Results 4,461-4,480 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports improving rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. LIS was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since 2017, my Department has allocated almost...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Employment Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department places a lot of importance on programmes which can provide pathways for people with disabilities and those in marginalised groups to join the workforce. For example, the Department has recruited two WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) graduates who commenced their graduate placement on 4thSeptember 2023. This is a graduate programme for people with disabilities. The Department is also...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: On 4th November, I announced funding of €1.3 million for the provision of new computers, laptops, iPads and other information and communication technology (ICT) in public libraries across the country. This funding will support the new public library strategy, ‘The Library is the Place’,which was launched in July, and it will enable public libraries to replace outdated...

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

Heather Humphreys: Awaiting reply from Department.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €285 million this year on HHB. Approximately 508,000 households are in receipt of the gas/electricity element of the HHB package. People over the age of 70 receive the HHB package, with one package provided per household. The...

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

Heather Humphreys: In October 2023, there were 3,864 State Pension (Contributory) claims cleared. This figure comprises of 1,552 awarded claims, 1,442 disallowed claims and 870 withdrawn claims. There were 6,629 claims pending at the end of October.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The introduction of an Auto Enrolment Retirement Savings System is a Programme for Government commitment, and a key priority for me as Minister for Social Protection. Last year, I published 'The Design Principles for Ireland’s Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System', which sets out the new system in detail. Implementation of the AE system has been gathering pace since then,...

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

Heather Humphreys: The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024. The measure is expected to benefit approximately 60,000 18 year olds each year at an estimated cost of €21.6 million in 2024. With many children now starting primary school at age 5, together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Weather Events (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to prevent hardship by providing income tested financial support to people whose homes are damaged from flooding and severe weather events and who are not able to meet costs for essential needs, household items and in some instances structural repair. The scheme is administered by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) in this Department. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Nov 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. My department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides two main payment options for its customers: payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer bank accounts by Electronic Fund Transfer. A small number of ad-hoc payments are also made by cheque. Based on an analysis of Departmental systems, the table below breaks out the apportioned total value of payments made directly to customers in 2022 by payment...

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

Heather Humphreys: In 2022, there were 1,607 single people with no dependents who received more than €24,000 euro in Social Welfare payments. This figure is inclusive of arrears payments which may have related to a period before 2022. Individuals who received any increase for a qualified child or adult have been removed from this analysis. Furthermore, anyone who received Child Benefit, Guardian's...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Nov 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. My department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary...

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

Heather Humphreys: The extension of Child Benefit to 18-year-olds in full-time education was one of my key priorities as part of Budget 2024. The measure is expected to benefit approximately 60,000 18 year olds each year at an estimated cost of €21.6 million in 2024. With many children now starting primary school at age 5, together with the increase in pupils doing transition year, there has been an...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing a high standard of service in either Irish or English to itscustomers. Currently, the Department has almost 200 staff in our various Intreo and Departmental offices throughout the country that are available to provide services through Irish. My Department is committed to the continued development and training of staff to facilitate the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (14 Nov 2023)

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 (PRSI) contribution conditions. My Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 5 October 2023. Their medical reports have now been examined by a Department Medical Assessor and...

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

Heather Humphreys: In May 2022, my Department conducted a medical review of the customer concerned in relation to their continued entitlement to Disability Allowance (DA). Based on the evidence submitted by the customer, she was found to be not substantially restricted in seeking suitable employment, by reason of a specified disability, which is expected to last for a period of at least one year. As a result...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Nov 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 an appeal by the person concerned was registered on the 21st July 2023. It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (14 Nov 2023)

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 (PRSI) contribution conditions. The person concerned is in receipt of IP from my Department from 10 October 2019. He was in receipt of Partial Capacity Benefit prior to this date. He has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Transport (14 Nov 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that an official of my Department was in touch with your office last week to confirm that, following a review, a Free Travel card has been reissued to the person concerned. Telephone contact was also made with the person concerned last week to inform them that the Free Travel card has been reissued. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.