Results 8,581-8,600 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (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. Any decision to make the Fuel Allowance payment a year-round payment would have budgetary consequences and would have to...

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

Heather Humphreys: There are currently 11 (10.50 full-time equivalent) Community Welfare Officers (CWOs) in County Donegal. CWOs are available to facilitate urgent and in-person meetings in the Buncrana, Dungloe and Letterkenny Intreo Centres, 9 am – 5 pm, Monday to Friday. In addition, a person can meet a CWO by appointment in DSP offices in Ballyshannon, Donegal, Ballybofey, Dunfanaghy and Moville....

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department's records show that 18 Higher Executive Officers (HEO) assigned to the Community Welfare Services are currently availing of sick leave. Of these absences ten relate to long-term absences over 28 days spanning up to two years and eight officers are on short-term sick leave for a period of less than 28 days. All sick leave absences are case managed by the Department's HR team and...

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

Heather Humphreys: Pathways to Work 2021-2025 includes a commitment to “Prepare a paper on options to modify the longer-term jobseeker's assistance payment by utilising the Revenue real time earnings data to adjust payment levels in line with a person’s weekly earnings, to guarantee a basic income floor and ensure that in all cases a person’s income increases when they work.” It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: It is possible for a person to apply for a Public Services Card (PSC) at the following locations in Dublin: - Balbriggan - Ballyfermot - Ballymun - Bishop's Square - Blanchardstown - Clondalkin - Coolock - Dún Laoghaire - Finglas - Kilbarrack - Nutgrove - Parnell Street - Swords and - Tallaght. Information on the PSC service in all Intreo Centres can be found on gov.ie -...

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

Heather Humphreys: Carer’s benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care and attention. A person can be considered to be providing full-time care and attention where they are engaged in employment, self-employment or on training courses for a maximum of 18.5 hours per week and the maximum income...

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

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 20 July 2022. It is a condition for receipt of CA that...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Autumn Cost of Living double payment is part of a range of measures in Budget 2023 to mitigate the effects of the increased cost of living. The Autumn Cost of Living double payment was payable to recipients of Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Blind Pension, Disablement Benefit and Partial Capacity Benefit. Illness Benefit is not a qualifying payment for the autumn double...

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

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, my Department will spend approximately €1.2 billion in social welfare measures during the coming months to help individuals and families through this difficult period. One of these measures is the Autumn Cost of Living Double Payment which was paid to those schemes which are eligible to receive the Christmas Bonus, with one...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Mortgage Resolution Processes (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Abhaile was established in 2016 by the then Ministers for Justice and Social Protection, with the intention of being a three-year response to the impact of the financial crisis on mortgage arrears in Ireland, with a plan to wind down the service at the end of this three-year period. However, in 2019, taking account of continuing need, the Government approved a three-year extension to Abhaile,...

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. As part of the overall social welfare Budget 2023 package of €2.2 Billion, I was pleased to have secured a major...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (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 by the person concerned was registered with that Office on 15 August 2022. The relevant departmental...

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

Heather Humphreys: Civil and public sector employees recruited prior to 6 April 1995 pay social insurance contributions at modified rates under classes B, C and D. Amongst the class B contributors are permanent and pensionable civil servants and Gardaí; the class C contributors are commissioned army officers and members of the army nursing service; and the class D contributors include permanent and...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 671 and 672 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 provided...

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

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. Where a person in receipt of full-rate CA has a qualified child who is 18 years of age or over and is in full-time day...

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

Heather Humphreys: In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments in my Department, (ii) the current provisions regarding liable relatives...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 676, 685, 697, 702, 719 and 739 together. In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group's Terms of Reference were to consider and make recommendations on: (i) the current treatment of child maintenance payments...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board (CIB), provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted and need help and advice with debt problems. As part of its free services, MABS provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears. MABS operate an appointment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Impact Assessment (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 679 and 693 together. In Budget 2023, I secured a significant Social Welfare package of almost €2.2 billion. As part of that, one of my priorities was to provide support for families and children. I am very mindful that lone parents continue to be a group with a high risk of poverty and there are a number of significant measures in the Budget which...

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

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the Deputy that when the Community Welfare Service (CWS) becomes aware that a customer has an urgent or immediate need, every effort is made to ensure that the person receives a prompt service. Where possible, this is a same-day service. The Department is taking steps to allocate additional staff to the CWS having received an increased staffing allocation during the estimates...