Results 13,501-13,520 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (30 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In line with a commitment in the government’s new rural development policy, Our Rural Future, I announced details of a €70 million Transitional LEADER programme which came into effect last April and will cover the period 2021 – 2022, with a successor programme to commence in 2023. This funding will support locally-led projects which focus on many of the key...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (30 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland. New funding is provided each year and I launched the 2021 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme on 23rd April 2021. The closing date for the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Forbairt Calaí agus Céanna (30 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Cuireann an Scéim um Bonneagar Caithimh Aimsire Lasmuigh (ORIS) maoiniú ar fáil d'fhonn bonneagar caithimh aimsire lasmuigh nua a fhorbairt agus d'fhonn bonneagar caithimh aimsire lasmuigh atá ann cheana féin a chothabháil, a fheabhsú nó a chur chun cinn i gceantair thuaithe na tíre. Timpeall is €14 milliún an buiséad atá i...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seirbhísí Farantóireachta (30 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Faoi láthair tá seirbhís chuimsitheach farantóireachta ó thrí oileáin Árainn go Ros a’ Mhíl á fhóir dheonú ag mo Roinn. Is ar mhaithe lena chinntiú go bhfuil fáil ag pobail iomlán na n-oileáin ar rochtain taistil atá sábháilte agus ar féidir brath orthu ó cheann ceann na bliana...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Investigations (30 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the Local Authorities.  The inspection referred to by the Deputy related to work undertaken on a road that was funded...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 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 over 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 towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Under social welfare legislation, the date of entry into insurance is the date a person becomes an insured person and enters employment for which a social insurance contribution is payable, once they are 16 years of age.  This contribution can be paid at the full, modified or self-employed social insurance rate. Where a contributor has a mixed social insurance record with both...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment to assist householders on long-term social welfare payments towards the cost of their winter heating needs. The main eligibility conditions for receipt of fuel allowance are that a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfy a means test and live alone or with other qualifying persons.  The fuel allowance means test is linked...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Regarding information technology, my Department engages service providers (individuals or organisations) to provide assistance with specific technical skills and projects.  The procurement of such services supports my Department in providing a high-quality service to the public in a cost-effective manner and is governed by a comprehensive regulatory framework. The total...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: There are currently in excess of 156,000 persons in receipt of means-tested disability payments from the Department, comprising some 154,500 persons in receipt of the Disability Allowance (DA) and some 1,060 in receipt of Blind Pension (BP). The means assessment of DA reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment. The Commission has now concluded its work and has submitted its final report to me.  The report itself is extremely detailed, running to several hundred pages, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department is not in a position to say how many parents avail of Parents leave in a specific week or month as this data is not collated.  Data on the number of Parents benefit claims that have been awarded each month in the period January - August 2021, is available and is set out in the following table.  It should be noted that while a claim may be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government commits the Government to use the research into the cost of disability to individuals and families to properly inform the direction of future policy.  My Department commissioned Indecon International Consultants to carry out research into the cost of disability in Ireland. The report has been received and my Department is considering it in...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: EU Agreements (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that Ireland's participation in the European Union’s Schengen Agreement is limited to some of the policing co-operation agreements under which participating member states co-ordinate policing activities. This includes the current second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS II).  SIS II is a centralised secure database used by...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that promotions to the ranks of Sergeant and Inspector are the subject of recent Regulations - Garda Síochána (Appointment to the Ranks of Inspector and Sergeant) Regulations 2021 S.I. 370/2021. These Regulations were drafted in accordance with Section 122(1)(j) of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, and fulfil a long-term objective to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. This responsibility includes the management of the PULSE system and the gathering of data generally. The Deputy will also be aware that the CSO resumed publication of recorded crime statistics...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the general management and administration of the Garda organisation under the Garda Síochána Act 2005. This includes processing of personal data for law enforcement purposes. Processing of personal data for law enforcement purposes is subject to Part 5 of the Data Protection Act...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Issues relating to a review of the Availability Allowance which is paid to Superintendents and Chief Superintendents have been the subject of extensive engagement at official and Ministerial level over a number of years. A review of the Availability Allowance undertaken by Garda management and my Department, with input from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department spent the following on external contractors, consultancy services and other outsourcing in years 2018 and 2019: Year €’000 2018 7,167 2019 18,694

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including the deployment of Gardaí. I am informed by the Garda authorities that as of 31 August 2021, six Garda members comprising one inspector, one sergeant and four Gardaí were stationed at...