Results 8,561-8,580 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 633 and 634 together. With the exception of the Department headquarters, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, which is held by the Minister on behalf of the Social Insurance Fund, all buildings and property occupied by the Department of Social Protection, are owned or leased by the Office of Public Works. The same applies to the agencies under our remit: the Citizens...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 11 August 2022 and will receive her first payment to her nominated bank account on 10 November 2022. Any arrears due from 11 August 2022 to 09 November 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 27 October 2022. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is payable in respect of a child aged under 16, who has a severe disability or condition and requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of that required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months. An application for DCA was received from the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Nov 2022)

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. One of the conditions for receipt of fuel allowance is that a person must satisfy a means test. The person concerned applied for Fuel allowance on 28 September 2022. Following a means...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on the 8 May 2022. They are currently in receipt of the State Pension (contributory) at the maximum weekly rate of €253.30. Prior to receiving the State Pension Contributory, the person concerned was in receipt of Illness Benefit. There is no record of an application for Blind Pension. This is a means tested payment and not payable after a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Nov 2022)

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 relating to the person concerned was received in that office on 25 July 2022. The appeal application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 640, 654 and 655 together. The School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations and benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 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: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Budget 2023 has been designed to assist people with cost-of-living increases through a mix of lump sum payments, increases to weekly payment rates and an expansion of the Fuel Allowance scheme. Community Employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide people with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period. The €500 lump sum payment to those on Disability Allowance, Blind Pension and Invalidity Pension will be paid to those receiving these payments in the relevant week in November....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 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. There was no change to the qualifying criteria for Fuel Allowance for those in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit or Illness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 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. Deserted Wife’s Benefit is a qualifying payment for Fuel Allowance and a person in receipt of Deserted Wife’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Offices (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 646 and 678 together. From early November 30 Social Welfare Inspectors have been temporarily assigned to the Community Welfare Service to assist with claims processing. In addition, having received an increased staffing allocation during the estimates process, recruitment has commenced in the Department for additional staff to be assigned to the Community...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (8 Nov 2022)

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 claim, an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Widow’s/Widower’s/Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension (WCP) is paid to the husband, wife, or civil partner of a deceased person, and is a weekly pension, available to those who satisfy the required PRSI contribution conditions, either on his/her own record or on that of the deceased spouse or partner, subject to certain criteria. The legal context...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The criteria for Fuel Allowance and the Household Benefits package are framed in order to direct the limited resources available to my Department in as targeted a manner as possible. In general, to qualify for these benefits, an applicant aged under 70 must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and in the case of Fuel Allowance satisfy a means test and satisfy the household composition...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (8 Nov 2022)

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 the person concerned is in receipt of DA since 22 May 2013. Following Notification...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Nov 2022)

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 wish to confirm that the accounts for 2021 for the person concerned were considered as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that— (a) it ought to be treated,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There is a general principle of one person-one payment that applies across our social welfare system. Given the contingency-based nature of this system, it can happen that a person may experience more than one contingency at the same time, but generally they can receive only one payment. This principle is common to social security systems across the world. As a result, people on...