Results 14,581-14,600 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection operates two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance (STEA) and the two-year payment of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA). There are currently over 2,550 in receipt of these supports, of which the vast majority (some 2,400) are in receipt of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland.  The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice. The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As of 21stJune 2021, the Department  has received 146,581 Covid-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit claims with 141,635 customers paid to date. The current processing time for illness benefit claims indicates that 80% of claims are awarded and going into payment within 7 days.  It is not possible to report on the numbers of customers who qualified for Enhanced Illness Benefit...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025 included a commitment to develop and consult on a ‘strawman’ proposal for the restructuring of long term disability payments to simplify the system and take account of the concerns expressed in the Make Work Pay report. Work on this project was suspended in 2020 as my department prioritised its response to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In December 2019, my Department began engagement with external consultants in a review of all public employment services (PES), including contracted employment services delivered through EmployAbility, Job Clubs, JobPath and the Local Employment Services. A joint bid by the Institute for Employment Studies and Social Finance was successful. These entities, reviewed the existing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath provides employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed on behalf of my Department. The current JobPath contracts were originally due to expire at the end of 2020. Last October, however, in addition to contract renewals to the local employment services, job clubs and EmployAbility, I announced an extension of referrals to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Work Supports (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS) was introduced on 1st October 2018 and has been open to applications since. YESS targeted young jobseekers aged between 18 and 24 who are long-term unemployed or who face barriers to employment. The scheme aimed to provide jobseekers with the opportunity to learn basic work and social skills in a supportive environment while on a work placement....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated cost of increasing each weekly social welfare payment by €1 is shown in the table below.  Payment Personal €m Qualified Adult €m Total €m Social Insurance Schemes State Pension (Contributory) € 22.0 € 3.0 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Child benefit is a payment made in respect of a child for the purpose of meeting some of the cost of child rearing.Under the relevant child benefit legislation, it is only payable to one parent, usually the mother. If the child resides part time with both parents, the benefit is payable to the mother unless the child resides with the father for more than 50% of the time.  As a...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Regulatory Bodies (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 362 and 363 together. The Government is committed to supporting the ongoing roll-out and delivery of the Data Protection Commission's national and international responsibilities. There has been a continued year-on-year increase in funding for the Commission over the last four budgetary years to reflect this commitment. The Commission has received an...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Judgments (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy may be aware, under the provisions of the Courts Service Act 1998, management of the courts is the responsibility of the Courts Service, which is independent in exercising its functions. This includes the compilation of information relating to convictions. In addition, the decision about whether or not to prosecute a person is entirely a matter for the Director of Public...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (24 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from An Garda Síochána, unfortunately I have not received this information in time. I will write to the Deputy as soon as the information is to hand.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2021 and ending on 29th June, 2022.

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am grateful to the House for its consideration of these important motions and I thank the Deputies for their contributions, particularly those who spoke in support of the motion. As I said, there remains a real threat from terrorist activity, particularly from dissident republican paramilitary groups, which warrants the continuance in force of the provisions of the 1998 Act. The...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I move: That Dáil Éireann resolves that sections 2 to 4, 6 to 12, 14 and 17 of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 (No. 39 of 1998) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30th June, 2021 and ending on 29th June, 2022. The two motions before Deputies today seek the continuation in force of important provisions in law aimed at combatting terrorism...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business. The closure of PUP is a precondition of the grant and provides a financial support towards the re-opening of a business. I have no plans to change this condition.  I have recently extended the grant to make it...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 166 together. The back to education allowance scheme (BTEA) provides people with a second chance education that will improve their prospects of securing employment.  It enables eligible people to pursue approved education courses and to continue to receive income support for the duration of a course of study, subject to meeting certain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the carer's allowance appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 30 June 2020. The question under appeal was whether the person concerned was providing full-time care and attention to the caree, as required under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Fuel Allowance is a payment which helps households with heating costs. It is available to recipients of a large number of social protection schemes, including State Pensions (Contributory and non-Contributory), Invalidity Pension, One Parent Family Payment, and long term Jobseeker Allowance recipients. The Fuel Allowance payment is typically added to the usual weekly social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Better Energy Warmer Home Scheme is operated by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and aims to improve the energy efficiency and warmth of homes owned by people with low incomes. A person in receipt of Fuel Allowance, Working Family Payment, Domiciliary Care allowance, or the One Parent Family Payment may qualify for the payment if they own their own home. Further, a person in...