Results 13,261-13,280 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Commissions of Investigation (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that the Commission of Investigation established pursuant to S.I. 311/2018 (formerly known as the Hickson Commission) is tasked with the investigation of the extent to which a number of organisations, including State bodies, and individuals were aware of the activities of Bill Kenneally and whether they failed to take appropriate action. Mr Justice Michael White...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will appreciate, selection processes for appointments to State boards are now supported by the Public Appointments Service. The Deputy will be aware that the State boards process is designed to enable any person to apply for a position on a State board. My Department regularly advertises positions for appointment to State boards on www.stateboards.ie. In making appointments to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Websites (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As I have indicated to the Deputy in response to previous questions on the content of the e:Justice Portal answered on 21 April, 19 May, 2 June and 17 June of this year, the responsibility for preparing this material rests with the Courts Service. Management of the courts is the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together. The matter raised by the Deputy refers to the terms of reference for a proposed review of an error in a case involving the non-processing of an appeal from a District Court conviction in Carrickmacross. A submission on the review was received by the then Minister for Justice and Equality from the Department's Secretary General on 14...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 as amended, the Garda Commissioner has responsibility for management of An Garda Síochána and for the allocation and efficient use of Garda resources. This includes responsibility for personnel matters and the distribution of personnel across the various Garda Divisions. As Minister, I have no direct role in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Budget 2022 commits to the recruitment of an additional 800 Gardaí next year and to the recruitment of an additional 400 Garda staff. Garda numbers have increased substantially in recent years, from 12,943 Garda members and 1,999 Garda staff in 2016 to almost 14,400 Garda members and 3,159 staff at the end of August this year. That is an 8% increase in Gardaí and a 58% increase in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Tobacco Control Measures (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I have sought the information requested by the Deputy from the Garda authorities. I will make contact directly with the Deputy when this has been received.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Public Procurement Contracts (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number and value of procurement contracts that took place by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in 2020 is provided in the table below. Please note that the annual value of each contract is provided rather than the contract value. This information is not yet available for 2021, and will be forwarded to the Office of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Development Plan (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that last week the renewed National Development Plan 2021 – 2030 was launched by the Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Minister Ryan and Minister McGrath. The publication outlines the largest National Development Plan ever delivered in the history of the State - €165 billion - with a particular focus on priority solutions to strengthen housing, climate...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Breeding (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 684, 685, 686, 687 and 688 together. Each year my Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities, including those that relate to dog breeding establishments. This information is collated from annual returns received from all local authorities. Information up to and including 2020, is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department actively promotes gender balance on the State Boards under its auspices. The table below provides the Gender Balance Percentage for the four Agencies under my remit. These Boards exceed the Government target of a minimum of 40% representation of each gender in the membership of State Boards, with the exception of the Charities Regulator. This is a matter which is being kept...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (12 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that no procurement contracts were entered into by way of negotiated procedure, without prior publication, by my Department in either 2020 or in 2021 to-date.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Pension Provisions (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this question. Recipients of the contributory State pension can claim an increase in their pension in respect of a qualified adult, subject to a means assessment. A qualified adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the pensioner who has been wholly or mainly maintained by that pensioner. The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The fuel allowance is a payment of €28 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. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy knows, my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communication, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has the role of reducing energy poverty by implementing measures to improve the energy efficiency of Irish homes. In 2016, the Government launched a comprehensive strategy to combat energy poverty following extensive publication. Deputy Naughten is very familiar with this as a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Eligibility (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. He has raised a number of points that stretch over a number of Departments. He will appreciate I cannot announce the social protection budget here today. I can assure the Deputy that the Government is acutely aware of the recent energy price increases and their impact on households. It is also important to state we are doing a lot already to help people with their fuel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for raising this issue. In August 2020, I agreed a protocol with Tusla on a pilot basis to make rent supplement more easily accessible to victims of domestic violence. This seeks to ensure that victims of domestic violence are not prevented from leaving their home because of financial or accommodation difficulties. The arrangements in the protocol are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Many of the matters raised by the Deputy fall within the remit of the Department of Justice. The Department is leading the development across Government of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. That strategy will place a priority on the prevention and reduction of such violence and will include a national preventative strategy. The new strategy is being...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic Violence (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Justice is working on the issue in conjunction with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth funds Tusla. A number of recommendations in the O'Malley report have also been introduced as part of the Department of Justice strategy entitled...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (7 Oct 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. To date, more than €8.7 billion has been spent supporting workers impacted by the pandemic through the PUP. Since the lifting of restrictions and the success of the vaccine roll-out, the numbers on the payment have fallen dramatically - to 101,470 payments this week from a peak of more than 602,000. It is important, therefore, as the...