Results 13,841-13,860 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned has been awarded at a rate of €203.00 per week. They have been fully paid up to date, and they are currently medically certified as unfit for work until the 25th July 2021. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council and the Social Welfare Tribunal. The 2016 Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies states that 'State bodies are required to publish in theirannual report details of non-salary-related fees paid in respect of the Board, analysed by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: An application for Invalidity Pension (INVP) was received from the person concerned on 28 May 2021. She was awarded INVP with effect from 3 June 2021. The first payment will issue to her nominated bank account on the 5 August 2021. Any arrears due (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. The person in question was notified of this decision on the 22 July...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1135 to 1137, inclusive, 1148, 1154 and 1155 together. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure 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 the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Social security co-ordination across the EU and the EEA is governed by Regulation (EC) No. 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems. The Department of Social Protection agreed a reciprocal agreement in the field of social security with the UK under the Common Travel Area arrangements.This agreement, known as the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will be considering options for Budget 2022 over the coming months in the context of available resources. In addition, as provided for in the Programme for Government, a Commission on Pensions was established. As part of its work, the Commission was asked to develop a range of options for the Government to consider in order to address the sustainability of the state pension and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In the week ending 25th July 2021, 11,624 Jobseeker claims were awaiting decision; 95 of these claims are associated with social welfare offices in County Clare. I am advised that it is only possible to provide processing times data on a national basis. The average time to award a Jobseeker's Allowance claim in June 2021 was one week, and the average time to award a Jobseeker's Benefit claim...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned made an application for a Personal Public Service (PPS) Number in January 2021. Additional information was sought by my officials in order to progress the application. However, it appears the information was not provided and so the application expired after 21 days. The person concerned recently submitted a new application online but had not uploaded proof of address or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Jobseeker's Allowance is a social assistance statutory payment provided for people, including those who are self-employed, who are unable to find full time employment. Social assistance payments are based on an income need. The means test determines whether or not an income need arises as a consequence of a particular contingency, such as disability, unemployment or caring. This ensures...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A policy to introduce the Total Contributions Approach (TCA) to pensions calculation was adopted by Government in the National Pensions Framework in 2010. In advance of this, in January 2018, the Government agreed to a proposal that allows pensioners affected by the 2012 changes in rate bands to have their pension entitlement calculated using an interim “Total Contributions...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Since its inception, the State Pension (Contributory) has been calculated using the Yearly Averaging approach (i.e., a person's contributions are divided by the number of years from the year they first paid social insurance to the year before their 66th birthday) and the pension they receive is determined by this average amount. A policy to introduce a new Total Contributions Approach (TCA)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Recognition (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The report of the Review Group for the Gender Recognition Act was published on 18th July 2018. The Minister reported to the Oireachtas on the 26thNovember 2019 on the recommendations of the Review Group and published the report in the same month.The main recommendations of the Review Group contained proposals to remove the age barrier for a gender recognition certificate, subject to parental...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department administers schemes funded from the Exchequer through Vote 37 and schemes funded through the Social Insurance Fund (SIF). The Department reviews the funding required on an ongoing basis, including: 1. Each month, the Department reviews and estimates the actual expenditure for all schemes and subheads, for the Exchequer Statement published by the Departments of Finance and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Live Register (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In June 2021, 175,281 people were on the Live Register, with 5,833 in county Kerry. Between March 2020 and June 2021, the Live Register peaked at 244,562 in July 2020; with 8,301 people in county Kerry. The June 2021 figure represents an overall decrease in the Live Register of 28.3%, and a decrease of 29.7% in county Kerry.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1151 and 1153 together. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure for qualifying employees and self -employed people who lost their employment, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic. To date expenditure on PUP is approximately €8.3 billion. The number of people availing of PUP has reached its lowest...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Lead responsibility for the development and provision of services to support victims of domestic violence rests with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. 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 on a pilot basis. This seeks to ensure that victims of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In December 2019, just prior to the pandemic, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate (15-24-year olds) stood at just under 12 percent. Latest estimates from the CSO indicate that the traditional unemployment rate for young persons is 19.9 percent. This estimate excludes those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). When those in receipt of the PUP are included, the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has no role in direct funding to charity services. However, the Department of Social Protection is the designated managing authority for the Fund for European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) and has responsibility for the implementation of the programme in Ireland. Support provided through FEAD aims to help people take their first steps out of poverty and social exclusion...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €265 million this year on HHB for over 470,000 households. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments or who satisfy a means test. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (27 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The application referred to by the Deputy has been placed with the Health Services Executive which operates an online civil certificate issuing service. I have been informed that the application in question was placed with the HSE on 16th July 2021 and that the HSE indicate that with current levels of demand, the certificate should issue within 30 working days. I trust this clarifies the...