Results 1,221-1,240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme, my Department may make an Additional Needs Payment (ANP) to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. This is an overarching term used to refer to Exceptional Needs Payments (ENPs) and Urgent Needs Payments (UNPs) and certain supplements to assist with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Rent Supplement (RS) scheme administered by my Department, provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The responsibility for the provision of rent support to those with a long-term housing need has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

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. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 05 June 2024. CA was awarded to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My department received an application for Illness Benefit from the person concerned on 2nd July 2024. This claim has been awarded, and it has been backdated from 27th January 2024 to date. Arrears have issued to the person concerned, paying them fully up to date. Their payment will be €181.70 each week going forward provided they have submitted up to date medical certification. They...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. As stated in the response to PQ 30070/24, the Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year revenue that would be generated by establishing a new employer PRSI rate of 17% on the full amount of salaries in excess of €165,000 per year is approximately €948 million. his estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer or employee behaviour arising from changing the rate of employer PRSI contribution. I trust this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Chief Appeals Officer continually monitors the number of appeals on hands and processing times. Every effort is made to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There have been increases to the core social welfare rates in the last three budgets. As part of Budget 2024, I secured a package of €2.3 billion for Social Protection measures. This represented the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and included a €12 increase to core social welfare rates. The table below compares social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The delivery of locally based community welfare Services to meet the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for my Department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation and it is important that this service is easily accessible and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Supplementary Welfare Allowance 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 dependents. Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may make Additional Needs Payments to help meet essential expenses that a person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Public Services Card (PSC) Online Renewal software was upgraded on 31st May 2024. In June 2024, 7,418 applications have been received following implementation of the software upgrade, representing a 24% increase in the number of online renewals over the same period last year where 5,852 renewals were received. Over 161,000 customers have renewed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Relations (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Firstly, let me reiterate that I value and acknowledge the important services that the National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities (NAS) provides to adults with disabilities across the country. As you will be aware, NAS is a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity. It is funded to provide services on behalf of the Citizens Information Board (CIB). CIB, in turn, is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16, 17 and 18 if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves. I extended Child Benefit to 18-year-olds as part of Budget 2024 with the measure due to be implemented from September...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The delivery of locally based community welfare services to meet the needs of citizens across the country including in counties Cavan and Monaghan is a priority for me and for my Department. The Community Welfare Service (CWS) provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of people, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jul 2024)

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. My Department aims to process all applications in a timely and impartial manner in accordance with relevant legislation....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cost of Living Issues (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I fully recognise the challenges the increased the cost of living has brought to many people and families. That is why, last year, I announced the largest social protection Budget package in the history of the State - comprising measures worth almost €2.3 billion, including for the second year in succession, a €12 across the board increase in weekly rates. Most weekly social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions and management of the Appeals Office is the responsibility of the Chief Appeals Officer. In 2023 the average overall processing time...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The rate of Illness Benefit paid is based on a person's average weekly earnings in the second last complete tax year from which their claim was made. The person concerned had zero earnings in the relevant tax year, and as such they qualified for Illness Benefit at the graduated rate of €104.10 per week. The person concerned also currently has a debt with the department and, as such,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension (IP) is payable to an insured person who satisfies certain Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions and who is permanently incapable of work due to an illness or incapacity and for no other reason. A person is regarded as being permanently incapable of work if, for the period of 1 year immediately before the date of application, the person had been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (23 Jul 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes, based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, such as Illness Benefit and Invalidity Pension and means-tested social assistance schemes, such as Disability Allowance and Blind Pension. The primary disability related social assistance...