Results 13,661-13,680 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The number of people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is published each week by my Department at www.gov.ie/dsp/statistics. 114,612 people will receive the payment for the week ending 19 September. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. When an appeal is assigned to an Appeals Officer for consideration the Appeals Officer makes a summary decision on the appeal based on the documentary evidence presented...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) on 02/09/2021. In assessing the application, the person concerned was asked to provide additional details in support of his claim. Following receipt of this information on 09/09/2021, JA was awarded with effect from 31/08/2021. The person concerned will have received his first payment and arrears to his nominated bank...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 18 February 2015 and their first payment was on 6 May 2015. Following a review and subsequent appeal of the review decision, they were found to have means not previously disclosed to the Department and an overpayment was raised against them. If they wish to have the current repayments reduced they can request it in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. Persons awarded this pension are obliged to notify the Department of any changes in their circumstances that may affect...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The social protection system includes a variety of social assistance payments with different rules in relation to means testing, reflecting the different contingencies under which payments are made. The means assessment reflects the fact that there is an expectation that people with reasonable amounts of income or capital are in a position to use these resources to support themselves so that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: This matter concerns proposals to give recognition to loss in pregnancy where the criteria for registration of a birth or stillbirth are not met. Consideration is being given on how best to meet the demands of parents and develop solutions that are compatible with the existing health and civil registration legal frameworks. Research has been undertaken on how such matters are managed in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Process (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has prepared two Bills since 27th June 2020, both of which have been enacted; the Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 and the Social Welfare Act 2020. Regulatory Impact Analyses (RIAs) are undertaken by the Department of Social Protection in accordance with the relevant guidelines published by the Department of the Taoiseach relating to significant legislative,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (15 Sep 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: Social Insurance (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated additional revenue that would be generated if the higher rate of the employer social insurance contribution rose by 2% from 11.05% to 13.05% on the portion of earnings in excess of €140,000 per year would be approximately €72 million per annum. This estimate does not take into account any possible changes in employer behaviour arising from increasing the employer...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In line with the commitments in the Pathways to Work Strategy 2021-2025, to increase the capacity and resources of the entire Public Employment Service, including those provided by the Department's contracted service partners, my officials have commenced a series of procurement exercises to secure the appropriate services to engage with the long-term unemployed and other cohorts across the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A Public Services Card (PSC) has been ordered and will issue to the person concerned in the coming days. My Department regrets the delay in issuing the PSC in this case, which was due to the requirement to replace the person's old "Level W" Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) with a new PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for state pension non-contributory on 10 May 2021. The person reached pension age, 66, on 13 August 2021 and state pension non-contributory, at the maximum weekly rate, has been awarded with effect from that date, together with an increase for qualified adult payment in respect of their spouse. The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Below set out in tabular format are both the late interest payments and penalty payments paid by my Department for the years 2017 to 2020 inclusive and year to date 2021. The information below, with the exception of 2021 data, is disclosed in the Department’s Vote 37 Appropriation accounts. Year Interest € Penalties € 2017 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: If a person is unemployed, parenting alone or has a disability and is in receipt of certain payments from my Department, they can take part in a second or third-level education course and receive a Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). If attending a second-level course, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment for 3 months or more and if attending a third-level course, 9 months or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As referenced in the Deputy’s Dáil Question No. 713 dated 09/09/2021, the person concerned made an application for an Exceptional Needs Payment (ENP) on 10/08/2021. This claim was disallowed as it was determined, based on the application and supporting documentation provided, that the need was not exceptional and it was considered reasonable that the person concerned had...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for a widow's contributory pension in March 2016. Having examined her application, it was decided that she qualified for a widows contributory pension at the weekly maximum rate of €193.50 from the 8th April 2016. However, the person concerned was already in receipt of an invalidity pension from my Department. A person cannot receive an invalidity...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Enhanced Illness Benefit (EIB) is a form of Illness Benefit that is payable to self-employed persons or an employee who is told to self-isolate or has been diagnosed with Covid-19. The number of claims received and the number of recipients of EIB are provided in Table 1. Details on the duration of EIB claims are set out in Table 2. Table 1: Applications and Recipients for Enhanced Illness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. For the purposes of the means-test, at the outset and at any review intervals during the lifetime of the claim, a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (15 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: All schemes administered by the Department – including the One parent Family Payment (OFP) - are subject to control reviews and eligibility checks. This is a normal feature of my Department’s control work on schemes and payments. The numbers of OFP claims referred to Social Welfare Inspectors (SWI) for further investigations which required further review in the years 2018 to...