Results 12,301-12,320 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The Pensions Commission was established, inter alia, to develop options for Government to consider in addressing the sustainability of the State pension system and the social insurance fund. The Commission has completed this work and its report was published on the 7th October 2021. The Commission’s Report has unambiguously established that the current State Pension system is not...

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

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the name of the individual referred to by the Deputy has been updated on my Department's records to her birth surname and that a letter issued to her on 10th December 2021 confirming her details. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: In 2021, thanks to the efforts of my Department's staff, we have continued to provide vital income supports through the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and the enhanced Illness Benefit scheme - alongside all of the existing suite of social protection schemes for our pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, one-parent families and others. Research undertaken by the ESRI estimated...

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

Heather Humphreys: The rate of Illness Benefit payable in individual cases is determined by reference to the applicant's weekly average earnings in the relevant tax year and there is no discretion available to increase the rate in instances involving particular types of illness. If the person concerned is experiencing difficulties meeting his financial commitments he should contact the Department's...

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

Heather Humphreys: According to the most recent records available to my Department, below is the information requested by the Deputy in tabular form. State pension (contributory) new claims created from 2016 to 9 December 2021 Claims created 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021* State pension (contributory) 34,894 35,951 ...

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

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory, a social assistance scheme, is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. The table shows the total number of applications for state pension non-contributory (new first-time claims, excluding...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 and 137 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not held by the Department of Social Protection. The Department holds information on persons in receipt of State pension (contributory) and State pension (non-contributory) the details of which over the past 5 years are below. The table shows the numbers of applicants for state pension over the...

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

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 of a household....

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 140 together. Both the Disability Allowance (DA) and Blind Pension (BP) schemes are age related, means tested social assistance based schemes, which are also subject to a medical assessment and a habitual residence requirement. Each of these schemes has also been designed to support recipients to avail of opportunities to pursue their own...

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

Heather Humphreys: There is a general rule within the social welfare system that a person can only be in receipt of one payment at a time. Payment of half-rate Carer's Allowance (CA) with certain other payments such as One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) is a notable exception. OFP is payable until the claimant's youngest child reaches age 7, subject to all of the other qualifying conditions. When caring for a...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department reports details of most taxable payments to Revenue on an on-going basis. This includes State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Non-contributory) payments. A full list of taxable social welfare payments, along with those that are reported by my Department to Revenue are available on the Revenue web site. My Department reports on each individual taxable payment made via...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 24 June 2021. The first payment issued to her nominated bank account on 09 December 2021. Arrears due from 24 June 2021 to 08 December 2021 will issue on 16 December 2021. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 17 September 2012 and was awarded a standard State pension (contributory) at 40% of the maximum rate, based on the information available. They were notified in writing of this decision on 31 October 2012. This rate of pension was based on a yearly average calculation of 14, based on the person’s social insurance record of 661 qualifying...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (15 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s continuing focus is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. This mission is set out in our recent Statement of Strategy 2021 to 2023. My Department has made considerable progress this year, with over €320 million investment in a coherent package of supports to strengthen...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (14 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Farm Assist is a means-tested payment for low-income farmers under the Jobseeker's Allowance Scheme. Recipient details by county are set out in the table below. I am advised that my Department does not hold information of the type of farming recipients engage in; accordingly the below refers to all recipients of Farm Assist. County Farm Assist recipients ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 25 November 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (14 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 person being cared for must have such disability that they require full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cybersecurity Policy (14 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. My Department also has 24/7 cyber defensive systems in place which react to any threat to its systems in the event of a cyber incident or security breach. All systems are monitored on a 24/7 basis. My Department also works closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and the Office of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (14 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The matters raised by the person concerned relate to the rate of payment of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment; the rate of a Jobseeker’s payment arising from their transfer to standard jobseeker payments; and their potential entitlement to the new Benefit Payment for persons aged 65 years. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure to provide an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (14 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Cost of Disability in Ireland report was published on Tuesday 7 December and is available on the Government website.