Results 9,481-9,500 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday 14th July 2022, and the appraisal process is currently ongoing. All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines. Due to the high level of applications to the fund, it is expected to be quarter 4 of 2022 when applicants are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. The policy is an important deliverable under Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy for the period to 2025. A key step in delivering the TCF Policy is the establishment of the National Implementation Office to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development. I was delighted to welcome the recent announcement that the European Commission has confirmed their approval of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan for 2023-2027, which includes the LEADER programme. This approval is a key step in the delivery of the next LEADER...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future was published in March 2021 and is the most ambitious rural development policy for Ireland in decades. It contains more than 150 measures for delivery across the whole of Government, for both short-term recovery and longer-term economic and social development and environmental and cultural wellbeing. Updates on policy implementation are provided by a series of Progress...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas. Since the formation of my Department in 2017, funding of over €4.6 million has been approved under the Scheme for Cork. Earlier this year, I launched the 2022 Scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated three year action plans. In December 2019, a consultation paper was launched with input from the participating Departments to act as a basis to advance the development of an island policy. The Government’s ambition in a national policy and action plan for the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Insurance Coverage (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the impact the cost and availability of insurance is having on the community and voluntary sector, and that my Department is working to assist in addressing this area. In publishing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025, Government has acknowledged the importance of volunteering to the well-being of the nation, and set out a plan for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department, which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. Funding is provided for the duration of the period rather than on an annual basis to allow more flexibility to the Local Action Groups to manage the programme budget in their areas of operation. €250m has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Last year I introduced the Streetscape Enhancement Measure, which is a measure as part of the wider Town and Village Renewal Scheme. The measure is administered on behalf of my Department by the local authorities. It is targeted at towns or villages with populations of up to 15,000 people. The improvement of the visual appearance of our streetscapes, increases pride and confidence in our...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated three year action plans. In December 2019, the Government launched a consultation paper with input from the participating Departments to act as a basis to advance the development of an island policy. The Government’s ambition in a national policy and action plan...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment currently of €33.00 per week, for 28 weeks from October to April. The purpose of the payment is to assist households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. Only one allowance is paid per household. The Fuel Allowance payment is targeted towards those who are more vulnerable to energy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to Departmental records, the person concerned was awarded a Rent Supplement (RS) with effect from 01/04/2021 and is currently in receipt of a RS payment of €1,118 per calendar month. Supports from this Department are not intended to cover circumstances where a landlord has a primary responsibility. Under S.I. No. 137/2019 - Housing (Standards For Rented Houses) Regulations...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Working Family Payment is an in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees, with children, who are on low earnings. It is designed to prevent in-work poverty for low paid workers with child dependents and to offer a financial incentive to take-up employment. Applicants for Working Family Payment must have at least one qualified child, who normally resides with them or is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall Social Welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of all weekly social insurance and assistance payments to €300 per week, excluding disability allowance, invalidity and blind pensions, and all carer’s payments, with a proportionate increase for qualified adults is €3.8 billion. This costing is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2022 and is subject to change...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB) is a form of Illness Benefit that is payable to self-employed persons or an employee who is told to self-isolate or has been diagnosed with Covid-19. It is important to note that a person may have received Enhanced Illness Benefit on more than one occasion since the payment was introduced, and thus have more than one claim for Enhanced illness Benefit. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy in respect of my Department is as follows: From 11/3/20 to 30/6/22:2,528 officers availed of Covid-19 Special with Pay. Prior to 01/07/2022: 5 officers availed of special leave with pay for an extended period of 12 weeks or more. From 01/07/2022: 334 officers have availed of Covid 19 special leave with pay for a period of 7 days only in line with reduced...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 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. The person concerned is currently in receipt of DA at a reduced rate. The means currently...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is currently in receipt of a Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment. My Department has not yet received an application for Illness Benefit or any other illness related scheme from the person concerned. From examining their insurance record, it appears that the person concerned may satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions necessary to qualify for Illness Benefit....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (15 Sep 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment payable to a parent/guardian in respect of a child aged under 16 with a disability so severe that the child requires ongoing (continual or continuous) care and attention substantially over and above that usually required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this extra level of care and attention for at least 12...