Results 4,881-4,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (10 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: In November 2022, I was delighted to announce funding of €800,000 to support Men’s Sheds throughout the country with running costs, such as electricity and insurance bills. The individual grants were distributed to the Men’s Sheds via its representative body, the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA). Officials in my Department have informed me the IMSA are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Properties (10 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department does not own buildings or land in County Clare. I can also confirm that none of the agencies under my Department's remit (Pobal, Water Safety Ireland, the Western Development Commission nor the Charities Regulator) own buildings or land in that County.

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

Heather Humphreys: On 20 September, I published a Green Paper on Disability Reform and launched the associated public consultation. The Green Paper was developed as a response to commitments under the Roadmap for Social Inclusion, the Pathways to Work Strategy, and the Make Work Pay Report Strategy to consult on reforms to disability payments and to take account of anomalies within the current system. It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 Oct 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 criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a number of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means tested social assistance schemes Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are means tested payments while Invalidity Pension is a social insurance payment. The combined expenditure...

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

Heather Humphreys: Rent Supplement provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that for those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can continue to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 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. A person participating on a Community Employment scheme can qualify for the Fuel...

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

Heather Humphreys: Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a social welfare scheme which allows a person to return to work or self-employment and continue to receive a payment from my department. A person must be in receipt of Illness Benefit (IB) for a minimum of six months or Invalidity Pension (IP) in order to apply for PCB. There is a two stage process application involved. The applicant first notifies my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Oct 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: Citizens Information Services (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, with responsibility for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. CIB provides some services directly to the public and funds and supports a number of Service Delivery Companies to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, with responsibility for supporting the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. CIB provides some services directly to the public and funds and supports a number of Service Delivery Companies to provide...

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

Heather Humphreys: An application was received for fuel allowance as part of this individual's application for Disability Allowance, on 18 August 2023. Fuel allowance is a means tested payment, payable to people who either live alone or only with certain other qualified people. Based on the information provided to the Department, the person does not qualify for the allowance as their household consists of...

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

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. In order to satisfy the habitual residence condition, it first must be established that the person has an unconditional...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 358 and 362 together. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The Scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways throughout rural Ireland. Earlier this year, I launched the 2023 ORIS with an allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 359, 360, 361, 363, 364 and 365 together. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The Scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways throughout rural Ireland. Earlier this year, I launched the 2023 ORIS...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 366 and 368 together. In 2022 I launched the new Community Centres Investment Fund, and this new initiative was warmly welcomed the length and breadth of the country. Over €45.8 million has been committed to the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres across Ireland through this fund. Following on from this, I wanted to assist...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 367 and 369 together. This Government recognises the important role that community centres play in community life in Ireland, particularly in bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged. With this in mind, my Department has put in place an integrated programme of supports for the establishment and development of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: One of the key focuses of Our Rural Future:, the Government's Rural Development Policy 2021 - 2025 is optimising digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities. I want to close the digital divide between rural and urban communities and ensure that those living in rural communities are provided with the same opportunities for remote working, online trading and for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (4 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the important 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 key role of my department is to provide income supports where an income need may arise due to unemployment, illness/disability and caring...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (4 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people. The Treatment Benefit scheme is an insurance-based scheme which provides...