Results 8,761-8,780 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package is a set of allowances which help with the costs of running a household. It includes allowances towards electricity or gas costs as well as a television licence. An application form for the Household Benefits Package has issued to the person concerned. Alternatively, the person concerned can apply online for their Household Benefits Package on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department the person concerned applied for an Exceptional Needs Payment for house repairs. In order to complete the assessment of the application, the local Community Welfare Officer has requested additional information. The circumstances of this case are quite complex and when all the necessary information has been received, the person’s application...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 331, 336, 337, 339 and 340 together. My Department supports rural and urban communities across the country through programmes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER Programme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the CLAR programme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the Community Enhancement Programme. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: This year's CLÁR programme was launched in February with a total budget of €7 million. This represents an increase of €1.5 million on the budget for the 2021 CLÁR programme. The measures funded under CLÁR 2022 were: - Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities and Amenities - Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport - Measure 3:...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 333 to 335, inclusive, together. My Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country, and in doing so to deliver on a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support urban and rural communities including youth groups and voluntary and community groups. Groups or organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy, was published in March 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. Last year I launched the National Hub Network together with its online booking platform,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cross-Border Co-operation (27 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Bringing communities together is central to much of the work of my Department, particularly through the PEACE PLUS programme 2021 – 2027. This is a new North South cooperation programme which will have a lasting impact on peace and prosperity in the region through combining the existing PEACE and INTERREG EU funding strands into one cohesive cross-border programme, with a total value...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Labour Party for its work on progressing this Bill and for providing the House with an opportunity to discuss this important matter today. I want to acknowledge Johnny, Maria and others in the Visitors Gallery. At the core of this issue is human loss. I know there are many cases of personal pain which are known to Senators across the House. Senator Wall was in touch with me...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: 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 to them. The programme is an important component of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has introduced an online service which allows customers with verified MyGovID accounts to renew their Public Services Cards (PSCs) through the MyWelfare.ie service without having to attend an appointment in one of our offices. Customers are requested to submit a passport quality photograph which must be verified to ensure it meets certain minimum standards before the application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (26 Oct 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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the Invalidity Pension appeal of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the overall social welfare Budget 2023 package of €2.2 Billion, I am pleased to have secured a major expansion of the fuel allowance scheme, which will benefit up to 81,000 additional households from January 2023. To assess entitlement to fuel allowance, which is a means tested payment, a Deciding Officer must have sufficient information to assess whether all necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability. Child Benefit is currently paid to over 631,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an estimated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP), formerly Family Income Supplement, is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment the customer must have at least 1 qualified child who normally resides with them and be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment. An application...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (26 Oct 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 in that office on 29 September 2022. It is a statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: A CWO is available to meet with customers by appointment 5 days a week at the DSP office in Killybegs or where needed, arrange to visit a person’s house by appointment. In addition any person who needs to access the Community Welfare Service (CWS) can call the national CWS freephone phoneline, which is available at 0818 60 70 80, to speak to a CWO or to make an appointment to meet...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Staffing levels have been maintained in the Community Welfare Service nationwide in recent years, even as demands on the service decreased. This reflects my commitment to continue to support the delivery of in-person services to citizens in over 50 Intreo Centres across the country as well as Social Welfare Branch Offices and Departmental public offices. There are currently over 400 staff...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,700 schools and organisations 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 to them. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (26 Oct 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 allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. Only one allowance is paid per household. The Job Initiative Scheme provided full-time employment for people 35 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (26 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if, for the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application the person had been continuously incapable of work and a...