Results 5,881-5,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Spring Cost of Living Bonus is one of a range of measures put in place by Government to support people and assist with cost of living increases. It is a €200 lump sum payment which was paid the week commencing 24th April to over 1.253 million people in receipt of long-term social welfare payments at a cost of approximately €250 million. One lump sum payment of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: On 18th May, accompanied by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State Joe O’Brien, I announced details of €50 million in funding for over 880 projects under the Community Recognition Fund At its core, this Fund recognises the efforts of communities who have gone above and beyond during what has been a very challenging period for our country. It...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: On 18th May, accompanied by the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Minister Stephen Donnelly and Minister of State Joe O’Brien, I announced details of €50 million in funding for over 880 projects under the Community Recognition Fund At its core, this Fund recognises the efforts of communities who have gone above and beyond during what has been a very challenging period for communities. It...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Wildlife Conservation (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has a number of measures in place which can contribute to the installation of structures that provide shelter and habitat space for wild species. Some of the funded programmes encourage and promote the enhancement of biodiversity when reinstating and/or landscaping areas e.g. native pollinator plants. For example, applications received under CLÁR 2023 must outline if the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Environmental Schemes (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this issue to my attention. My Department has been in contact with the local development company on Sherkin Island to clarify the matter. I understand that the sub-sea telephone cable to the island has been damaged since late last year. I also understand that poor weather has, to date, prevented the telephone company from carrying out the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Agriculture Supports (23 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Since 2018 my Department has provided funding of almost €2.3 million to the Irish Shows Association (ISA) for agricultural shows throughout Ireland. These shows are regarded as key dates in the rural calendar and central points for the agri-food industry, farming community and local artisan producers. The agricultural shows support programme is funded under Project Ireland 2040 as part...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Leave (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Paternity Benefit is a payment for employed and self-employed people who are on Paternity Leave from work who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions. It is paid for two weeks at €262 per week, the same rate as Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit. Paternity benefit was paid to 27,375 recipients in 2022 at a cost of approximately €13.68 million....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Parental Leave is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth. That scheme provides parents with unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children. Parents can take up to 26 weeks’ Parental Leave for each eligible child before their 12th birthday. Parent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for seven...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I am informed by officials in my Department that this analysis will take more time to compile. My officials will therefore send the requested information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up 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. The person concerned ceased employment in October...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (18 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 Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the length of the Fuel Allowance season from the current 28 weeks to 32, 40 and 52 weeks per annum respectively is set out in the below table. Note all costings are based on the current weekly rate of €33 per week. Weeks Cost €m 28 to 32 58.9 28 to 40 173.5 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Bereavement Grant, which was a once-off payment for funeral costs, was discontinued in January 2014. The number of bereavement grant claims in 2013 was 23,716 at a cost of €20.3 million. It is estimated that the cost of reintroducing the grant would be close to €31 million per annum and would increase annually. Any decision to reinstate the grant would have to be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full-year cost of a €1 increase in each of the social insurance schemes, social assistance schemes, other schemes is set out in the table below. ">Cost of €1 increase The costs are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to ensuring that only those people who are eligible receive welfare and other payments. Our overriding objective is to ensure that we pay the right people, the right amount, through the right scheme/programme, at the right time. All schemes operated by my Department are subject to ongoing control reviews and continuing eligibility checks which include the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 360 and 388 together. The estimated full-year cost of extending child benefit to 18-year-olds still in secondary school at the current rate of payment is €65m. The estimated full-year cost of increasing child benefit by 10% and extending the payment to children aged 18 or 19 in secondary school is in the region of €293m. These costings are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer’s Support Grant to €2,500 is €94.2 million. The cost shown above is on a full year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. This costing is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing Domiciliary Care Allowance from €330 to €350 per month is €13.8 million. The cost shown above is on a full year basis and is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2023. It should be noted that this costing is subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 363 and 364 together. The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 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 and received by approximately 404,256 households at the end of the Fuel Season. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. My...