Results 621-640 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Government is looking at that. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, spoke about this but of course we are investing these funds for the future and there are a number of different important infrastructure projects that deserve support. I have no doubt the Mallow relief road will be included in all those considerations. I will raise that with the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am sure that is needed as well. The motorway is also an important piece of critical infrastructure.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. The Government is keenly aware of issues in relation to child poverty and these issues formed a critical input into the development of the budget, which included the largest social welfare package in the history of the State. It provided €2.6 billion to assist households. The analysis published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. I will certainly raise that with the relevant Minister. I do not know why; I cannot answer that question. I have been supporting pensioners through the Department of Social Protection. I acknowledge some public sector workers do not get a contributory State pension when they retire, but my focus has been to increase that. The €12 increase this year, along with...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not know if the Deputy reads all the papers but carers welcomed the changes I made in the budget.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The changes I made in the budget mean more will get it. I meet them and have talked directly to them. I fully-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I see first-hand the challenges that carers face.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is a mother in the Gallery and I know the challenges she faces because she told me. It is not easy.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We have made considerable changes but we are on a journey. We have to do more. I accept that but we cannot do everything on the one day. We have made substantial changes to the carer's support grant. It has been increased. The carer's allowance is now a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance. Domiciliary care allowance has been increased; I have increased it by €50 during my...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is not talk. You are wrong.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I know the Deputy does. It is a good county. I welcome any people who come to it. We could do with more tourists.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I know the Deputy is very familiar with Monaghan because he was lucky enough to get his wife there. She is a great woman from a great family.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is a lot of interest in my county but there is nobody who knows more about Monaghan than I do - that is it as far as I am concerned. I was born and reared there and have lived there all my life. We will move on. I believe it was after a HIQA inspection that St. Brigid's Hospital was closed but it is now being-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: -----repurposed and will be reopened with 28 people working there.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I will move on to the question the Deputy asked. I know the important role family carers play and am fully committed to supporting them in that role. I meet them regularly in my Department, including at the annual carers forum. I have heard first-hand over many years of the wonderful work they do under extremely difficult circumstances; probably the most difficult is where mothers have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I want to be very clear. This amendment is to ensure that if there is a massive energy crisis, we would have storage facilities for LNG if required. I am talking about a massive energy crisis. It has nothing to do with fracking. This Government is opposed to fracking. My former colleague, Tony McLoughlin, brought forward a Bill to ban fracking. This is planning for all eventualities....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I can be accused of many things but speaking out of both sides of my mouth is not normally what I do. I have been engaging with carers since I became Minister for Social Protection in 2020. I must say again that family carers play a hugely important role and I have been committed to supporting them in that role. I have worked hard in recent...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am increasing the domiciliary care allowance to €360 per month and, most importantly, I am expanding the carer's allowance means test to €625 per week for a single person and €1,250 per week for a couple. These changes will mean that I have effectively doubled the income limits for carer's allowance over the lifetime of this Government, enabling thousands more carers...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am well aware of the figures but there is a process here. Even the Deputy will accept that. I have been engaging regularly with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, the NCSE and the local ETB, which I feel will also play an important role in this process. I can tell the Deputy about all of the fine buildings and investment that has gone into Monaghan in terms of education, including...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the Deputy that I am committed to providing a school in Monaghan but we have a process. I cannot click my fingers and produce a school. There is a process and I am engaging with the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, on that process.