Results 5,361-5,380 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (29 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department acknowledged Pride 2023 by hosting staff tea breaks in our offices in Dublin and Ballina. While souvenirs as referred to by the Deputy were not purchased, items such as flags and bunting were purchased to a nominal value of less than €100 to display in both locations to mark Pride month.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (29 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Embracing Ireland's Outdoors has committed to enhancing access to outdoor recreation amenities including expanding the Mountain Access Project to other uplands areas. My Department has, for some time, been examining how best to introduce a scheme to indemnify private land owners in upland areas who allow access to their lands for recreational purposes. This is a complex issue and my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (29 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Since the formation of this Government my Department has continued to play a critical role in supporting communities across the country in both rural and urban Ireland. My Department’s continuing focus is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. This mission is set out in our Statement of Strategy. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (29 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not allocate a specific budget for advertising. However, if a business need for some limited advertising expenditure arises, it may be approved on a case by case basis. No advertising funding has been provided directly to RTÉ by my Department. There are four agencies under my Department’s remit: the Western Development Commission, POBAL, Irish Water Safety, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Environmental Policy (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 103 together. 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. Last year, I published 'The Design Principles for Ireland’s Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System', which set out the new system in detail. A dedicated project...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The requirements for birth registration are contained in Part 3 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 (the Act), as amended. Part 1 of the First Schedule to the Act sets out that the child’s surname shall be that of either, or both, parents. Where the surname chosen by the parent(s) is not their own, an application must first be made to the superintendent registrar who must be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 97 and 98 together. The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments (ANP) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income. An ANP is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional and Urgent Needs Payments, and certain other Supplements available to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from a person’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: For May 2023, the average processing time or time to award for Jobseeker's Allowance applications was one week. Over 96% of claims are processed within six weeks. My Department calculates the average processing time on a national level only. As such, a breakdown of processing times by county is not available.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (28 Jun 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 this person on 14...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (28 Jun 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 received in that office and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for One Parent Family Payment on the 13th of March but the Department was unable to process this application as additional information was required and the Department was unable to make contact with the applicant. A new application for a One-parent Family Payment which was registered on 20th of June 2023. On the 22nd of June 2023, the person concerned was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned has a yearly average of 16 reckonable contributions and credits from their date of entry into insurable employment in 1968 to 2012. This gives entitlement to a reduced State Pension (contributory) at the current weekly rate of €199.00. To qualify for the maximum rate, a yearly average of 48 contributions is required. If...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: National Transport Authority (28 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by, for example, Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, Luas, Local Link and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. At the end of May 2023, there are nearly...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (28 Jun 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 in that office on 15th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (27 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the pension age of 66. The payment is provided for under the Jobseeker’s Benefit or the Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed) legislation as appropriate and a person must satisfy the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned currently has a Jobseekers Benefit Credits only claim awarded since August 2019. Details of all schemes available from the Department are available on www.gov.ie or from a Local Intreo Office. If the person concerned feels they may have an entitlement to an additional or alternative payment they may complete an application either online or in person at their local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (27 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: All Educational Sector Workers including ancillary staff who work in schools who wish to avail of income support while temporarily laid-off during the school breaks can apply for a jobseeker’s payment but must satisfy all the qualifying contributions and conditions to receive this payment. This includes being available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work at each school...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Jun 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 20 February 2023. It is a condition for receipt of a CA...