Results 41-60 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance 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. Means are any income belonging to the carer and their spouse / civil partner / cohabitant, property (except their own home)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package comprises of an Electricity or Gas allowance, and a Free Television Licence. Only one Household Benefits Package is payable per household. The payment is made on a monthly basis. The Household Benefits Package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment, or who satisfy a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Grant Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the Treatment Benefit scheme which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Grant Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical, aural and hair replacement products and services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependant spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions. The hair replacement benefit, introduced in 2022 is an annual benefit of up to €500 available to persons who satisfy the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: One of the qualifying conditions for the State Pension Non Contributory (SPNC) is to satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition (HRC). HRC applies to both Irish citizens and Non-Irish citizens. Deciding Officers, when determining whether a person is habitually resident for social protection purposes, must take into consideration (1) whether or not the person has a right to reside in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

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. An Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

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 28th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The objective of the School Meals 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 important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. I am committed to ensuring that the nutritional standards of the School Meals Programme offers children...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Jan 2025)

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 14 November 2024. I can confirm CA was awarded to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year). It is paid from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €400 million in 2025. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed to direct the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Artificial Intelligence (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Guidelines for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in my Department are currently being prepared, incorporating the principles highlighted in the "Interim Guidelines and Principles for the use of AI" published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. My Department has not developed its own training in relation to AI, however staff in the Department may avail of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: If a person is in insurable employment and is awarded the State pension (contributory), the appropriate PRSI class in respect of their employment changes from class A to class J. There is no employee PRSI liability under class J, although there is an employer PRSI liability of 0.5%. When a person is awarded the State pension (contributory), the award letter from my Department advises...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Grant Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Workplace Adaptation support is one of seven supports under Work and Access, which aims to remove or reduce barriers in the workplace for people with disabilities. The guidelines state that this support is designed for people with a disability who require modifications to their workplace to enable them to get or stay in a job. Many employers operate from premises that are rented or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Properties (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: My Department occupies a number of properties throughout Dublin. With the exception of my Department's headquarters, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, which is held by the Minister on behalf of the Social Insurance fund, these properties are provided to the Department by the Office of Public Works. The addresses and Eircodes of each property occupied by my Department in Dublin are outlined in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports to carers provided by the Department of Social Protection are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Spending on these payments is expected to amount to over €1.9 billion in 2025. The Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the Department provides income support to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The incoming Government has not yet published a finalised and agreed Programme for Government. The last Programme for Government was 'Our Shared Future', published in 2020. In respect of welfare payment rates, successive Governments have listened closely to the views of Deputies in this House, the community and voluntary pillar, advocacy groups and other stakeholders, especially in the run...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Official Travel (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: In 2023 the Minister and 2 officials travelled to the Porto Social Forum in Porto, Portugal for 5 days from the 25th- 29th May 2023. The cost of the flights were €719.29, €770.28 and €770.28. Total costs for the trip was €2259.50. In 2024 the Minister undertook no foreign travel for the Department of Social Protection. I trust that this clarifies matters...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer’s Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers who get Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit or Domiciliary Care Allowance. It can also be paid to certain other carers providing full-time care. Following Budget 2025 measures, the rate of payment is €2,000 from June 2025. The table below shows the number of recipients of Carer's Support Grant as of 31st December by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: Procurement of goods and services in the Department are undertaken in accordance with the EU Procurement Directives. All preferred bidders are requested to provide information to facilitate online verification of their tax status prior to award of the contract. Details of companies who do not pay tax in Ireland is not available in this Department, however all contracts awarded over...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (22 Jan 2025)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of the Social Protection has held contracts with Abtran during the period in question and details as requested by the Deputy are set out below. Company Contract Value (inc. VAT) Total Spend (inc. VAT) Purpose Abtran €2,160,530 €2,283,388 Call Centre Services in support of water...