Results 8,041-8,060 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There are currently 29 Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) employed by Intreo Centres in Dublin South Central, namely in the Ballyfermot, Bishop’s Square and Cork Street Intreo Centres. This figure includes the team of CWOs working exclusively on Rent Supplements in the Cork Street Intreo Centre. Given the fluctuation in demand for the Community Welfare Service (CWS), particularly...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Incapacity Supplement or Blind Pension. The Living Alone Allowance is not means tested and the payment is made as an increase to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (30 Nov 2022)

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 €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. In Budget 2023, I secured funding for the largest ever expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme. It is estimated that this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: While there is no limit per household on the payment of the Cost-of-Living lump sum payment, the payment is a single lump sum paid to a carer irrespective of the number of persons being cared for. In addition, recipients who are in receipt of one or more of the following schemes will qualify for only one €500 Cost-of-Living payment - Blind Pension, Carer’s Allowance,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need. The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable income need and that resources are targeted to those who need them most....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Meetings (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the committees concerned are not convened by the Department of Social Protection, we do not have attendance records available. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (30 Nov 2022)

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 position them to take 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 Welfare Benefits (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are approximately 1,050,000...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Intimate Image Abuse campaign that the Deputy refers to was launched by my Department in September 2021 with the aim of raising awareness of image-based sexual abuse and to better inform people of the strong legislation in place to combat it. We want people to know that sharing intimate images without consent is illegal, socially unacceptable, has harmful consequences and is a form of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: All visa applicants are advised that the onus is on them to provide as much information in support of their application as they feel is necessary. Guidelines in this regard are posted on the Immigration Service website. When making an appeal, the applicant should take into account the reasons for refusal listed in the refusal letter. The appeal should include any further information or...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy may be aware it is generally recognised that non-custodial penalties, particularly supervised community sanctions, play a significant and important role in addressing criminality, reducing reoffending and providing a degree of protection to the public. This is supported by Central Statistics Office figures on recidivism. The Review of Policy Options for Prison and Penal Reform...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Schemes (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Act 1962 provides that free legal aid may be granted, in certain circumstances, for the defence of persons of insufficient means in criminal proceedings. The Department of Justice has no involvement in the day to day running of the scheme, the granting of free legal aid or assignment of lawyers. It is important to note that while my Department pays the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Meetings (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be interested to note that Joint Policing Committees (JPCs) are made up of elected representatives, members of An Garda Síochána, local authority staff and community representatives. Although JPCs operate under guidelines issued by the Minister for Justice after consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, my Department is not a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Extradition Arrangements (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. As the Deputy may be aware, the Extraditions to and from Ireland are carried out under the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 as amended and the Extradition Act 1965 as amended. The material requested by the Deputy is in the two tables at the following link. Table 1:Provides the number of extraditions from this State in 2021 to 27 November...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána. Regrettably this information was not available in time and I will write to the Deputy again once it is to hand.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the Deputy’s question, I can confirm that the Department of Rural and Community Development does not have any schemes or programmes in place for which a means test applies.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Meetings (30 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Since its establishment in July 2017, the Department of Rural and Community Development has not been in attendance at any joint policing committees or city and county development board meetings.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Meals Programme (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I assure the Deputy that we want to make sure children get quality food but we have to wait until the outcome of the review. The Deputy was a teacher and, therefore, he knows first-hand the benefit of feeding children when they are at school. It helps their educational attainment. For those parents who are trying to come up with lunches children might eat, it makes it an awful lot easier...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department may make an additional needs payment to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from his or her weekly income. Payments are made at the discretion of the officers administering the scheme. These can and do include support to assist people with clothing costs outside of emergency situations where they...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I asked about this and was told that clothes are included in the one we have. I take the Deputy's point, however.