Results 15,181-15,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Principles of Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Sherlock for bringing forward this Bill. It is always good to have a constructive debate in this Chamber and I appreciate that the Deputy's intentions in this matter are absolutely in good faith, with a view to ensuring our social protection system works well for all our people. Everybody in this House wants a system that abides by strong principles, one that delivers for its...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The records of my Department show that there are 3.2 million persons who have been SAFE registered and had a Public Services Card (PSC) issued to them. All of these people would have been resident in the State when their PSC was originally issued. No data is available on how many have subsequently left the State, but the vast majority are still resident here. The SAFE registration service...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long-term unemployed and is payable for up to a 24 month period from the commencement of their new business. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Measures (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Section 11 of the Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Act 2020 inserts section 68M(a) into the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. This provides that at least one PRSI contribution in any one of four weeks, prior to an employee losing their income, would meet the contribution conditions for receipt of the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment. The employee is also required, on or after...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. I can confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 29 January 2020. To qualify...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Cybersecurity Policy (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. Our technical staff continue to operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels and are closely engaged with experts in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that we follow best practice as it relates to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Whilst my Department is responsible for the legislation in this area, the issuance of Section 50 Directions are a matter for the Pensions Authority which is the independent body responsible for the regulation of occupational pensions in Ireland. As the Deputy can appreciate, neither I as Minister nor the Pensions Authority can comment on individual schemes. However, I am advised by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Transport (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals whose Public Services Cards (PSCs) were due to expire in the following three months were written to by the Department advising them that they could renew their PSC by attending an office of the Department and having a new photograph taken, or by applying for a renewal by post, sending a passport-size photograph. In the context of the Covid 19...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection has Data Protection policies, standards, procedures and guidelines in place governing the use of computer systems and customer data to ensure that the Department is fully compliant with GDPR EU requirements. Staff are regularly reminded of their Data Protection obligations. The importance of Data Protection and Cyber Security is promoted through awareness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (20 May 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. Both the Department of Social Protection and the statutory bodies operating under its aegis have Data Protection policies, standards, procedures and guidelines in place governing the use of computer systems and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domestic Violence (20 May 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 involving a referral process through Safe Ireland and other service providers resulting in changes to the rent supplement scheme to make it...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (20 May 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. Permanently incapable of work is defined as an incapacity for work of such a nature that the likelihood is that the claimant will be incapable of work for life or an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: 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 them. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The staff in the Agencies that operate under the aegis of my Department, namely the Pensions Authority and the Citizens Information Board, are public servants rather than civil servants. Details of the posts filled in both Agencies and my Department since April 2020 by way of Open or Internal competition panels are shown in the tables beneath. Pensions Authority Citizens Information Board...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Alcohol Sales (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the below table sets out the number of cards issued from 1999 up to the end of April 2021: YEAR NO OF CARDS ISSUED COMMENTS 1999 1,205 2000 7,246 2001 12,973 2002 39,600 2003 ...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 to 335, inclusive, together. The Deputy will be aware that an inquiry under section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 was conducted by former Judge Patrick Clyne into the Garda Síochána investigation relating to the death of Mr Patrick Nugent in 1984. I can inform the Deputy that Judge Clyne completed his inquiry on 31 October...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, under section 26 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the recruitment, training and deployment of Garda members and staff. Under section 33 of the Act, the Commissioner is responsible for the distribution and stationing of the Garda...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Cybersecurity Policy (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. Our technical staff operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and are closely engaged with experts in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that we follow best practice as it relates to all aspects...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Data Protection (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 343 together. My Department is fully compliant with EU requirements under the GDPR and the EU Network and Information Security and standards with respect to IT Infrastructure. The delivery of my Department’s ICT operations is supported by a managed service provider who is accredited to ISO 20000 standard. While my Department is not ISO 27001...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am informed by the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), that facilities are provided for customers to interact with the Commission in the language of their choice, including Irish. Arrangements are made for the provision of interpreters where necessary. GSOC provides an online complaint form in several different languages allowing members of the public to make a...