Results 12,281-12,300 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: Benefits such as maternity benefit are paid at the same rate, which is currently €245 per week. Any proposal to change the rate of payment can be considered only in the overall budgetary context. As a result of budget changes provided for in the Bill, there will be a €5 increase in all core working-age weekly payments, including maternity, paternity, adoptive and parent's...

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. This is an issue we will examine. To find the correct solution, we have to look at it in the broader context. We will feed in the report to the committee that has been set up and it will examine the issue.

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

Heather Humphreys: I move amendment No. 18: In page 18, line 23, after “Benefit” to insert “and Jobseeker’s Benefit (self-employed)”.

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputies Naughten and Kerrane for raising this matter. I understand why we need to compile such a report, and that is okay. I am happy to do the report, although I would prefer not to put this in legislation, as I have said, because it makes the process clunky. I am happy to give a commitment to carry out a report on the inclusion of all half-rate carer’s allowance...

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

Heather Humphreys: The fuel allowance is a non-statutory scheme so it does not need legislation. I give a commitment that I will look at this and see what I can do. Is that okay?

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. This proposal does not require legislation. The back to education allowance is an administrative scheme. If there is a specific case the Deputy wants me to examine, I am happy to sit down and speak with either him or Deputy Sherlock about it. I am just not sure what he was getting at. I was very keen for us to continue paying students who...

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

Heather Humphreys: I move amendment No. 5: In page 10, line 15, after "benefit" to insert "and jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed)". Following publication of the Bill the officials realised that jobseeker's benefit for the self-employed should also have been specified in the Bill to make it clear the increase of €5 as announced on budget day should apply equally to these recipients. I have...

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

Heather Humphreys: I move amendment No. 6: In page 11, line 6, after "benefit" to insert "and jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed)".

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Naughten for raising this issue. I fully understand the points he is making. I accept the age profile of the suckler herd owners is increasing and there are challenges. We have to try to address some of these challenges so that young people can get an opportunity. I know the Deputy wants to see the income disregard introduced for older farmers who lease out their land. He...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Government is keen to support people with disabilities to engage in employment. In last year's budget, I increased the earnings disregard from €120 to €140 for both disability allowance and the blind pension. This means that the first €140 of weekly earnings is fully disregarded in a means assessment. In this year's budget, I announced that the earnings threshold,...

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Government has committed to applying a benchmarking and indexation approach to State pension rates. The roadmap for social inclusion also contains a commitment to prepare a report for the Government on the potential application of the benchmarking approach to other welfare payments. I understand that my officials are working on that....

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I understand what she is trying to achieve. It is an awful time for any parent when he or she loses a child. Caring leave such as force majeureand parental leave is, again, the policy responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman. He is looking at the issue of bereavement...

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

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. It is not good practice to put references to the presentation of reports in primary legislation. All of us in this House give out about chunky Bills. The recent practice of requiring reports on legislation does not achieve anything. I can produce reports without having them provided for in primary legislation. When I give my word in this Chamber...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: They can get back on it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy is a great dancer.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Death Certificates (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Neither the Minister for Social Protection nor the Minister for Justice have any role with respect to an investigation into a death that is being conducted by a Coroner. My officials have been in contact with your office to explain this position. I trust this clarifies the position.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their heating needs. The main eligibility conditions that apply to the fuel allowance scheme are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, must satisfy a means test and must either be living alone or with other qualifying persons. An application for fuel...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Homeless Persons Supports (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Families living in emergency accommodation placements may have additional costs, such as travel. Under the SWA scheme my Department may...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. It is a condition for receipt of CA that the applicant’s means are less than the statutory limit which in this case...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 127 to 129, inclusive, together. Standard Illness Benefit claims are automatically processed without delay once medical evidence has been received from the customer i.e. where an application is received and an e-Cert submitted by a GP. COVID Illness Benefit (Enhanced Illness Benefit) is a scheme that was introduced in March 2020, to support people who are...