Results 11,101-11,120 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (5 Apr 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. The LEADER programme is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. Notwithstanding the clear benefits to individuals and families in terms of quality of life indicators, remote working from hubs will also support local economies, reduce carbon emissions and may help to ameliorate the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced details of a new Community Centres Investment Fund. This capital fund, with a budget of €15m, is to support community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with the upgrade and refurbishment of existing Community Centres. This is an investment in both rural and urban communities across the country. The fund will assist with projects such as: - Energy...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. Last September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme. This...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, places a central importance on the objective of achieving balanced regional and rural development and maximising economic growth and development in all parts of the country. The Policy contains a wide range of actions across Government which will support this aim. I recently published the first Progress Report for Our...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (5 Apr 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy, on cost of consultants, is laid out in the tables below, by year. 2020 Cost Outline of role Review of the Community Services Programme - Indecon €37,473.99 (This final payment was paid on 27/01/2020, total cost of the Review was €112,422) Following transfer of responsibility...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, their application for disability allowance (DA) was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person in question was notified in writing of this decision on 25 November 2021. Further medical evidence was received and a review of this decision was carried out. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 312 to 314, inclusive, together. The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Parent’s Benefit is a scheme for parents in the first 2 years after their child’s birth or adoption. It is paid while on parent's leave from work if he or she has sufficient PRSI contributions. The number of applications for Parent's Benefit are not available at county level. Table 1 below shows the number of claims registered and claims awarded in each quarter from the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: A total of 353,355 individuals have availed of a supplementary fuel allowance payment of €125 in March 2022. Around 6,496 of these individuals were based in Cavan, 5,084 were based in Monaghan and 10,860 in Meath. Note that the above figures do not include people on the Community Employment, Tús or Rural Social Schemes who were also in receipt of the supplementary fuel allowance.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Training Support Grant (TSG), available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider. A grant of up to €1,000 per jobseeker can be provided where an immediate skills gap is identified that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other opportunities. Funding for short...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from October to April, which is supporting up to an estimated 400,000 households in 2022, at an estimated cost of €366 million in 2022. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Equality (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In the Department of Social Protection, females comprise 68% of all staff. The Civil Service average is 58%. Employees at each grade are on Civil Service pay scales which are paid at the same rate for males and females. In the Department, while there are a greater number of senior roles from Principal and above held by men, there is significant female representation on the Management...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Transport Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In 2020, my Department established a Wellbeing Unit within the Human Resources Division and published a staff wellbeing policy . The unit promotes physical and mental health through a variety of support initiatives including step challenges, webinars featuring specialist guest speakers, online yoga and mindfulness classes, a monthly wellbeing E-zine, annual Men’s and Women’s...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In line with a commitment in Our Rural Future I am pleased to confirm that funding of €50,000 has been allocated to the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) to support a “Pubs as Community Hubs” initiative. "Pubs as Community Hubs" will explore how the rural pub can be utilised as a space for community activities and services, which may not be currently available...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Gender Equality (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 has introduced the legislative basis for gender pay gap reporting. Organisations with over 250 employees will be required to report on their gender pay gap in 2022. The regulations under the Act will be published in the coming weeks along with guidance for employers. I am committed to supporting progress on gender equality in my Department and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Transport Policy (31 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has two office locations, one in Dublin and one in Mayo. Employees are encouraged to cycle to work where possible. To facilitate this, there are bike racks in each office, as well as showers available for staff who choose an active commute to work. My Department also promotes the tax incentivised Cycle to Work scheme, which aims to encourage staff to cycle to and from work, and...

Government Response to Situation in Ukraine: Statements (30 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this matter. We all see on a daily basis the horrific images of what is happening in Ukraine. War in Europe is not something any of us had comprehended but it is a situation that Ireland must respond to. Ukrainian citizens are arriving here severely traumatised as they face the loss of family and friends, as they worry about those they have...