Results 8,641-8,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments (ANP) to help meet expenses that a person cannot pay from their weekly income and certain supplements to assist with ongoing or recurring costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. As customer demand for online services continues to grow,...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 04 June 2022. The State Pension (contributory) was awarded at the weekly rate of €101.20 from 4/6/2022. On 3 November 2022 a decision letter issued to them along with a copy of their insurance record. Payment of their weekly pension and arrears will be paid into their bank account on Friday 11th November. My Department are reviewing their...

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

Heather Humphreys: As part of Budget 2023, the Social Protection budget 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. The measures introduced include the provision of a one-off €500 Cost-of-Living payment, which will be paid in November 2022 to recipients of the...

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

Heather Humphreys: In response to the ongoing cost of living pressures, the Department of Social Protection 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...

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

Heather Humphreys: Most weekly social welfare payments include provision for an additional payment – an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) – in respect of each qualified child up to the age of 18, which is extended to encompass older children to age 22 under certain circumstances. This measure provides targeted support to low-income families. In Budget 2023, the IQC rates will increase by...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Properties (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1318 and 1319 together. My Department occupies offices in Trinity Point, Dublin 2 and Government Buildings in Ballina, Co. Mayo. Our offices in Trinity Point are leased on our behalf by the Office of Public Works (OPW) while the building we occupy in Ballina is in the ownership of the OPW. My Department does not possess any unused or unoccupied land or...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: All applications to the Community Centres Investment Fund are subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines. Category 1 applicants were notified of the outcome of this process last month. Details of successful applicants are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/drcd. The group the Deputy refers to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development for the period 2021-2025, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. €250m has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1326, 1329 and 1330 together. LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as I announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocation for each LEADER area was also announced as part of this process. The procedure to select the LEADER groups will be open, transparent...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as I announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocations for each LEADER area were also announced as part of this process. €180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70m...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, and as announced recently the Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocation for each LEADER area was also announced as part of this process. €180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023-2027. When taken together with the €70m provided by...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017 and no official from the Department has undertaken the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Programme in the intervening period.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (8 Nov 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The emergence of the Men’s Sheds in recent years has been a very positive development for communities across Ireland. They provide a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment where people of all ages can share skills and work on meaningful projects and connect with their communities. I was delighted to continue my Department’s funding support for Men’s Sheds by...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Charities Regulator is independent in its duties and the Deputy can appreciate this. If she wants to give me the details of the particular cases she has raised, I will be happy to follow them up.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I cannot give the Deputy a commitment on that now but I hear what he is saying. I had thought the Deputy would mention the Connacht GAA dome. It is a great job. I believe it has been very successful. That was funded from my Department. These projects are all mighty big multimillion-euro projects. They are all assessed independently and, as I said, are nearly at a final stage. I will be...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Ó Cuív for raising this matter. The RRDF provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. The fund has to date allocated funding of €280 million for 191 projects across the country worth a total of €380 million. The RRDF is central to achieving the objectives and key...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Every time I meet local authorities, and I meet them fairly often, I continue to put pressure on them to get the money spent. As I said to them yesterday, if they do not spend the money, it is very hard for me to make the case for more money. Deputy Ó Cuív will appreciate that because there are always competing demands at budget time. The budget for this year is €69...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I expect to see significant spending in November and December. Some of these projects are taking longer than anybody would like. They have had problems with supply chains. One project is awaiting a particular piece of equipment before it can be finished and we are seeing that right across the board. I am putting the pressure on constantly. When one sees the finished projects, even if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Dillon for raising this issue. Funding of around €280 million has already been allocated nationally under the RRDF. More €21 million has been approved to date in respect of 15 projects located in Mayo costing over €30 million. Mayo has the second highest allocation of funding in the country. I will shortly be announcing the successful projects under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There has been €100 million in investment-----