Results 13,721-13,740 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. A claim for IP was received from the person concerned on 26 July 2021. In order to establish medical suitability two forms were sent to her on 28 July 2021. On receipt...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 22 July 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card (PSC). Currently, it is not possible for someone who does not already have a PSC to acquire one without attending an in-person appointment. My Department is exploring the delivery of services to augment the current...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: SAFE registration is the process through which my Department authenticates the identity of an individual, in the manner described, and for the purposes set out, in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005, as amended. The Public Services Card (PSC) is issued to a person when they have completed this process. Since its inception in the late 1990s, the PSC has always been intended to be used...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was an emergency measure introduced in the exceptional circumstances of Covid-19 to help cushion the financial impact on people temporarily laid-off work as a direct result of public health measures mandated by the Government. To date, expenditure on PUP is over €8.6 billion which demonstrates the Government’s clear commitment to support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 5 July 2021. Their application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that the person concerned was substantially restricted in taking up employment. She was notified in writing of this decision on 30 July 2021. Further medical evidence was received and a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Those in receipt of a primary State pension automatically receive an increase of €10 per week when they reach 80 years of age. The Living Alone Allowance is a payment for people aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments, including State pensions, and who are living alone. It is also paid to people aged under 66 who live alone and are in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 17 August 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department, the case in question will be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Flexible Work Practices (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Civil Service departments and offices are currently working in line with Government Covid-19 guidance, which provides for home working to continue where possible. A central policy framework for Blended Working in the Civil Service will be finalised in conjunction with employee representatives over the coming months. This framework will inform the development of organization-level blended...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates a range of means-tested social assistance payments. Social welfare legislation provides that the means test for these payments takes account of the income and assets of the person and a spouse/partner, if applicable. Income and assets include income from employment, self-employment, occupational pensions, maintenance payments as well as property owned (other than the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: There are currently 123,358 recipients of Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension and there are 1,242 recipients of Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non Contributory Pension. Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Contributory Pension is a social insurance based payment made on the death of a spouse or civil partner. It is not means-tested...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 8 April 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. Those papers were received in the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 8 April 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. Those papers were received in the Social Welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Recovery of Benefits and Assistance (RBA) Scheme recovers the value of certain illness-related social welfare payments from compensation awards made to a person as a consequence of personal injuries claims. Where a compensator intends making a compensation payment to a person as a consequence of a non-fatal personal injury, the compensator must pay the Minister for Social Protection an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Public Services Card (PSC) appointments were suspended from the beginning of this year due to Level 5 restrictions. However, some appointments were facilitated for urgent cases where the customer had no alternative means of accessing public services other than by acquiring a PSC. My Department resumed PSC appointments from Monday 17th May, and an average of 1,000 appointments are now being...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn. In order to qualify for BSCFA, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers financial support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. This support is available to individuals in receipt of a Disability Allowance payment who are interested in setting up their own business. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Following the submission of further medical evidence by the person concerned, their case has been reviewed and they have been awarded disability allowance with effect from 7 July 2021. The first payment was made on 1 September 2021. Arrears of payment due will issue as soon as possible once any necessary adjustment is calculated and applied in respect of any overlapping payments. I trust...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's identity in a face-to-face interview, is the normal method of processing an application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN). My Department introduced an online application service for PPSN applications in December 2020. This service was introduced to ensure that those who need a PPSN can have their...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (9 Sep 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 692, 693 and 718 together. The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private...