Results 5,081-5,100 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Breeding (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: No breed of dog is banned in Ireland. However, the relevant legislation in this area, the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014, sets out a range of requirements for all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998, S.I. 442/1998 set out further requirements that owners of specific breeds of dogs, including strains or crosses of those breeds, have to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cross-Border Co-operation (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My officials have not engaged with counterparts in Northern Ireland in respect of developing an all-island schedule of restricted dog breeds, and there are currently no plans to do so, however my officials would be open to exploring such discussions in the future. My officials meet quarterly with counterparts in the UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs to discuss common...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. The areas in each county that are currently eligible under CLÁR can be found on my Department's website. As the Deputy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There are a number of funding streams and supports available to community groups, both through schemes supporting implementation of Our Rural Future, and schemes supporting communities throughout the country. Details of schemes, including information on open schemes, can be found on my Departments website. The details requested by the Deputy, regarding funding schemes provided by my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has a comprehensive approach to monitoring and assessing our investment. It has not, however, completed work on the calculation of a multiplier for the knock-on value within communities of the schemes operated by the Department. I would note that the Department regularly completes case studies of our investment, which do demonstrate the on-the-ground impact of our projects. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on the Aran Islands, including Inis Meáin. A steering committee consisting of representatives from my Department and Galway County Council meets regularly to monitor progress on the development of the piers on the Aran Islands including on Inis...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Functions (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 632, 634, 635, 637 and 638 together. My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. As part of this work my Department continues to liaise with stakeholders in communities around the county including through the Local Authorities, Local Community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: A key focus of Our Rural Future (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 education as those in larger urban areas. I am working to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It is based on a community-led approach to rural development and supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: A Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) refund may be due if a person is over 66 and has incorrectly paid PRSI on their wages. Applications for a PRSI refund can be made for the last 4 complete tax years. Employees over the current pensionable age of 66 years are insurable at Class J regardless of how much they earn. The PRSI rate for Class J is 0% for employees and 0.5% for employers. In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There are two State bodies under the aegis of my Department with Chief Executive Officers - the Pensions Authority and the Citizens Information Board. I can confirm that neither CEO are, or have been, in receipt of benefits-in-kind paid on their behalf from Exchequer funding.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Indecon Cost of Disability report highlighted that there is not a single typical ‘cost of disability’; rather there is a spectrum from low additional costs to extremely high extra costs of disability, depending on the individual circumstances of the person concerned. It also highlighted that the cost of disability is significantly broader than the income support system and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Sep 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 Eligibility (21 Sep 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 wish to confirm that the means review of the person concerned was completed in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Social welfare legislation provides that means tests take account of the income and assets of the person (and their spouse or partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme. The means assessment includes income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions and maintenance payments. It also includes property owned other than the family home and capital such as savings,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a universal monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their eighteenth birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Estimated expenditure on the scheme will be approximately €2.1 billion in 2023. Any plans to extend Child Benefit in respect of children...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (21 Sep 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 Payments (21 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Jobseekers Benefit has been awarded to the person concerned from 01/08/2023 at the rate of €262.00 pw. The first payment will issue on 21/09/23 to the person's nominated post office. Notification was sent to the person concerned on 18/09/2023 informing them of the award decision.