Results 12,881-12,900 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Subject to the standard qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) also being satisfied, the State pension system already provides significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period of time outside the paid workplace, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. This is provided through the award of credits and/or the application of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware supports for foster parents are a matter for Tusla and the Minister for Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth. Tusla provide a Foster Care Allowance (FCA) to foster parents in respect of each foster child in their care. This is currently paid at €325 per week for each child under 12 and €352 per week for each child over 12. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Nov 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 dependents. The basic supplementary welfare allowance provides immediate assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) scheme is designed to support second chance education that allows persons in receipt of certain social welfare payments the opportunity to pursue a course of study, while still maintaining their income support, subject to satisfying a number of conditions. The conditions include progressing to a higher level of education than that already held by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 605 and 606 together. People who apply for the State Pension (Contributory) (SPC) after 1 September 2012 and who do not qualify for the maximum rate of pension under the Yearly Average approach can be assessed under the interim Total Contributions Approach, and can use the new Home Caring Periods Scheme to help them qualify for a higher rate of pension. This...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The introduction of the interim Total Contributions Approach as announced in January 2018 was designed to address a situation where some pensioners were negatively affected by the changes announced to rate bands and payment rates in Budget 2012 and this specific purpose was made clear at the time. People whose pensions were decided under the 2000-2012 ratebands (i.e., those born before 1...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was awarded a Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) payment from 31/08/2021. He made an application for a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) on 30/09/2021 to pursue the 4th year of a Computer Science degree which had commenced in Maynooth University on 22/09/2021. The person concerned was refused BTEA as he was not in receipt of a qualifying payment for a minimum of 9 months and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In the first instance it should be stated that there is an onus on employers to adhere to the relevant public health guidelines and protocols to protect their employees and prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. There are a range of flexible work options that may be available to an employee in the situation outlined by the Deputy. Employers may allow their employees to work from home,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision on 18 March 2021. Under social welfare legislation the decision of the Appeals Officer is generally final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure, in the exceptional circumstances of Covid-19, to support customers unable to work due to the Government mandated public health restrictions. To date expenditure on the scheme is almost €8.86 billion. The gradual lifting of restrictions and success of the vaccine programme has led to an 85% reduction in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The decision in the case of the debt on the Jobseeker's Allowance claim of the person concerned has been reviewed by an authorised Officer of the Department on receipt of your correspondence. Following this review and consideration of the circumstances of the case a decision has been taken to write off the debt. The person concerned will be informed in writing of this decision on 1st...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I was pleased to announce that a 100% Christmas Bonus will be paid this year to recipients of long-term social welfare payments (with a minimum payment of €20). The Bonus will be paid December 2021. Over 1.4 million people will benefit, including pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed. I will be announcing the dates of payment in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Contracts (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The procurement of supplies and services is essential to support my Department in providing high quality services to the public, in a cost effective and efficient manner. My Department ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in purchasing and that procedures are in place to ensure compliance with all relevant guidelines. 48 Local Development Companies (referred to as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is currently investigating the matter and the background of the overpayment to the person concerned. My Department will revert to you when the investigation has been completed.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection operates the Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme which is a group of benefits for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling directly to or from work. The scheme also covers people who have contracted a disease as a result of the type of work they do. There are a number of benefits available and there are different...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 Nov 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 25 August 2021. A person can be considered to be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 619 and 620 together. Under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme, the Department may make an exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet from their weekly income. An application can be made under the ENP scheme for assistance with funeral and burial expenses where...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Registration of Deaths (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 621 and 623 together. The General Register Office (GRO) is currently undertaking an examination of the current registration provisions for Stillbirths. This examination is seeking to establish what changes, if any, are required with respect to the current criteria; to consider the voluntary or mandatory nature of registration; to consider the issue of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Registration of Deaths (2 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will, I expect, share my concerns about the sensitivities of introducing legislative change in relation to stillbirth registration. The death of a baby before birth is a terrible loss to the parents and may not necessarily be a bereavement that they would wish to share with other people. In legislating in this area, I am conscious of the need to represent the broadest set of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (2 Nov 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 365,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 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...