Results 12,241-12,260 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Sector Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Since the establishment of my Department in July 2017, I can confirm that while my Department's policy and programme remit is nationwide, there have been no public sector workers under my remit based in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Sector Staff (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Since the establishment of my Department in July 2017, I can confirm that while my Department's policy and programme remit is nationwide, there have been no public sector workers under my remit based in each of the local electoral areas in County Clare.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated action plans.  The Interdepartmental Committee for the islands held its most recent meeting on Monday 29th November 2021, during which the participating Departments reviewed progress on the policy development and agreed the next steps to be taken.  The next...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Broadband Infrastructure (19 Jan 2022)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first premises for delivery under the National Broadband Plan. They are publicly accessible sites that serve areas without reliable high-speed broadband, including isolated communities in rural areas and on many of our offshore islands. Sites are provided with a high-speed broadband connection which they make available for onsite community use,...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I know there are some concerns that there might not be enough time to discuss a number of issues relating to the Bill today. I am sure Senators will appreciate the pressure my Department has been under in terms of the pandemic and getting the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, up and running again. I want to make it very clear to Senators that the PUP is open to anybody who loses his or...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am familiar with the Bill to regularise some of the undocumented. It is welcome. I can look at the issues around it. I am not familiar with the court case and the rulings arising from it so cannot comment until I see what it is. I will certainly look at it.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Senators Higgins and Boylan. As we all know, it is not good practice to put the carrying out of reports into primary legislation We all give out about clunky legislation. I thank the Senators for withdrawing the amendment because we can carry out reports without putting them in primary legislation where they will sit forever. When I give the Senators my word that I will carry out...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, they do.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Senators for raising this. It was raised in the Dáil too, by Deputies Kerrane and Smith. While I did not accept it in the Dáil, I gave a commitment that my Department will carry out a report on this issue. We will feed it into the Oireachtas committee. I give that commitment to Senators too. I will ask my officials to carry out a report on the issue. I will refer a...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I am not proposing to accept the amendment because it would replicate the work already undertaken by the Commission on Pensions. That commission has completed its work and its report was published on 7 October. I do not know if the Senator has had the chance to read the report but it is hundreds of pages long. To be quite honest, at this stage...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Senator Higgins for raising this matter.As she knows, the Indecon report has been published. To be fair, we do not always need reports to do good work. I will tell the House about the relevant matters that are in the current budget. In particular, we targeted carers and people with disabilities. The capital and savings disregard for the carer's allowance will increase from...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The public services card predates my time in the Department. I welcome the fact this case has been settled. It is a good outcome for everybody. In fairness, that has been acknowledged by both the Department and the Data Protection Commissioner in recent days. My priority and, ultimately, the priority of the Government is to ensure that people can access services in an efficient way. The...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am very pleased to bring this Bill to Seanad Éireann which gives legislative effect to the measures announced on budget day. This is the largest set of social welfare measures announced in 14 years and amounts to some €558 million in additional spending in 2022. Most of the additional expenditure, over two thirds of the total, will go towards protecting core rates of payment...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: That is perfect.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank all the Senators for their contributions to the Bill today. There was a wide range of matters raised and I will try to go through some of them shortly. Like all Members of this House, I meet people in my constituency and discuss the matters that affect their lives. I fully recognise the importance of our social protection system. As a former credit union manager, I know all too...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424, 434 and 435 together. My Department contracts with 24 contractors for the provision of an Employability service across the State. The decision of the Board of Employability West to cease operations and not to accept the Department’s offer of a contact for the provision of services in 2022 was disappointing but entirely a decision of the Board....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 425 to 430, inclusive, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 431 and 441 to 449, inclusive, 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned received a COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) during the periods 27/03/2020 to 23/04/2020 and 15/10/2020 to 02/09/2021. When confirming his eligibility for a PUP in July 2021 the person concerned stated that he would be returning to full-time education in September 2021. As a full-time student, the person concerned was not eligible for a PUP and so his payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Redundancy Payments (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Redundancy Payments Act 1967, as amended, provides for the making of payments by employers to employees in respect of redundancy. It is the employer’s responsibility to pay statutory redundancy payments to all eligible employees. In the event that an employer is unable to pay due to financial difficulties, an application for payment from the Social Insurance Fund (SIF) may be...