Results 7,281-7,300 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 Jan 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. While Working Family Payment (WFP) is not a qualifying payment for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I have asked my officials to contact the Deputy directly on this matter to discuss how more information can be supplied to the person concerned in relation to this application.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 11 December 2022.  The application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 29 September 2022. The person concerned was awarded State Pension (contributory) at 90% of the maximum rate from 11 December 2022. A review of the contribution record of the person concerned is ongoing.  On receipt of the requested documentation, their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Official Travel (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department follows the mandatory procedures and methodology outlined in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular 01/2020, which states that, with effect from 1 January 2020, all Government Departments, Offices and Agencies are required to record, monitor, and value greenhouse gas emissions associated with official air travel and to make an annual payment to the statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: State Pension Non-Contributory (SPNC) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. State Pension (Contributory) (SPC) is a social insurance based payment made to people at age 66. This is not a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Historic information on the number of applications received on a county basis and the number of applications where further information was requested is not available. The following table provides a breakdown by year of applications received, awarded and rejected for the period 2015 to 2022. Carer's Allowance 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has been and will continue to support the people affected by the explosion in Creeslough.  Emergency payments issued over the days immediately following the event related mainly to the purchase of items such as clothing and toiletries.  Further payments were made towards transport costs, replacement of items destroyed in the explosion and assistance with the purchase...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.  Budgetary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: State pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension (contributory), or who only qualify for a reduced rate (contributory) pension based on their social insurance record.  For the purposes of the means-test, at initial application stage and throughout the lifetime of the pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 492 and 506 together. The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group in 2020 to examine a number of issues regarding child maintenance in Ireland and to prepare a report for the Minister for Social Protection on: (i) The current treatment within the Department of Social Protection of child maintenance payments, (ii) The current provisions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Welfare Service (CWS) is committed to providing a quality service to all citizens, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. The vast majority of complete applications are finalised within 2 weeks and there is less than 2 weeks work on hands currently.  Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) applications are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The decision was taken following the lifting of Public Health Restrictions in 2022 to return to paying Jobseeker payments through the Post Office Network.   Payments to the Post office is one of the measures in terms of preventing fraud as it necessitates the claimant attending in person.  Measures to combat fraud are regularly reviewed and updated by the Department. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 02 July 2022. Their application for State Pension Contributory was received on 10 October 2022.  Following an examination of their insurance record it was noted that the person concerned had outstanding self-employment liabilities for the year 2019. Section 110 (1) of The Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended, provides...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.  The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. The Fuel Allowance for the person concerned was awarded from 06 January 2023.  They were notified in writing on 26 January 2023. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household.  The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April. The Fuel Allowance for the person concerned was awarded from 06 January 2023.  They were notified in writing on 26 January 2023. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 498, 499, 500 and 501 together. 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 total number of appeals received by the Social Welfare Appeals Office per month since 2021 is set out...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: There are 45 Appeals Officers currently employed in the independent Social Welfare Appeals office.  We have one Appeals Officer vacancy at present.  As with all staffing in the Department, the appropriate staffing levels are kept under review and there are no plans to increase the numbers of Appeals Officers in the coming months.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I recently launched a public consultation on proposals for a new pay-related benefit for jobseekers.  This builds on commitments in the Programme for Government, the Economic Recovery Plan and Pathways to Work. A pay-related benefit means that the amount of benefit an eligible person receives when they become fully unemployed is directly linked to their previous earnings, subject to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Passport Services (31 Jan 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment.  Whilst the person is awaiting the renewal of his passport, he should present to the Dun Laoghaire Intreo Centre where he will be provided with a temporary card and a stamped copy of his photograph.  This documentation will enable the person to collect his JA from the Post Office. According...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (31 Jan 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  can confirm that the person concerned is currently  in receipt of...