Results 13,181-13,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239, 241 and 244 together. A vital part of my Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country, and in doing so to deliver on a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support urban and rural communities. Groups or organisations qualify for support schemes or programmes provided by my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Education has responsibility for the education sector and schools, the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications has policy responsibility for the postal sector and the Minister for Justice and Equality has policy responsibility for An Garda Síochána. However, I am acutely aware of the value placed by rural communities on services...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242, 243, 251 and 253 together. My Department’s policies and funding programmes aim to deliver sustainable outcomes that positively impact the quality of life of those living and working in our communities. Funding is available to eligible community groups and organisations throughout the country. The amount allocated by my Department for urban and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 245, 247, 252 and 258 together. My Department delivers a wide range of policies and measures to support urban and rural communities. Funding strands include the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER, Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), Community Services Programme, Community Enhancement Programme, CLÁR Programme, Local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scaleinfrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period using Central Statistics Office data. There are designated CLÁR areas in all counties with the exception of Dublin, Kildare and Wexford. The Measures to be included...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has a number of nationally funded rural schemes including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR Programme. Each scheme is targeted at addressing specific issues and achieving particular aims and objectives. My Department reviews and revises the various schemes each...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together. 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 socialise. This year, in line with Our Rural Future, a key focus is to renovate derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres to bring them back into use as...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. The LEADER programme is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the potential which remote working presents for regional development. My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working and adding to remote working infrastructure throughout the country. The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As part of Our Rural Future,the Government is committed to the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), recognising the important contribution it makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. The Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by Local Authorities and represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural communities. The Scheme is administered at a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Properties (14 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not own or manage any buildings in Blanchardstown.

Financial Resolutions 2021 - Financial Resolution No. 2: General (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: This year is my second as Minister for Social Protection and for Rural and Community Development. It was also my first and probably last budget as Minister for Justice, and I look forward to welcoming the Minister, Deputy McEntee, back in November. If I have time, I will touch on the progress we have made across those three Departments. This year represented the largest social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I believe the Deputy is referring to the Telephone Allowance element of the Household Benefits package. The telephone allowance element of the Household Benefits Package (HHB) was discontinued in 2014. The decision to discontinue the telephone allowance was estimated to provide annual savings of €48 million at that time. These savings meant that my Department was able to retain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Projects (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The research project mentioned by the Deputy seeks to gain international experience for the criteria used for the registration of still births outside of the clinical/medical setting. Enquiries were made with several countries on what processes they have in place to define, classify, and register still births and pregnancies that are not currently defined as still births in Irish law. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children. In order to qualify for working family payment, the applicant and their spouse, partner or cohabitant must be engaged in fulltime remunerative employment as an employee for not less than 38 hours per fortnight. Working Family Payment for the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to 370,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021 (subject to the Budgetary changes being introduced in Budget 2022). The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Household Benefits Package (HHB) comprises the Electricity/Gas Allowance (€35 per month) and the Free Television Licence Scheme. My Department will spend approximately €265 million this year on HHB for over 480,000 customers. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is generally not contingent on the nature of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. My Department spent a total...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I have noted the correspondence from the ILDN that the Deputy refers to and will issue a response shortly. The current procurement process for employment services follows extensive consultations by my Department with the existing service providers over the last number of years. Officials in my Department also visited every Local Employment Service and Job Club in 2019 to get their views...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (13 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 24 February 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection These papers were received in the Social Welfare...