Results 14,001-14,020 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: 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, over €8.2 billion has been paid to support people on the scheme. As restrictions are lifted and the...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine the sustainability of the State Pension system and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfilment of a Programme for Government commitment.  The Commission was also asked in its Terms of Reference to examine the issue of retirement ages in employment contracts that are set below the State Pension qualifying age, and...

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

Heather Humphreys: Please find two tables below.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Widow’s, Widower’s and Surviving Civil Partner’s pension is paid to the husband, wife or surviving civil partner of a deceased person and is available to those who satisfy the necessary PRSI contribution conditions, either on their own record or on that of the deceased spouse or civil partner, provided the applicant is not cohabiting. The legal context governing...

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

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment is a weekly tax-free payment available to employees with children. It gives extra financial support to people on low pay. Currently, there are approximately 10,500  Working Family Payment customers who are in receipt of some form of maintenance. The average maintenance payment is €58.60 per week. As there is a housing disregard...

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

Heather Humphreys: Domiciliary Care Allowance (DCA) section has a target of processing 90% of all new applications within a ten week timeframe. This target has been consistently achieved and exceeded every month since April 2020. As at the 30th June 2021, there were 1,852 claims awaiting decision and the average processing time was 8.5 weeks. Processing times can be affected by the volume of...

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

Heather Humphreys: Child benefit is the principal way the State assists families with the costs of raising children.  It is paid in respect of all qualified children up to the age of 16 years, or to the age of 18 in respect of children who are in full-time education or who have a disability.   The Department invites child benefit applications by contacting the parents of new born...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 9 February 2020. According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 898 qualifying full-rate paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 8 November 1971 to end-December 2019.  This equates to a yearly average of 18 contributions, which gives an entitlement to a standard State pension...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department is aware of many reports that people have received one or more scam calls purporting to be from officials from this Department. These fraudulent phone calls and text messages claim to be from the Department and are seeking personal information e.g. PPS number / Bank Account details.  Other institutions have also been the target of similar fraudulent...

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

Heather Humphreys: In line with standard practice, a review of One Parent Family Payment entitlement was undertaken in the case of the person concerned on 22/4/2021.  The person concerned was asked to provide relevant information/documentation in order to complete this review.  Payment was suspended when means could not be determined as certain information regarding a number of bank accounts was not...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Closed-Circuit Television Systems (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The rollout of community CCTV schemes across the country has benefitted many communities, helping people to feel safer in their local areas. It is a priority of mine to ensure that community groups continue to be supported in their valued contributions to their local CCTV schemes while ensuring sufficient and proportionate oversight of statutory data protection considerations. Since...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Properties (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The number of staff by location and function in each office of my Department is provided in the table below, along with the information requested on whether each property is State owned or leased. The Deputy will appreciate that the costs of leases are commercially sensitive. Buildings occupied by Department of Justice Number of Staff Function Leased/Owned...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will appreciate, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the general management and administration of Garda business, which includes the deployment of members of An Garda Síochána throughout the State. As Minister, I have no role in this independent function. As of 31 May 2021 there were 328 Gardaí assigned to the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner and his management team, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that in accordance with the Garda Síochána Act 2005, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána. The allocation of Garda resources is a matter for the Commissioner and his management team, in light of identified operational demands. This includes responsibility for the allocation of Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is by law responsible for the management of An Garda Síochána, including all Garda operations. As Minister, I have no role in Garda operational decisions. Similarly, the Courts are independent in the exercise of their functions, subject only to the Constitution and the law. As the Deputy will also be aware, the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible under the law for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including decisions relating the Garda estate. In addition, the Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the provision and maintenance of Garda accommodation. As Minister, I have no role in these matters. However to be of assistance...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Prevention (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can assure the Deputy that scam calls, which include the criminal activity known as phishing, are taken very seriously by my Department and are the subject of ongoing engagement between An Garda Síochána and the banking and technology industries. I am advised that work is ongoing in An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue, including, but not limited to, the issuing...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department was established in July 2017 and currently occupies office space at two locations - Trinity Point, Dublin 2, and Government Buildings, Ballina, Co. Mayo. The offices occupied in Ballina are in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW), while the lease arrangements in relation to Trinity Point are managed on our behalf by the OPW. In both cases, no costs are directly...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together. My Department was established in 2017 and funds a range of programmes and schemes to assist in rural and community development which are available to eligible community groups and organisations throughout the country. My Department was allocated €341 million in the 2021 Revised Estimates, this ensures that we are in a...