Results 8,941-8,960 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 541 and 543 together. 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 households. From January 2023, the allowable means threshold for those aged under 70 will increase by €80 from €120 to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist qualifying households towards the cost of their heating needs. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments. For the 2022/23 season, the first lump sum (€462.00) was paid during the week beginning 26th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (18 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 Benefits (18 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 purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. Only one allowance is paid per household....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The IORP II Directive, which became effective from 13 January 2019, sets out minimum standards for the management and supervision of pension schemes, with the objective of ensuring the soundness of occupational pensions and better protections for scheme members and beneficiaries across the European Union. IORP II requirements were transposed into Irish law by way of the European Union...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 885 and 887 together. My Department's ICT managed services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The OGCIO implements a multi-layered approach to cyber security and to protecting ICT systems, infrastructures and services. The OGCIO builds resilience into its ICT solutions as a matter of course, and has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Proposed Legislation (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. Following a public consultation, revised guidelines for Dog Breeding Establishments were published in July 2018 and came into effect on 1 January 2019. There is a substantial shift in the new guidelines towards a focus on the welfare of dogs and pups. Each local authority is responsible for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) was established on 19th July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland. Please see details of special advisers working in my Department below: - Name of Adviser Salary Pay scale Minister, Heather Humphreys Niall O'Connor ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 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. A hub identification and mapping exercise began in late 2020 and is ongoing. In furtherance of this...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: This document contains information on the number of members of the National Library Service in each of the years 2018 to 2021 and to date in 2022, by county in tabular form, as requested by the deputy. It also contains some information on how the numbers are calculated. <a href="https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/debates/quest...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I announced over €12.5M in funding for almost 600 projects under Category 1 of the Community Centres Investment Fund earlier this month. All applications to the Community Centres Investment Fund were subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines. Unfortunately, the groups the Deputy refers to either did not meet the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Funding under the Community Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) will be available under 3 Categories: - Category 1 : Small scale projects/improvements to facilities - €10,000 to €25,000 Category 2 : Larger scale projects - €25,001 to €100,000 Category 3 : Major projects - €100,001 to €300,000 All applications to the Fund are subject to a competitive...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Staff (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On the commencement of every Dáil, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform issues guidelines setting out the arrangements for the staffing of Ministerial Offices. The appointment of Special Advisers is subject to section 11 of the Public Service Management (PSMA) Act 1997. The appointment of individual Special Advisers is a matter for each Government Minister subject to the terms...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I announced over €12.5M in funding for almost 600 projects under Category 1 of the Community Centres Investment Fund earlier this month. All applications to the Community Centres Investment Fund were subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines. Unfortunately, the group the Deputy refers to did not meet the required...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 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 week. Details of successful applicants are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/drcd. The group the Deputy refers to applied for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (18 Oct 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 week. Details of successful applicants are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/drcd. The group the Deputy refers to applied...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (13 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: One of the benefits of the Vincentian MESL Research Centre is that it provides an analysis of the different levels of income needed for a wide range of household types, including the different costs. For example, the latest MESL annual update shows the differences in the cost of meeting household needs in urban and rural areas. For a start, differentiating social welfare payment rates based...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cost of Living Issues (13 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On the issue of cash, for those who will collect it in their post office, I would tell them to lodge it in their bank account or go to their credit union and put it in there. The credit union is the place to put it. They can take it out when they need it. It is the best way they can manage it. I know from working in a credit union that many a person got extra money and the sensible people...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cost of Living Issues (13 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There will be a campaign, of course, to tell people what they are entitled to and what they should apply for. On the expanded fuel allowance, we hope to target an additional 81,000 homes with the changes to the means test for the over-70s. Just in case people are wondering, we have to change our systems to do that and we are putting together an application form, which we hope to have ready...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Rates (13 Oct 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy knows, I announced on budget day that the Government will spend over €2.1 billion on social protection measures, including over €880 million in order to provide for a €12 increase in the weekly rate of social welfare payments from January 2023. This supports both pensioners and those of working age and includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults....