Results 11,221-11,240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Further to the commitment under the Programme for Government, the Benefit Payment for 65 Year olds was introduced from January 2021 for those who have ceased employment or self-employment and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. This payment bridges the gap for eligible people who retire at 65 but do not qualify for State Pension until they are aged 66....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, young people in the labour market (those under 25 years of age) can be particularly affected by labour market disruptions. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 264,000 young people were in work and the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate for 2019 averaged approximately 12.5 percent. However, following the onset of the pandemic, the CSO’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The State Pension (Contributory) is a PRSI-based pension, financed by contributions made by current workers and their employers, and paid to pensioners, at a rate based upon their PRSI record when working. A person is required to have a minimum of 520 paid reckonable PRSI contributions in order to qualify for the State Pension (Contributory). As the actuarial value of the State Pension is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The following means test based schemes are assessed in terms of operational performance: - State Pension (Non-Contributory) - Jobseeker's Allowance - One-Parent Family Payment - Supplementary Welfare Allowance Total - Carer's Allowance - Disability Allowance - Household Benefits The following schemes which are based on PRSI contributions are also assessed: - State Pension (Contributory) -...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The relevant information is outlined in the table below and outlines the average performance of schemes for the period March 2021 to February 2022 compared to the agreed targets. Two thirds of the schemes profiled below achieved or exceeded their targets. Scheme Target Metric Average targets achieved (March 2021 - February 2022) State Pension...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Mar 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. The table below provides details of the outcomes of all finalised appeals in respect of Jobseeker's Allowance, Illness Benefit and Disability Allowance for the year 2021....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Decisions in relation to entitlement to social welfare payments are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005, as amended, and associated regulations. The legislation provides for an equitable, fair and transparent decision-making process in conjunction with the control of social welfare schemes. I will set out the main provisions to assist the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Decisions in relation to entitlement to social welfare payments are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended) and associated regulations. The legislation provides for an equitable, fair and transparent decision-making process in conjunction with the control of social welfare schemes. Every claimant is entitled to have their claim considered in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if; For the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application the person had been continuously...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The legislation referred to relates to the definition of permanently incapable of work which forms part of the qualifying criteria for IP. The qualifying criteria for IP is set out in social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Decisions in relation to entitlement to social welfare payments are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) and associated regulations. The legislation provides for an equitable, fair and transparent decision-making process in conjunction with the control of social welfare schemes. Every claimant is entitled to have their claim considered in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Deciding officers and appeals officers are independent in their decision making and are required to apply the law on a case-by-case basis. All statutory decisions are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and associated regulations. The legislation provides for a transparent and fair decision-making process in conjunction with the control of social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy for Invalidity Pension between 2012 and 2021 is shown in tabular form below.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Statistical Information on Social Welfare Services Annual Report 2020 was published by my Department on the 9th August 2021. This report stated that there were 449,442 recipients of the State Pension (Contributory) at the end of 2020, a rise of 18,218 (or 4.2%) compared to the previous year. It also showed an increase of 152,447 (51.3%) in State Pension (Contributory) recipients in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As at end February 2022, there are 94,551 primary state pension non- contributory recipients. As the scheme is demand led it is not possible to predict the extent to which this number is likely to fluctuate in the future. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The attached tabular statement outlines the monthly recipients of Child Benefit in February 2020, February 2021 and February 2022, and highlights a gradual year-on-year decrease of approximately 0.5% in recipients over this period. My Department has taken note of the latest CSO Regional Projections which forecasts a fall in the birth rate for all migration and fertility scenarios between...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has no contracts with the company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The provision of housing supports is a matter for the Department of Housing, Planning, Local Government and Heritage, in conjunction with local authorities, which provide supports such as the Disabled Persons Grant scheme and Improvement Works In Lieu of Social Housing scheme. Furthermore, a range of measures is set out in Housing for All, including delivery of a new National Housing Strategy...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for the Benefit payment for 65 Year Olds (BP65) on 2/11/2021 and was disallowed on the grounds that he was still engaged in self employment The person concerned was self employed with earned income up to 2016 (S9 contributions). He has SO contributions in 2019 (the Governing Contribution Year) and 2020 which are solely as a result of his Approved Retirement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Mar 2022)

Heather Humphreys: On an ongoing basis, as part of the normal budgetary cycle, my Department takes careful note of trends in price and wage levels and also takes account of detailed research data, such as the Minimum Essential Standard of Living research, which is produced the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice. Having said that, I am very aware that due to the current geo-political situation, the...