Results 1,001-1,020 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the Programme in recent years, some 2,723 schools and organisations, covering...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Correspondence (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Firstly, I hope the Deputy will appreciate that I am unable to comment or intervene in relation to issues specific to an individual pension scheme or pension provider. My Department has no role or function regarding the regulation of financial service providers, including brokers and intermediaries, which are regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and are more appropriately addressed to my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 938 and 956 together. I have grown the Hot School Meals Programme from a small pilot project to a nationwide programme now approved in 2,200 primary schools nationwide. In April 2024, my Department contacted the remaining 1,000 primary schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, who have not yet joined the Hot School Meals scheme, asking them if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Sep 2024)

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 €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The criteria for Fuel Allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 12th June...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 1st July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The rules regarding work while receiving illness or disability related supports vary depending on the specific payment. Disability Allowance (DA) is a means-tested payment for people aged 16 to 65 with a disability that substantially restricts their ability to work. DA recipients are encouraged to engage in employment or self-employment. There are no restrictions on weekly working hours for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package consists of the Free TV licence and the Electricity or Gas allowance. To qualify for the Household Benefits Package, an applicant under 66 years of age must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant to be in receipt of one of the following payments: - Disability Allowance - Invalidity Pension - Blind Pension - Carer’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that an application for DCA in respect of their child was received by my Department from the person concerned on 5 June 2024. Following a successful application, DCA was awarded with effect from 1 July 2024 (month following receipt of the application) as provided for under legislation and the person concerned was notified of that decision in writing on 4 July 2024. The applicant...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th April...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Diet supplement, administered under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet because of a specified medical condition. There are currently 998 people in receipt of diet supplement. A review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet because of a specified medical condition. There are currently 994 people in receipt of diet supplement. A review of the costs of healthy eating and specialised diets by the Irish Nutrition...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Leave (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Maternity and Paternity Leave are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Department of Social Protection has responsibility for the associated benefits and for Child Benefit. To help parents of children born at the same time and in recognition of the additional demands on parents, Section 221A(2) of the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) is paid from late September to April to assist households with their energy costs. Under the current qualifying conditions for fuel allowance a person must satisfy all the qualifying criteria including household composition. In this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Following the expansion of the Programme in recent years, some 2,723 schools and organisations, covering...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Citizens Information Services (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Citizens Information Board (CIB) is the statutory body under the aegis of my Department, with responsibility for the provision of information, advice (including money and budgeting advice) and advocacy on a wide range of public and social services. CIB funds and supports a number of companies to deliver on this remit, including eight regional companies of the Citizens Information Services...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Levy (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 954 and 955 together. Firstly, I hope the Deputy will appreciate that I am unable to intervene or comment on issues relating to an individual pension scheme or pension provider. The availability of comprehensive and transparent information on fees and charges is important and helps consumers to decide whether investments represent value for money. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Civil Service (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The table below gives a breakdown of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) staff working in the Social Welfare Appeals Office in 2023 and 2024...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Housing Schemes (9 Sep 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Housing Assistance Payment scheme and the Rental Accommodation scheme, administered by the local authorities, are now by far the largest schemes providing rental supports. Responsibility for the provision of rental assistance to those with a long-term housing need rests with Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. In terms of my own department, Rent Supplement continues to...