Results 14,621-14,640 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: 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 transport operators.  There are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The current contracts for all contracted employment services, including the Job Clubs in Leitrim and Donegal, expire at the end of 2021. There is no Job Club in Sligo.  The 2018 Indecon Review of Job Clubs recommended that the Department consider integrating LES and Job Clubs into one service thereby reducing administrative duplication and supporting a more effective and efficient...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Regulations governing the Child Benefit scheme provide that claims should be made within 12 months of person becoming a qualified person (generally, the date of the child's birth) and there are provisions in place to allow late claims to be backdated where there is good cause.  The requirement to register a birth within three months is a general requirement of birth...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The number of claims for optical benefit in the period requested are detailed below: Year Number of claims 2019 452,311 2020 406,648 2021 to end May 255,944 I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The July Jobs Stimulus set out the Government investment plan of €200m investment towards training, education, skill development, work placement schemes, recruitment subsidies and job search and assistance measures; these measures aim to help those who have lost their jobs find a new one, retrain or develop new skills, in particular for emerging growth sectors.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In order to protect the integrity of the social welfare system and to ensure that the right person is paid the right amount of money at the right time, all of my Department’s schemes, including Jobseeker's payments, are subject to on-going control reviews and eligibility checks. Details of jobseeker payment control reviews undertaken in the period requested are as follows: ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing Disability Allowance by €10, from €203 to €213, is €85.5 million, including a proportionate increase for Qualified Adults.   The cost shown above is based on the estimated number of recipients in 2021.  It should be noted that costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on public transport services for those eligible under the scheme.  There are approximately 999,000 customers with direct eligibility, with an annual allocation of €95 million provided to fund the scheme. People who are eligible for a free travel pass are those residents in Ireland aged over 66, those in receipt of certain social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Training Support Grant, available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider.  The grant can be provided where an immediate skills gap is identified that represents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other opportunities.  Courses up to and including QQI level 6 can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 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, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned has been notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension is a long-term payment for persons who are permanently incapable of work and who satisfy the social insurance contribution conditions.  Invalidity Pension is not means tested.  To be eligible for Invalidity Pension a person must  have a total of 260 weeks contributions paid and 48 weeks contributions paid or credited in the last complete tax year.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Bodies (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Below in tabular format are the state agencies under the responsibility of my Department, together with the amount of negative interest charged since negative interest rates were introduced:  State Agency Negative Interest Citizens Information Board €7,473 Pensions Authority €55,277 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below. Data for 2021 refers to the first quarter of the year.  The data reflects the most recent household composition known to the Department.  The increase observed in 2020 relates primarily to new recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Year Households  2016 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 418 and 419 together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children.  The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As outlined in Parliamentary Question No. 922 on 15 June 2021, the person concerned submitted an application for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment with effect from 11/2/2021.  He received a SWA payment for the period 11/2/2021 to 26/5/2021 pending the provision of a letter from Kildare County Council confirming his address, as he stated he was residing in a property...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit. Where a qualified adult has weekly means of less than €100, the maximum rate of IQA is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The customer's application for Jobseekers Allowance is currently pending a decision.  A Social Welfare Inspector of this Department wrote to the customer in April 2021 and again on 31 May 2021 by registered post, requesting outstanding information which was deemed necessary in order for a Deciding Officer to make a determination on the claim. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: At the end of April 2021 there were almost 155,000 persons in receipt of means tested disability payments from my Department, comprising 153,805 on Disability Allowance and 1,069 in receipt of Blind Pension. The Blind Pension is paid, subject to a means test, to blind people and certain people with low vision, aged between 18 and 66, who are habitually resident in the State.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Increases for a Qualified Child (IQCs) are paid as child-related supplements to most weekly social welfare payments in recognition of the need for greater incomes among benefit-dependent households with dependent children.  As of May 2021, there are an estimated 337,381 children supported by an IQC.  Budget 2021 increased the rate of the IQC for a qualified child aged under 12...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Jun 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the Carer's Support Grant from €1,850 to €2,000 is €21.5 million, based on the estimated number of recipients in 2021 This costing is subject to change in light of emerging trends and subsequent revision of the estimated number of recipients.