Results 12,141-12,160 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Further to Parliamentary Question 51529/21, my Department's officials have further investigated the availability of the data on historical PRSI contributions that would be needed to produce a breakdown by PRSI contribution level of State Pension (Contributory) claims for people who retired prior to 2010. I can confirm to the Deputy that the relevant data is not available, and hence...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on matters relating to individual pension schemes.  My Department does not have any role in respect of the payment of pension benefits from occupational pension schemes to members or former members of such schemes. The Pensions Authority is the statutory body responsible for the regulation of occupational pension schemes, trust RACs and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: There is a wide range of benefits available to people who make Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions.  Entitlement to such benefits is dependent on the individual's social insurance contribution record, the class of social insurance paid as well as satisfying other qualification criteria relevant to the scheme being applied for.  In...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Registration of Births (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Part 3 of the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, sets out the documentary evidence required to register a birth to include the new partner's details where the mother was married on the date of birth or at any time during the 10 months immediately preceding the birth. This documentary evidence can be:  i) a statutory declaration from the husband that he is not the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The cost of disability is significantly broader than income supports and it is clear that it will not be addressed through income support alone.  The findings of the research have implications for many areas of public policy including the delivery of care services, health, housing, education, transport and income supports so this is why a whole-of-Government perspective is needed....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for a Jobseeker’s Benefit payment with effect from 16/08/2021.  The documentation necessary to progress her application has been provided and her claim was awarded for the period 16/08/2021 to 18/09/2021.  A payment inclusive of all arrears due was available in the person’s nominated bank account on 05/01/2022. The records of my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Carer’s Allowance acts as an income support for those who cannot earn adequate income in the open labour market due to their caring responsibilities.  The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness).  Expenditure on Carer's Allowance amounted to €926 million in 2020.  As outlined...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Department received an application for Illness Benefit from the person concerned on the 13th December 2021. The claim was disallowed based on his PRSI contributions.  The person concerned has no PRSI contributions paid or credited in the relevant tax years and as such does not qualify for Illness Benefit.  A decision letter issued to him in the post, dated the 16th December...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The JobPath providers arrange for the delivery of a broad range of education and training courses with a particular and strong focus on upskilling the long term unemployed. Some of these courses are provided in-house while others are provided by specialist training providers including the Education and Training Boards (ETBs). In addition, JobPath participants may also apply for the Back to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Civil Registration Act 2004, the Health Service Executive is responsible for resourcing the civil registration service.  Questions with respect to the staffing of any particular office should accordingly be addressed to the HSE.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 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 371,000 low-income households, at an estimated cost of €323 million in 2021.  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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number on 23/09/2021.  This application expired as information requested on 18/10/2021 to progress the application was not provided. The person concerned submitted a further PPS number application on 18/11/2021, again stating it was required for employment purposes.  The application was referred back to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (19 Jan 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.  The Commission was an independent body comprised of knowledgeable and experienced academics, pension experts, members of civil society and representatives of workers and employers. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €33.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924 over a full fuel season) from October to April, to 371,000 low-income households, at an estimated cost of €323 million in 2021.  The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs.  The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 892 to 901, inclusive, together. The information requested is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland.  The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice. The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 903 and 904 together. The system of social assistance supports provides payments based on an income need.  The means test plays a critical role in determining whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency – such as disability, unemployment or caring.  This ensures that the recipient has a verifiable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years.  The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability.  Child Benefit is currently paid to over 625,000 families in respect of almost 1.2 million children with an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: State Pension (non-contributory) is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, who have a right of residence and habitually reside in the State and who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or only qualify for a reduced-rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. An application for state pension (non-contributory) was received from the person...