of my statutory functions as Minister for Social Protection is the authentication of a person's identity in the manner described, and for the purposes set out, in primary legislation. Once a person has authenticated their identity by way of the SAFE registration process, they are issued with a Public Services Card (PSC) which can be used as proof of identity when accessing public...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The details provided in the question are incorrect and therefore this PQ cannot be answered. I understand the Deputy's Office has been contacted in this regard.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that Free Travel was re-instated for the person concerned on 10th November 2023. A Public Services Card with Companion Free Travel was issued to the person concerned on the same date. An official of my Department has spoken to the person concerned and it was confirmed that the card has been received. I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 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. The legislation provides that a carer can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention to a care...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are living alone and who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State Pension (Contributory), State Pension (Non-Contributory), Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension, Widow's/Widower's...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 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. There is no medical review ongoing for the person concerned and they have been in receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Disablement Benefit is part of the Occupational Injuries Benefit scheme. This scheme caters for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling to or from work. The scheme also covers people who have contracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do. Disablement Benefit is a compensation payment and can be paid alongside other social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 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. The number of CA applications disallowed, awarded on appeal, and awarded on reapplication for 2021, 2022 and to 31 October...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Media (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department uses social media platforms to enhance communication and engagement with our customers and stakeholders. The Department uses X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube to reach a wide audience to communicate important customer updates as well as news, events and initiatives. The Department does not pay any subscription fees for the use of its social media channels....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to persons who are providing full-time care and attention to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. The person concerned is in receipt of CA for one care recipient since 12 October 2023. An application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (5 Dec 2023)

Heather Humphreys: In September 2022, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system. The measures are in response to the Pensions Commission’s recommendations and represent the biggest ever structural reform of the Irish State Pension system. One of the measures I announced is the introduction of flexibility to the State Pension (Contributory) from 1 January 2024. This will allow...