Results 9,861-9,880 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 02 June 2022 and will receive his first payment to his nominated bank account on 21 July 2022. Any arrears due from 02 June 2022 to 20 July 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 05 July 2022. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 14 December 2021. He was awarded the maximum weekly rate of SPC which is currently €253.30. An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Entitlement to Widow(er)’s or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension (WSCPCP) is based on the social insurance record of either the applicant or their deceased spouse or civil partner. In order to qualify for a maximum rate pension a person must have a yearly average of 48 weeks social insurance contributions paid before the death of their spouse or civil partner. The late...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. My Department provides a comprehensive package of income supports for carers including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (7 Jul 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, which is supporting over 370,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware the person concerned provided incorrect bank details when she made an application for Illness Benefit. My Department's Accounts Branch made efforts to have the money refunded from the recipient bank but unfortunately this approach was unsuccessful. The Illness Benefit section subsequently tried to contact the company involved by phone but were unable to get in touch...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 and 245 together. My Department does not distinguish between claims awarded following registration, claims awarded and subsequently disallowed or on claims that are awarded following review. Detailed information on claims awarded, claims rejected, claims withdrawn and total claims registered are available in the Annual Statistics report at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 247 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, my Department can make additional needs payments to help meet expenses that a person cannot be expected to pay from their weekly income. It provides supports and services to help support people on low incomes and facing financial hardship. This scheme is administered by the Community...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. It is a targeted payment to people dependent on specified long-term social welfare payments. The purpose of this payment is to assist those households most in need with their energy costs. In Budget 2022, the Government increased the weekly means threshold for the Fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Staff (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is not held in respect of staff currently employed in my Department or those employed on a contract or advisory basis. Neitherthe Pensions Authority nor the Citizens Information Board, bodies under the aegis of my Department, currently employ any former county managers or CEOs of local authorities.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The decision on the amount of Jobseeker’s Allowance for the customer concerned was due to the financial information that the customer supplied at the time of their application. On the decision letter sent to the customer concerned, the maximum amount payable to them at the time was €145, taking into account €45 means. This rate has increased to €148.30 due to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Abhaile Service is the national State-funded mortgage arrears resolution service aimed at helping people who are in serious mortgage arrears. Established in mid-2016, the service is designed to support insolvent mortgage holders and is provided free of charge with the aim of helping them to find workable and sustainable mortgage solutions and keep them, wherever possible, in their own...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The fees paid to a Personal Insolvency Practitioner (PIP) under the Abhaile scheme are paid by the Insolvency Service of Ireland (ISI) to the PIP and are subsequently recouped at an aggregate level by the ISI from the Citizens Information Board (CIB). The annual breakdown of payments made to ISI by CIB in respect of vouchers redeemed is the following: 2016 Actual ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is a monthly payment for a child aged under 16 with a severe disability who requires continual or continuous care and attention substantially in excess of the level of care and attention usually required by a child of the same age. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months. The following is the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The One-Parent Family Payment is a means tested payment to support lone parents whose youngest child is aged under 7. The Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) payment is also a means tested payment but it is available to support lone parents where their youngest child is aged over 7 but under age 14. Where their youngest child is aged 14 or over, lone parents may qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There were 4,093 recipients of the benefit payment for over 65s at end May 2022. The cost to the end of June 2022 is estimated to be €23.6 million. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the weekly payment rate for Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit to €325 per week is shown in the table below. Scheme Cost (€m) Carer’s Allowance 369.0 Carer’s Benefit 18.7 Total 387.7 These costings are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (6 Jul 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. When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration the Appeals Officer makes a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (6 Jul 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 made by Deciding Officers or Designated Persons of the Department. The Office is committed to enhancing its operations to continue to deliver an efficient and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (6 Jul 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There were 10,652 persons in possession...