Results 5,901-5,920 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €285 million this year on HHB for over 511,000 customers. People over the age of 70 receive the HHB package, with one package provided per household. The package is also available to people living in the State aged 66-69 years who...

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

Heather Humphreys: It is important to note that the State Pension age was never 65 years of age. The State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) were never paid at 65 years of age. Reducing the State Pension age to 65 years would increase pension related expenditure significantly. As State Pension age has never been 65 and taking account a number of complex factors relating to...

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

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing all weekly social welfare payments to €300 per week is €2,938.1m. This includes a proportionate increase for Qualified Adults and those on reduced rates of payment. These costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients. Disability Allowance, Illness...

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

Heather Humphreys: The full year cost of increasing Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance and Blind Pension to €350 is set out in the table. Scheme Cost €m Invalidity Pension 389.2 Blind Pension 7.3 Disability Allowance 1,137.0 Total 1,533.5 The costs shown are on a full year...

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

Heather Humphreys: Registration of stillbirths by parents in Ireland is voluntary. Currently, the birth of a stillborn child may be registered where the child has a gestational age of 24 weeks or more or weighs 500 grammes or more. The Government has recently given approval to draft legislation, based on clinical advice from the Department of Health, to reduce these criteria to 23 weeks and 400 grammes...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Health and Safety (18 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 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 Appeals (18 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 an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 22...

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

Heather Humphreys: The €200 Spring lump sum payment was paid to 1.3 million recipients in receipt of long-term social welfare payments. This lump sum was paid in late April and cost approximately €261 million. The payment was made to primary recipients of a qualifying payment only. This support was paid to a cohort defined on a similar basis to the Christmas Bonus, including to those on...

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

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full-year cost of increasing each weekly social welfare scheme by €1 per week is €74 million, as set out in the table below; Social Insurance Schemes €m State Pension (Contributory) 27.1 Widow/er's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Con) Pension Under 66yrs 1.5 ...

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 Increase for Qualified Child by €1 for children under 12 years of age is €11.2m. The estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for a Qualified Child by €1 for children over 12 years of age is €4.2m. The total estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for a Qualified Child by €1 for children...

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. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Taking account of the fact that the Fuel Allowance is a household based payment and that qualification is not just based on...

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 Fuel Allowance by €1 per week from €33 to €34 over a 28 week season is €12.5 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 these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated revision of the...

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

Heather Humphreys: The estimated fully year cost of increasing the Fuel Allowance by one additional week at the current rate of €33 per week is €14.7 million. The costs shown above 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 associated revision of the...

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. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly tax-free payment for employees with...

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 €2,000 is €21.8m. The costs shown above 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 associated revision of the estimated numbers of recipients for 2024.

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 rate of payment from €129.70 to €220.00 per week, is €64.9 million. This includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and those on an age-reduced rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2023, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends...

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 rate of payment by an additional €5 per week, from €129.70 to €134.70 per week, is €3.6 million. This includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and those on an age-reduced rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2023, and is...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment provides income support to lone parents whose youngest child is aged 7 to 13 years, inclusive. When their youngest child turns 14, a person may be eligible for the Jobseeker’s Allowance payment. The Working Family Payment is available to lone parents who are working 38 or more hours per fortnight. That scheme is payable where a person...

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

Heather Humphreys: The One-Parent Family Payment is a means tested payment for lone parents under 66 who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under 7. The Jobseekers Transitional Payment is also means tested, and is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme for lone parents under 66, who are not cohabiting and whose child/children are between 7 and 14 years old. Where...