Results 1,181-1,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Consultations (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I published the Green Paper on Disability Reform in September last year. The Green Paper sought to reform my Department's system of disability payments to better target supports and better account for the cost of disability. It did not propose a cost of disability payment. The Green Paper was a consultation document. Feedback from the public consultation raised concerns about its proposals....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department offers a suite of supports specifically aimed at supporting disabled people into employment. These include supports such EmployAbility, Early Engagement, JobsPlus and the Wage Subsidy Scheme. The Wage Subsidy Scheme is an employment support to private sector employers to encourage the employment of people with disabilities in the open labour market. The financial supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1266 and 1267 together. The Wage Subsidy Scheme is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employment of people with disabilities in the open labour market. The financial supports for employers are structured under three separate strands and companies could benefit under one strand or under two or three...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Application Forms (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides multiple channels for the public to access Social Welfare application forms: In person– by visiting their local Intreo Centre where hard copy forms are available. Staff in our public offices can also help customers to download one or more of the over 100 forms available on Gov.ie. We currently have digital self-service desks in 53 of our Intreo Offices, with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing Domiciliary Care Allowance by €20 to €360 per month is €15.2 million. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2024, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the living alone allowance to €26.50 is €57.2 million. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2024, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 17 August 2023. Domiciliary Care...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection operates a wide range of schemes and the criteria for paying these outside the State vary according to a number of factors such as the duration of absence from the State, whether it is a contributory or non-contributory payment and the other conditions of payment, such as whether the person is required to be available for work. The following payments can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the annual Carer's Support Grant by €200 to €2,050 is €31.4 million. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2024, and is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Matters related to foster caring, including any criteria relating to work, are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and for Tusla. The State Pension (Contributory) is funded from the Social Insurance Fund through the contributions paid by workers. The rate of payment reflects the number of social insurance contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. The scheme operates from June to September each year. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 each year) from late September to April, at an estimated cost of €382 million in 2024. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. Only one allowance is paid per household. The criteria for fuel allowance are framed in order to direct the limited resources...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Relations (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Firstly, let me reiterate that I value and acknowledge the important services that the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides to adults with disabilities across the country. As you will be aware, NAS is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It is funded to provide services on behalf of the Citizens Information Board (CIB). CIB, in turn, is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 31st March...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17th January...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The State Pension is the bedrock of the pension system in Ireland. It is extremely effective at ensuring that our pensioners do not experience poverty. In 2024, for the second year in succession, the State Pension (Contributory) increased by €12 per week and has now increased by €29 in the lifetime of this Government. These weekly increases were part of a broader package, along...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes. The primary disability related social assistance scheme is the Disability Allowance, which is a means-tested payment for people with a specified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1282 and 1294 together. The One-Parent Family Payment is a payment for lone parents under 66, who are not cohabiting, and whose youngest child is under seven. The Jobseekers Transitional Payment is a special arrangement under the Jobseeker’s Allowance scheme for lone parents under 66 who are not cohabiting and whose youngest child is between seven and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

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 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion. Carer’s Allowance is the main scheme by which the department provides income support to carers in the community. There are currently 97,127 people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

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 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion. Carer's Benefit is a non-means tested payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce, or reduce their working hours, to care...