Results 12,021-12,040 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Chairman and members of the committee for the invitation to attend here today to discuss and seek approval for the Revised Estimates for 2022 for the Department of Rural and Community Development. First, I wish to thank members for their pre-budget submission and for their continued interest in and support for the work of the Department. We have a huge amount in common in...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In fairness, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we can all see the huge difference that rural investment is making right across communities, towns and villages the length and breadth of the country. The regional enterprise development fund sits with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and we have a role in complementing that in terms of providing infrastructure....

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Kerrane for her question. First, I want to acknowledge the good work done by LEADER companies. The budget for 2014 to 2020 was €250 million and the budget for the next seven-year programme is the same, at €250 million. We have matched a portion and come up with additional funding of €70 million. The LEADER companies specifically asked for that. They...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for those questions. I thank him for the lovely bread that I got in Waterford. It was very tasty.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Blaas. I will recommend that the bread be brought in for the committee members. It would help them for the day. It was very nice. I thank the Deputy. Regarding our spending on office premises, our staff in the Department of Rural and Community Development have embraced remote working. Over 90% of staff are able to work remotely and worked effectively during the Covid pandemic. Half...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I will try to cover them as best I can. On the rural regeneration and development fund, we have been funding many town centre projects, enterprise centres and the restoration of old buildings, including various items of infrastructure within towns around those projects. I take the Deputy's point about the western rail corridor. I am sure it would make a huge difference to Mayo and Galway....

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: In fairness, the Deputy started the Ulster Canal. If I could get it well on its way, I would be happy. These projects take a long time. Category 2 of the RRDF targets this type of funding. It is about doing the groundwork, looking at costs, finding out what work needs to be done and carrying out surveys. I suggest that people make an application when category 2 is open again. Obviously,...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Category 1 is open at the minute. Category 2 was announced after Christmas and I will open it later this year, probably August or September.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Just one second while I double-check. I am sorry - I will shortly be publishing a schedule for all the schemes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Everyone will be able to see exactly when applications can be made. I believe it will be around August when we will be opening up category 2. People can start getting their plans together because you do not feel the months going by and it takes a while to pull together all the various strands needed for a good application.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. Scarriff received €524,000 for a project under the rural regeneration and development fund that has just been announced. There are projects that have not been successful and I know people are disappointed. Sometimes the projects do not just fit into the criteria. Perhaps there are other sources of funding that are more suited for certain aspects of projects. My...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I will pass over to my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, for some of the queries that have been raised. I will speak about the community centre fund, which I will be announcing very shortly. Community centres and facilities are funded from a number of streams across Government and local government. I am aware there is no dedicated stand-alone funding stream for capital...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (2 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the members of the committee. It is a new year now, and I look forward to working with them in the year ahead. I thank them for their assistance.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (1 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Under Government's employment services strategy, Pathways to Work, my Department provides incentives and supports to businesses to recruit persons who are unemployed. These supports are not sector specific and are open to business across all sectors once they and the unemployed persons they intend to employ, satisfy certain conditions. A JobsPlus subsidy of either €7,500...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (1 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: It is not possible to check if the person concerned submitted an online application for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number without the email address from which the application was made. Attempts were made by officials to ascertain the person’s email address, but these efforts were unsuccessful. It is therefore not possible to determine the status of the person’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (1 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The package is also available to some people under the age of 66, who are in receipt of certain welfare type...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (1 Feb 2022)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, the person concerned reached pension age on 17 June 2020. The person was invited to apply for State pension (contributory) on 25 January 2020 but has not yet applied for this pension. They are currently on another social welfare payment at maximum rate. Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid...