Results 10,541-10,560 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not collect data on PPSN processing times by nationality or ethnicity. The European Union has activated the Temporary Protection Directive, as an emergency provision in response to the war in Ukraine. The Directive, which is effective from 24 February 2022, allows Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU and receive supports. Reception...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was awarded a guardians payment (contributory) at the weekly rate of €382.00 with effect from the 11th March 2022. Payment will commence at her nominated bank account from the 20th May 2022 . Any arrears due will also be paid into her nominated bank account on the same date. The person concerned has been notified accordingly. I hope this clarifies the position for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 10 March 2022 and will receive her first payment to her nominated post office on 26 May 2022. Any arrears due from 10 March 2022 to 25 May 2022 will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on 12 May 2022. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Illness Benefit is the primary income support provided by my department to those who cannot work due to illness of any kind. Illness Benefit is a social insurance payment and eligibility depends on the person’s Pay Relayed Social Insurance (PRSI) record and class. Only contributions made in Class A, E, H or P count toward this payment. Self-employed people who make PRSI contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Jobseeker's Benefit Self Employed scheme, introduced in November 2019, is a social insurance contribution based income support payment for qualifying self-employed people. To be eligible for the payment a self -employed person must satisfy all of the statutory conditions including the contribution condition. This requires that they must have at least 156 weeks of Class S contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (17 May 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 over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Matters relating to the sale of fuels are the remit of the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications. I am informed that, according to the most recent SEAI Fuel cost comparison (available on the SEAI web site), the difference between the cost of Premium bituminous coal and smokeless coal is approximately €0.06 per 40kg bag and the difference between the cost of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Equal Opportunities Employment (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department employs a full-time Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) who provides support to staff and their managers through advice, information and necessary adaptions of individuals' working environments. The DLO accesses a dedicated budget for the support of those individuals who have a disability. Department officials who disclose a disability to the DLO are supported in identifying...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Artists' Remuneration (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Basic Income for Artists pilot scheme is not a social protection or income support payment. Rather it is a payment in recognition of the valuable contribution of the arts community and an incentive to encourage people to remain actively employed in the arts instead of seeking employment elsewhere. The scheme was launched by the Government in April and falls within the remit of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Artists' Remuneration (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Basic Income for Artists pilot scheme is not a social protection or income support payment. Rather it is a payment in recognition of the valuable contribution of the arts community and an incentive to encourage people to remain actively employed in the arts instead of seeking employment elsewhere. The scheme was launched by the Government in April and falls within the remit of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My officials have advised that following a review, the person concerned will be paid the arrears due under the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment for the period 20/08/2021 to 06/01/2022 within the next two weeks. The person concerned will be informed of the details in writing. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated cost of an additional four full-time Medical Assessors to my Department for a one year period would be €334,160. This figure is broken down as below. Please note that the annual salary is based on the first point of the Medical Assessor salary scale. Annual Cost Breakdown Annual Salary Annual Salary (1st point of scale) ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In the means test for Disability Allowance and Blind Pension, income and capital (such as savings, investments and property other than the family home) belonging to the claimant and his or her partner, where applicable, is assessable for means assessment purposes. The purpose of this is to maintain the policy of ensuring that social welfare expenditure is targeted to those who need it most....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In order to qualify for a payment under the terms of the Illness Benefit scheme a person must have at least 104 class A, E, H or P social insurance (PRSI) contributions paid since first starting work. They must also have 39 paid or credited contributions in the relevant tax year i.e. the second-last complete tax year before the year in which the claim begins, or 26 paid contributions in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a centralised phone service for Public Service Card (PSC) and related queries from its Client Identity Services (CIS) office in Carrick-on-Shannon. My Department also provides telephone and in-person service to customers enquiring about the PSCs through its nationwide network of Intreo offices. In the Carrick-on-Shannon office, there are normally 17 staff assigned to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: MyGovID is an online account which provides citizens with a safe, secure online identity for accessing public services. A person does not need to request the Department to set up an account for them; instead, anyone can do so by visiting www.mygovid.ie. The number of new MyGovID accounts that have been created each month since January 2021 is shown in the table below. (Note: The figure given...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: People getting Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) who wish to take up employment during the academic year are assessed under the rules, including means assessment where applicable, that apply to their primary payment i.e. the payment from which they qualified for BTEA. The person concerned was in receipt of Illness Benefit prior to being awarded BTEA and therefore the rules governing Illness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is providing ongoing support and services to assist people covered by the Temporary Protection Directive who are fleeing Ukraine and who arrive in Ireland, such as the provision of PPSNs and income supports. Currently, where a recipient of a means tested social assistance payment provides accommodation in their own home, any rental payment received in exchange will be assessed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department and the Data Protection Commission (DPC) reached an agreement in December 2021. This agreement has been published by the Department and the DPC on their respective websites. The Agreement acknowledges that the Department of Social Protection can continue to process personal data as is necessary and proportionate in order to authenticate a person’s identity and issue...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (17 May 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 502 and 503 together. The Pensions Commission’s Report was published in October 2021 and it contained almost 250 pages of analysis, consideration and recommendations. The Commission's Report established that the current State Pensions system is not sustainable into the future and it has set out a recommended approach for Government. In the...