Results 5,161-5,180 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 2 June 2013. An application form for State Pension (contributory) was received on 4 April 2013. To qualify for State Pension (contributory), 520 full-rate paid contributions are required which equates to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment. According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a total of 54 full-rate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group was published last November and the Government has accepted the Group's recommendations regarding the social welfare system. I am pleased to say that, pending the introduction of the necessary legislation, my Department has already implemented some of the recommended changes on an administrative basis. My Department is no longer applying the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income support for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. When awarded, WFP is payable for 52 weeks once the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other longer-term social welfare dependent households with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalment payments. Only...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package helps towards the costs of electricity or gas bills. It also includes a television licence. Only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household, and the person must reside full time in Ireland. For those aged 70 or over, it is not means tested and they do not need to be getting a qualifying payment. If a person is aged between 66 and 70, they may...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Telephone Support Allowance is a weekly payment for people who live alone and are already in receipt of certain other social welfare payments. It assists with the cost of communications and home security solutions. The Telephone Support Allowance is an extra €2.50 per week, which is equivalent to €130 annually. The allowance is paid automatically to people who are in receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to exceptional and urgent needs payments, and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Parental Leave (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance. The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parents' Leave for each parent to be taken in the first year after the birth or adoptive placement of a child. In April 2021, an additional three weeks of paid Parents' Leave was made available to each...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in rural towns and villages across Ireland. To date, 215 projects have been approved for funding of €403 million for projects costing almost €551.7 million. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part of Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development policy. The Scheme is administered through local authorities, who work closely with local communities and businesses to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: EU Directives (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The European Accessibility Act is an important EU Directive that will introduce mandatory minimum accessibility requirements for certain products and services across the European Union, applicable to economic operators in both the public and private sectors. The Act is currently being transposed by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, with the Act covering...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland is renowned around the world for our heritage, culture and history and this immense cultural capital draws visitors to our island and sustains communities. Our Rural Future recognises the important contribution of culture, history and heritage to communities and to tourism development, and I am pleased to say that local history projects are, and have been, eligible to apply for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Meals-on-Wheels Services (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Firstly, I want to acknowledge the wonderful work the Meals on Wheels Network does at a local and national level in supporting people to remain in their homes and communities and in supporting individuals in their recovery after hospitalisation or periods of illness. In 2020 I announced funding under Measure 3(a) of the CLÁR programme to enable community-based organisations which...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (20 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. €250 million has been made available for the LEADER programme for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to 2022...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department issued a call for proposals on the 3 April 2023 for Local Authorities to submit projects to be funded under a new Libraries Capital Programme which will run from 2023 to 2027. The closing date for receipt of proposals was 16 June 2023 and one application was received from Wicklow County Council. The application requested funding of €3m for Ballywaltrim Library which is in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Budgets (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas around the country. This Government recognises the important role they play in community life in Ireland, bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged. The 2022 Community Centres Investment Fund saw over €45.8 million being committed to the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reports (20 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Information on all studies, research and reports commissioned by my Department that were outsourced in each year since the formation of this Government are set out below: 2020 Company Description Cost incl. VAT Maynooth University CLÁR Programme Review €20,086 Social Justice Ireland Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Appointments (13 Jul 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017. In the period since its establishment, my Department is not aware of any staff at Principal Officer grade and above who on retirement were subsequently appointed to the board of a State or Semi-State body.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Forestry Sector (13 Jul 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The development of outdoor amenities is central to Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, which was launched last November. The Strategy sets the stage to strengthen and support the sustainable development of the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland for years to come. Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors will ensure that there is a joined...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (13 Jul 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas around the country. This Government recognises the important role they play in community life in Ireland, 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...