Results 11,881-11,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Support Services (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I understand that the new employer, Turas Nua, has had multiple meetings with representatives of SIPTU who said there was a collective bargaining agreement in place. This matter needs to be addressed with the employer, as the Deputy knows. A collective agreement is not compulsory under law, as I understand it. The WRC is a forum for resolving employment issues which arise between an...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Employment Support Services (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: We have been down this road a few times regarding the local area employment services. The legal advice from the Attorney General is clear - these services have to be put out to tender. Community organisations won out in two of the three areas where they submitted bids under phase 1. That shows clearly that the community can win these contracts. As the Deputy is aware, the requests for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Welfare Services (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The community welfare service of my Department delivers the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system. The scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The Deputy can be assured that I am...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 92 together. The Government recognises the important role that family carers play in Irish society and is fully committed to their support through a range of supports and services. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Spending...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As I have already emphasised, the Government is fully supportive of the important role that family carers play in Irish society and is fully committed to their support through a range of supports and services. My Department provides a range of income supports to family carers including Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing high quality services to help people who are long term unemployed prepare for and secure employment. It does this through a combination of directly provided services and contracted services. Under national and EU procurement rules, and as advised by the Attorney General and the Chief States Solicitor's Office, contracted services must be procured via...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Treatment Benefit schemes, which include dental, optical and hearing services are available to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to their dependent spouse or partner if applicable.€109 million was spent on the scheme in 2021. As part of Budget 2022, I announced an expansion...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The legal advice from the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Attorney General was unequivocal that there needs to be competitive procurement for future public employment services. In addition, my Department is responsible for ensuring good governance of employment service provision, which requires greater oversight and enhanced visibility of service provision. I can say that, as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Services (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Cost of Disability research findings are significantly broader than income supports and it is clear that this issue will not be addressed through income support alone. The research has implications for many areas of public policy including the delivery of care services, health, housing, education, transport and income supports. In order to implement an all-Department response, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Last May my Department under a Phase 1 expansion of employment services, and in accordance with its legal obligations, sought tenders for the provision of the new Local Area Employment Service in Laois/Offaly. I understand that existing Job Club providers in Laois/Offaly did not submit a tender for these counties, removing any chance of them continuing to provide employment services in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The key role of the Department of Social Protection is to provide income support where an income need arises because of a particular contingency – be that illness, disability, caring or unemployment. Disability Allowance is the Department’s main income support for people who have a disability. To be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependant spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions. In order to qualify a person needs to have at least 260 PRSI contributions paid at either Class A, E, H, P or S, since first starting work, and also have 39...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: This measure will allow for Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) and associated Carers payments to be paid for up to six months in respect of a child who is admitted to hospital full-time for an extended period. Currently these supports are paid for up to a maximum of 13 weeks (three months). This measure will address the issue with the relatively small number of children who are in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Websites (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Launched in 2015, the MyWelfare.ie platform continues to develop and grow. The rationale for developing a customer facing online platform, as set out in the Department's Digital Services Channel Strategy, was to meet growing customer demand and expectations. This rationale remains and my Department is now working towards the Civil Service Renewal target of getting 90% of services online by...