Results 11,941-11,960 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The 2022 Estimate provides for an allocation of €273.4m to around 483,750 households in 2022. Households receiving a Household Benefits package can receive a free TV license and either an Electricity Allowance or Gas Allowance. The following table provides details of the allocations for each of the schemes covered by the Household Benefits package in 2022: Household...

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

Heather Humphreys: Part of the legacy of COVID-19 is changes to patterns of work behaviour that accelerated and are now established as a ‘new norm’. For employers the greater use of digital technology and remote working are now well embedded and will persist. Last year my colleague, Leo Varadkar TD, Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment published the...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 43 and 77 together. COVID Illness Benefit (Enhanced Illness Benefit) is a scheme that was introduced in March 2020, to support people who are incapable of work or who are required to self-isolate, as a result of a COVID diagnosis or being a probable source of infection. To date a total of 416,175 COVID Illness Benefit related claims have been processed of...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 57 and 111 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them....

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

Heather Humphreys: 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 on these payments in 2022 is expected to exceed €1.5 billion. In acknowledgement of the crucial role that family carers play in our society I introduced a number of measures as part of Budget 2022 in relation to...

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

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a payment for people with an injury, disease or disability that has continued, or may be expected to continue, for at least one year and, as a result of this disability, the person is substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable. At the end of December 2021 there were 155,563 persons in receipt of Disability Allowance. A...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49, 83 and 97 together. Firstly, I can assure the Deputies that the new Local Area Employment Service is not a privatisation of employment services. Instead, it is a shift to competitive procurement as required by the State’s legal obligations and the principles of good governance. The procurement of a Local Area Employment Service is being done...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department already allows social welfare claimants the option to receive their payments directly into their account in a financial institution, whether that account be in a bank, in An Post or in a credit union. Before the introduction of temporary public health measures in March 2020, the default payment method for Jobseekers was cash collection at a post office. Nevertheless, one...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Community Welfare Service (CWS) of the Department of Social Protection delivers the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme which is the safety net within the overall social welfare system. This scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents. Following the recent easing of public health...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department enters into 'contracts of service' with organisations for the provision of a variety of employment services, including EmployAbility services. The contracts describe the employment service to be delivered, the duration of the contract and the funding available for delivery. EmployAbility contracts run from the 1 January to the 31 December each year. My Department has...

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

Heather Humphreys: In May last year, my Department under Phase 1 of a procurement process to expand employment services, sought tenders for the provision of the Local Area Employment Service in Laois/Offaly. The existing Job Club providers in Laois/Offaly did not submit a tender for these counties, removing any possibility of them continuing to provide employment services in the area after the end of 2021....

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

Heather Humphreys: 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. It was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. Once it completed its...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Government is committed to protecting vulnerable households from the impact of energy costs through a combination of supports, energy efficiency awareness initiatives and investment in programmes to improve the energy efficiency of the housing stock. In light of ESRI research and the commitment to ensure that the carbon tax is progressive, the Government has committed to very...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 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, to 375,000 low income households, 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 costs of a household. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (3 Feb 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. All claim decisions taken by the Department’s Deciding Officers and Designated Persons are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer. In any year about 85% of all...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 79 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 society...

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

Heather Humphreys: Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are structured to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue their own employment ambitions, be that self-employment or insurable employment. When an individual commences employment, they can avail of an income disregard of €140 per week. In addition, a 50% taper on earnings between €140 and €350 is also...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a wide range of income and employment supports to assist jobseekers and employees with disabilities, and employers seeking to hire a person or support an existing employee with a disability. One of these employment supports is the Reasonable Accommodation Fund (RAF), which includes the Workplace Equipment/Adaptation Grant. These are currently being reviewed by my...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a wide range of income and employment supports which have been designed to assist both jobseekers and existing employees with disabilities, and employers seeking to hire a person or support an existing employee with a disability. Both Disability Allowance and Blind Pension are structured to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue their own employment...

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

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme was introduced in 1967 to promote social inclusion and prevent the isolation of elderly and disabled people by taking advantage of free space on public transport services. The free travel scheme is available to all persons aged over 66 and those under age 66 on certain qualified payments, who are living legally and permanently in the State. The scheme permits those...