Results 6,541-6,560 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Livestock Issues (28 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department publishes annual statistics in respect of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities. Information up to and including 2021, by county and in tabular form, is available on the dog control statistics page on gov.ie. The 2022 dog control statistics are currently being collated and when checked and verified will be published on gov.ie. The published dog control...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Authorities (28 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that Galway County Council had to address the registration of ownership and boundary matters in order to progress the transfer of the land in question on Inishbofin. I understand that a final survey is to be completed in the coming weeks, after which the Local Authority must give formal approval to transfer the land to my Department.

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

Heather Humphreys: Last month, the Government announced a €1.2 billion package of measures to assist people with the cost of living. This package includes a range of measures, amounting to €470 million, to help social protection recipients from April to July. One of these measures is a €200 lump sum to be paid to all long-term social welfare recipients in April. The Deputy is asking...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection provides income supports through a mixture of contributory payments (which are based on a person's social insurance record) and means-tested social assistance payments. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the person (and spouse / partner, if applicable) applying for the relevant scheme....

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

Heather Humphreys: Illness benefit is the primary short-term income support provided by my Department to insured employees who are unable to work due to illness. Claimants must have a minimum of 104 social insurance contributions and must meet other relevant contribution requirements. There are comprehensive guidelines covering operation of illness benefit and these can be found at gov.ie. A customer is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (23 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: 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 important component of policies to encourage school attendance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Media (23 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's social media access is permitted only where an approved business case is made. My Department has robust guidelines and procedures in place which set out the standards for providing access to social media accounts and the acceptable usage of social media accounts for personal use in so far as such personal use relates to the Department. Any staff member who requires access...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (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 was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. I am committed to improving...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Media (23 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's social media policy can be found on the gov.ie website here: www.gov.ie/en/collection/0d15f-social-media-policy/; In addition, guidelines relating to the use of personal social media accounts by officials in my Department are currently being drafted. My Department was established in 2017 and since then no sanctions have been imposed on officials in respect of social media...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I assure her that my officials are engaging and will continue to engage with the staff in EmployAbility services. I acknowledge the good work they carry out. I have visited many of the centres and the work they do in getting people who have disabilities back into work is wonderful. I assure the Deputy that my officials are engaging with them.

Reform of Carer's Allowance Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue of the carer's allowance payment. I thank the Independent Group for bringing forward the motion. It is a timely discussion. I meet carers all the time through my constituency office and I see first-hand the unbelievable work they are doing. Since my appointment as Minister, I have made a number of improvements within the social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: For the week ending 19th March 2023, there were 31,386 people on the Live Register continuously in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit with a commencement date prior to 1st January 2020. Of these 6,456 are casual jobseekers. These claims are inclusive of periods where pay may have been suspended for a recipient but their claim remained open. For example, casual...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalments....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department uses letters as one form of communication to inform customers of relevant information concerning their rights including the options available to them to receive payments from my Department. My Department provides two main payment options for its customers: payment in cash at post offices or payment directly into customer accounts by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). Last...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 8 November 2022. It is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 14 December 2022. It is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Human Trafficking (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The primary role of the social welfare inspectorate involves the interviewing of scheme claimants and investigation of relevant circumstantial and means factors in order to determine the satisfaction of scheme eligibility conditions. The investigative function continues, at periodic intervals, when inspectors are assigned cases for investigation to determine continuing satisfaction of scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Awaiting reply from Department.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (22 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country, and in doing so to deliver on a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support urban and rural communities.   Funding for meals-on-wheels providers may be available, subject to meeting eligibility criteria, through various funding strands managed by my...