Results 5,721-5,740 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Data Protection (25 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's ICT managed service is provided by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform through the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The use of applications on my Department's devices is strictly monitored by both my Department and the OGCIO. All staff of the Department must comply with our ICT Acceptable Usage Policy and other relevant policies, including...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seirbhísí Farantóireachta (25 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Tá an comórtas soláthair ar mhaithe le soláthróir feiliúnach a roghnú don tseirbhís lastais trom chuig 3 oileán Árainn ar bun faoi láthair. Foilsíodh an cháipéis tairisceana tar éis den Roinn sraith cruinnithe comhairliúchán a reáchtáil le pobal na n-oileán leis an tseirbhís lastais a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Wastewater Treatment (25 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently finalising a new National Islands Policy. This policy will set out the Government's vision for supporting and sustaining our island communities. The responsibility for funding of water and wastewater infrastructure is within the remit of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, while Uisce Éireann has statutory...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to bring the Social Welfare Bill (Child Benefit) Bill 2023 to Seanad Éireann. The purpose of the Bill is to give legislative effect to the child benefit summer bonus of €100 for each qualifying child, announced by the Government in February of this year. I am glad to say that the Bill received broad support in the Dáil. I welcome the support of all parties in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Senators for their contributions. I will respond to a few of the issues raised. Senator Burke raised the issue of jury service and a specific case there. I am happy to look at that. I can get further details from him and I will follow up on that. The Senator mentioned the hot school meals programmes and where some schools cook on site and some schools get the meals delivered...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: It is only to cover this payment.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, Government committed to finalising an approach for the benchmarking and indexation of pension payments. A smoothed earnings method to calculating a benchmarked/indexed rate of State Pension payments was also recommended by the Commission on Pensions. Last September, I announced a series of landmark reforms to the State Pension system....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that my department has been in touch with the Deputy's office seeking clarification on the specific circumstances of this case; however, the matter appears to relate to a Widow’s Pension (contributory) payment. Widow’s Pension (contributory) is a weekly social insurance payment to those covered by social insurance whose spouse or civil partner has died. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Occupational Injuries Benefit is an income support provided by my Department to those injured at work or travelling to and from work, or who contracted a prescribed disease at work. Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government and the Economic Recovery Plan include commitments to consider a pay-related jobseeker’s benefit scheme. Pathways to Work commits to using the experience from the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to inform the design of such a scheme that may be developed. The introduction of a pay-related benefit for jobseekers would bring Ireland in line with the majority...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together. The delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my Department. The CWS continues to provide a flexible service to meet the different needs of clients, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 May 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 a carer's allowance appeal by the person concerned was registered in that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Agriculture Schemes (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Farm Assist is a statutory income support specifically for farmers on low-incomes. There are approximately 4,300 claims in payment at present. The Government has provided €49.4 million for the scheme in 2023. Under the Farm Assist means test, income from a range of agri-environmental schemes attract a disregard of €5,000, increased from €2,540 from January 2023,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Agriculture Schemes (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for Farm Assist on the 27th of April 2023. The application is currently being processed. This may take a number of weeks as the Farm accounts need to be examined and a possible home visit scheduled. If experiencing financial hardship while they await the outcome of their Farm Assist application, the person concerned may submit an application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) is a scheme which extends the Illness Benefit (IB) and Invalidity Pension (IP) schemes to recognise and respond to the reality that some people in receipt of these payments have a capacity to engage in employment while continuing to need to receive some income supports. People in receipt of IP or IB (the latter for a minimum of 26 weeks) who wish to return...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity, which I view as an important issue for rural Ireland, whether it be access to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. Since the CLÁR Programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. Funding of over €57 million has been approved for almost 2,100...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Na hOileáin amach ón gCósta (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Mar is eol don Teachta, tá an Rialtas tiomanta chun polasaí oileánda a fhoilsiú de réir Chlár an Rialtais agus geallantais a leagadh amach in Ár dTodhchaí Tuaithe. Tá áthas orm a rá go bhfuil an polasaí agus an plean gníomhaíochta beagnach réidh. Beidh mé á chur faoi bhráid an Rialtais go luath agus...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, pay-related benefits are designed to reward people who have worked hard all their lives, paid their PRSI and contributed to the system. Under the current scheme, the basic rate for both jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit is the same at €220, which means that someone who never worked a day gets the same rate of payment as someone who has worked,...