Results 13,521-13,540 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The total spend on external contractors, consultancy services and other outsourcing in 2018 and 2019 in my Department is set out in the following table. Year Spend 2018 €245,853 2019 €858,538

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (29 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates a number of schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working and enhancing town centre living as outlined in “Our Rural Future–Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025.”  During the summer I awarded €8.8 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream for existing digital hubs and BCPs in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I will get him an update on it and will have it sent to him. I do not have it off the top of my head, but I will provide it to him.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We have received the advice of the Attorney General and having considered that advice the Department of Justice has invited the Nugent family to a meeting to explain the next steps regarding Judge Clyne's final report. This meeting is due to take place in person next week. I appreciate that Mr. Nugent's family are most anxious to receive the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: €10.6 billion was received in respect of social insurance contributions in 2020. Social insurance contribution receipts for any given year can include receipts in respect of earlier contribution years as well as the current year. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. 

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In April 2012, the number of paid contributions required to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) increased from 260 to 520. While this change only took effect in 2012, it had been signalled well in advance. In 1993, "Developing the National Pension System - Final Report of the National Pensions Board” was published, which recommended that the number of paid contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The purpose of the voluntary contribution scheme is to provide persons who were but are no longer compulsorily insured under the social insurance system with the opportunity to pay contributions directly to my Department. Voluntary contributions ensure continuity of social insurance for pension purposes during periods where former contributors are no longer insured as employed or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 494 and 495 together. My Department is now at an advanced stage in its first phase of procuring new employment services. This phase involves the procurement of regional employment services for seven counties in the Midlands and North-West across four lots. These counties do not have an existing local employment service and represent the first phase of an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The State Pension (Contributory) is paid to people from the age of 66 (State Pension Age) who have enough Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) Contributions. It is not means tested. One of the basic principles underpinning the Irish social insurance system is the contributory principle. Under this principle there is a direct link between the PRSI contributions that a person has paid...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned, a State pension (contributory) recipient, applied for an Increase for qualified adult (IQA) in respect of his spouse, who is currently in receipt of the maximum rate of State pension (non-contributory) in her own right. While State pension (contributory) is an insurance-based scheme, the IQA is a means-tested payment, payable to State pension (contributory) claimants...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In October 2020, I announced an extension of referrals for a further twelve months to the end of 2021 for all contracted service partners including JobPath, the Local Employment Services, Job Clubs and EmployAbility. These measures were taken in order to ensure the Public Employment Service had sufficient capacity to support those impacted by the pandemic with access to employment services...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection is committed to the development of all its staff in order to deliver the best possible service delivery to our customers. Staff from my Department attended a number of Common Purpose Ireland programmes between 2015 and 2018, as part of my Department's focus on leadership development. As there were a number of different programmes attended by various...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned made an online application for Enhanced Illness Benefit on the 13th September 2021. In order to support her application for Enhanced Illness Benefit, medical evidence for Covid-19 was needed to support her claim. The person concerned emailed a copy of her HSE texts stating her positive diagnosis of Covid-19 to the Department on the 16th September 2021. Subsequently,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Any increase in the entry threshold for persons to access social insurance coverage from the current employee earnings level of €38 per week would lead to a reduction in the social insurance contribution yield. It is estimated that there would be a loss of approximately €7 million to the Social Insurance Fund if the entry threshold for persons to access social insurance...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (28 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 household. It is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2022 over the coming weeks, taking account of available resources. My Department provides a range of income supports to carers through the Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Carer's Support Grant and Domiciliary Care Allowance schemes. In total, it is estimated that my Department will spend almost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (28 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. Its terms of reference included consideration of how long-term carers could be accommodated in the pension system. The Commission has now completed its report and submitted it...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that I will be considering a range of options for Budget 2022 over the coming weeks, taking account of available resources. A series of evidence-based, targeted measures were introduced in the last two Budgets, to ensure the most vulnerable were protected. Many recipients of Disability Allowance and Blind Pension will have benefitted from these measures, which...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (28 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 detail. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: EU Directives (28 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection is committed to making the information on all its websites and online portals accessible to all. In order to achieve this, the Department has designed its websites to follow guidelines set out by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium). The W3C WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) produces accessibility guidelines that are an internationally recognised...