Results 10,081-10,100 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I have asked my officials to examine the arrangements in respect of the case we are talking about. Some particularly difficult cases arise and, as I said, we must consider our processes. On foot of that review, I will consider a further change, if necessary. I give the Deputy that commitment. Since taking up this role, I have learned that the staff in my Department do not just say they...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: An application for state pension non-contributory, a means-tested payment, was received from the person concerned on 1 November 2021.  Pension was awarded with effect from 5 November 2021. A request for review of state pension entitlement was received from the person concerned on 7 June 2022.  A Deciding Officer has written to the person on 10 June 2022 requesting further...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (15 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: An application for state pension non-contributory, a means-tested payment, was received from the person concerned on 1 November 2021.  Pension was awarded with effect from 5 November 2021. As requested by the Deputy, a letter has issued to the person concerned on 10 June 2022, detailing the assessment of means and confirmation of the current weekly rate of State pension...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is in receipt of state pension non-contributory, which is a qualifying scheme for fuel allowance.  Under the rules of the fuel allowance scheme, only one allowance is payable per household.  The person concerned is not eligible for fuel allowance as the Department's records show that fuel allowance is already in payment to another person in the household. I hope...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 24 February 2022 and will receive his first payment to his nominated credit union on 16 June 2022.  Any arrears due from 24 February 2022 to 15 June 2022 will issue in due course.  The person in question was notified of this decision on 09...

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

Heather Humphreys: In Budget 2022, I introduced a new measure to provide a grant of up to €500 a year for eligible individuals towards the cost of non-surgical hair replacement including wigs.  The grant has been available since 28 May 2022 under the Treatment Benefit scheme.  The Treatment Benefit Scheme is a social insurance scheme funded through the Social...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities.  As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Scheme is funded into the future. From 2017 to 2021, my Department allocated €80 million towards improvement works on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes...

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

Heather Humphreys: In November 2021, the €9m Community Activities Fund was launched to support community groups impacted by COVID-19. The fund supports groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.  Groups were also able to use the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase...

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

Heather Humphreys: The data requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled and will issue once completed.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1069, 1070, 1379, 1380, 459, 460, 926 and 927 together. On 4 March 2022, the Council of the European Union unanimously adopted the implementing decision regarding the Temporary Protection Directive.  This means that people arriving in Ireland from Ukraine under the Temporary Directive have been granted the status to avail of income supports from my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: WALK PEER was funded by my Department under the former Ability Programme.  The Ability Programme, introduced in June 2018, was a three-year pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities.  The total funding for the programme amounted to approximately €16 million and was provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Communications (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection has 119 active Business Response/Freepost licenses in place throughout the Department.  In 2021, 465,500 prepaid envelopes were printed for use via Department schemes.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath has provided the long-term unemployed an employment advisory service since 2015.  This service seeks to support the long-term unemployed in assisting them to obtain and sustain paid full-time employment. Between July 2015 and the end of April 2022, some 11,511 jobseekers in County Kerry have engaged with the JobPath service. In Kerry as of the end...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance.  Parent’s Leave and Benefit falls into this category and encourages the sharing of parental responsibilities equally between couples.  The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave for each parent of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has committed to the continued support of working parents to achieve a better work-life balance.  Parent’s Leave and Benefit falls into this category and encourages the sharing of parental responsibilities equally between couples.  The Parent’s Leave and Benefit Act 2019 introduced two weeks of paid Parent’s Leave for each parent of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person applied for a State Pension Contributory on the 15 December 2020. In April 2021, the number of paid contributions required to qualify for a state pension (contributory) increased from 260 to 520.  As the person concerned turned 66 years of age prior to April 2021, to qualify for the State pension (contributory) they required at least 260 paid contributions and satisfy a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs.  The payment is a contribution towards heating costs, it is not intended to meet these costs in full.  The payment is made at the weekly rate of €33.00; or if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Carer's Support Grant (CSG) is an annual payment made to carers by my department.  I can confirm that my department received an application for CSG from the person concerned on 20 April, 2022.  It is a condition of CSG that the care recipient must have a disability that meets the full-time care and attention requirements set out in the governing legislation such that: a person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to allow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Jun 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There was a delay in processing the Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned as it overlapped with a payment she received of Supplementary Welfare Allowance.  The monetary difference between the associated claim payment and her Illness Benefit entitlement needed to be calculated before any payments due to her could issue. Her Illness Benefit claim has now...