Results 12,001-12,020 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that there are currently 6,879 appeals at various stages of the appeals process. Under Article 13 of the Social Welfare...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department publishes recipient numbers in annual and quarterly formats; annual reports, including an archive of reports dating from 1998 onwards, are available through gov.ie/dsp/statistics. Quarterly data covering the period Q1 2014 through Q4 2021 inclusive, is published through the national open data portal, data.gov.ie. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table...

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

Heather Humphreys: A basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) is a weekly allowance paid to people who have insufficient income to meet their needs and those of their families. If a person has claimed a social welfare benefit or pension but it has not yet been paid and they have no other income, they may qualify for basic SWA while awaiting a decision on their claim. The person concerned is currently in...

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal from the person concerned was disallowed by an Appeals Officer on 26 January 2021. It was subsequently reviewed twice by the Chief Appeals Officer under Section 318 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 and once by an Appeals Officer under Section 317 of the Act. The outcomes of these reviews, issued on 10 May 2021, 28...

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

Heather Humphreys: Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is a means-tested payment made to people who are unemployed and who satisfy the qualifying conditions of the scheme. One of the qualifying conditions is that a person must be available for full-time employment and be genuinely seeking work. A person’s entitlement to JA is reviewed on a continuing basis to ensure that they continue to satisfy the...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to was awarded invalidity pension with effect from 28 October 2021 and received her first payment to her nominated bank account on 06 January 2022 and received arrears due on 13 January 2022. The person in question was notified of this decision on 22 December 2021. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 7 December 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social Welfare...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 7 October 2021. Based on the evidence supplied this person’s application for disability allowance (DA) was disallowed on the grounds that they failed to supply the information which was requested by this Department and the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person in question was notified...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages across rural Ireland. A total of €277 million has been allocated to 191 projects across the country, worth a total of €375 million. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. A list of the CLÁR designated rural areas can be viewed on my Department's website at the following link www.gov.ie/en/collection/ab7580-clar-funding-area-maps/ ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (3 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The level of funding provided for the CLÁR programme in 2021 was €5.5 million and this was increased to €7 million under Budget 2022. In 2021,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Medical Cards (2 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 2 November 2021. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance is a monthly payment for parents caring for a child with a severe disability. The number of children, in respect of whom Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) is being paid,  who are admitted to hospitals for periods in excess of 13 weeks but under 26 weeks in any given year will vary. However, based on the numbers of such cases advised to DCA section in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The application for the person concerned has been reviewed and they do not qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self Employed. This payment is only available for persons whose self employment has ceased completely. The person concerned has been considered for Jobseeke'rs Allowance (means tested assessment) and the Deciding Officer has awarded Jobseekers Allowance in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as one of a number of measures to provide income support to those who had lost their employment as a result of Covid. Other supports include the Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit payment, which is available to persons who have diagnosed with Covid-19 or instructed by a Doctor or the HSE to self-isolate. The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In 2019, my Department undertook a consultation process with a number of interested stakeholders to hear their views on possible approaches to indexation of pensions and social welfare rates more generally.  This process also included discussion with representatives of the community and voluntary sector at the Pre-Budget Forum in July 2019 as well as at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme.  These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators.  There are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In light of the complexities in these cases,  suspending, cancelling or not awarding lone parents applications for this reason referred to is rare at application stage in the Department. However,my Department follows up with liable relatives for appropiate contributions towards the cost of the One Parent Family Payment . During 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021- 1,039, 1,474, 1,075, and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (2 Feb 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 arrest or reverse the...