Results 12,261-12,280 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department contracts with a range of providers for the provision of employment services, including Employability. Each contract is separately negotiated and the terms and conditions of the contract are confidential. The particulars of contract values and specific payments are also confidential and commercially sensitive. It would be inappropriate therefore to provide the detail sought by...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department contracts with a range of providers for the provision of employment services, including Employability. Each contract is separately negotiated and the terms and conditions of the contract are confidential. The particulars of contract values and specific payments are also confidential and commercially sensitive. It would be inappropriate therefore to provide the detail sought by...

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

Heather Humphreys: Reduced rates for young Jobseekers Allowance recipients, currently paid at €112.70 per week, were introduced on a phased basis from 2009 to tackle high youth unemployment and avoid long term welfare dependency. A key feature of the introduction of the reduced rates was that subsequent participation in full-time education and training would lead to an increased rate in payment. As a...

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

Heather Humphreys: There are four statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department: the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The table below sets out the number of members on each board. Please note that Board members are not required to declare a disability and hence the information requested on the representation of people with...

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

Heather Humphreys: In August 2020, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, I agreed to make rent supplement more accessible to victims of domestic violence. This has ensured that they are not prevented from leaving their homes because of financial or accommodation difficulties. Since this Protocol came into operation in August 2020, 164 victims of domestic violence have received support under the rent...

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

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 general, self-employed people make PRSI...

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

Heather Humphreys: There is no record of any complaint or allegation against an employee of this Department received from the company referred to by the Deputy. If the Deputy has any additional information on this matter she is welcome to contact my office and she will be given contact details for the Divisional Manager in Cork who will be in a position to investigate any additional information provided.

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

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 household. It is not...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Officials in my Department have engaged with SpaceX on the Starlink product and potential uses in Ireland, but have had no substantive role in the physical deployment of the company's technology to date. My department has facilitated SpaceX to present at one of the regular Broadband Officer network meetings and, as a result of that presentation, Kerry County Council and SpaceX agreed to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €255m for projects costing over €347m. The Phase 1 Regeneration of the Sisters of Mercy Convent Site and Adjacent lands project was approved for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: State Bodies (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) was established on 19th July 2017 to provide a renewed and consolidated focus on rural and community development in Ireland. There are currently four State boards for agencies under the remit of my Department and the details requested are set out in tabular form below, including in relation to declared disabilities. Name...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 420 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The 2021 budget allocation for the programme was increased by €2m and this level of funding of c. €49 million will be maintained for 2022. Qualifying organisations must be social enterprises capable of generating...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 to 647, inclusive, together. The LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched earlier this year. Preparations for the design and delivery of the next LEADER programme from 2023-2027 are well underway. My Department has commissioned an independent review of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has put in place a number of supports to assist the community, voluntary, charity and social enterprise sectors in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 and the social restrictions necessary in the interests of public health. During 2020, the COVID-19 Stability Fundsupported close to 600 organisations to continue to deliver vital services to the communities that depend on them. A...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme aims to assist with the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work, and visit. This year, in line with the commitment in Our Rural Future, the scheme has prioritised the renovation of derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres to bring them back into use as multipurpose spaces,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to advise the Deputy that all proposals brought to Government are required to assess and declare that there are no impacts for the following: North/South or East/West relations, jobs, gender equality, poverty proofing, competitiveness and industry costs, rural communities, quality regulation and people with disabilities. As the Deputy is also aware, all public bodies in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €255m for projects costing over €347m. I will be announcing the fourth call for Category 1 applications shortly. Category 1 relates to large scale...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. The 2021 Scheme was launched with an indicative budget of €15 million and places particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, projects supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living. I can confirm that Kerry County Council has submitted...

Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and Deputies for their co-operation on this Bill. I also thank colleagues for the work they have done over the past year. Sometimes we might not agree on the process or on certain points but, ultimately, we all have the same aim at heart, which is to help and support citizens in their time of need. In addition, I thank the staff of the Department of Social...

Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and acknowledge Deputy Kerrane tabled a similar amendment, which we will get to shortly. The amendment before us concerns a very broad measure that relates to many schemes in my Department but also concerns matters beyond my Department's remit, including potentially wider, constitutional matters. Entering into a marriage or civil partnership is a...