Results 1,541-1,560 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) on invalidity pension and state pension (contributory) 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 the qualified adult has weekly means of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2024)

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. One of the qualifying conditions is that the means of the person concerned must be less than the statutory limit. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 27 November 2013. A reduced rate state pension (contributory) equivalent to 98% of the maximum rate was awarded. This is based on a total of 1,311 contributions from 1988 to 2013 giving a yearly average of 44 contributions. This pension is currently paid at the weekly rate of €271.90 The spouse of the person concerned reached pension age...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is a range of supports provided by the Community Welfare Service (CWS) under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. These supports can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as well as single Additional Needs Payments (ANPs). My Department may make an ANP to help meet essential expenditure which an eligible...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Training Support Grant is designed to fund quick access to short term training that can support individual jobseekers to access work opportunities. The grant can be provided where an immediate skills gap is identified that presents an obstacle to taking up a job offer or accessing other opportunities. The primary focus of the scheme is to support those in receipt of a jobseekers'...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 13...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Rent Supplement (RS) scheme provides short-term income support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. The scheme ensures that those who were renting, but whose circumstances have changed due to temporary loss of employment, can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I would like to advise the Deputy that all matters relating to Family Law are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice. The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 provides for changes to the assessments of means. As a result, child maintenance payments are now excluded from the assessment as means for any means or income tested payment provided by my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned will reach pension age in 2026. An individual’s state pension (contributory) entitlement depends on factors such as a person’s social insurance record, their attachment to the workforce and their countries of employment. It is advisable that all contributors maintain their social insurance record as fully as possible over their working life. As the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (27 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. In order to satisfy the habitual residence condition, as a first step, it must be established that the person has a legal...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and all Deputies for their contributions. This is very important legislation which will now move on to Seanad Éireann. It will make a difference in a lot of people's lives through pay-related benefit and as regards the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund going forward. A lot of people contributing a little will make a big difference. I thank...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As regards amendment No. 1, it is out of my hands. I do not rule them in or out of order. Regarding amendment No. 2, I made the point previously about including commitments in primary legislation to producing reports, particularly legislation that is already as complex as the Social Welfare Consolidation Act. The actuarial review of the Social Insurance Fund, published in March 2023, is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is absolutely right that cocaine use is not okay. The Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke, has responsibility for this area and I will raise the issue with him. We did increase the funding for the drug and alcohol task forces in last year's budget.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes. I know that education plays an important role here. The Deputy is absolutely right that we need to do more on it. There is no doubt that cocaine is a plague in our society.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The consequences and the fallout from the taking of it filter into all parts of family life when it is involved and cause many more problems. I will, therefore, certainly raise the Deputy's issue with the Minister of State.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. I will raise this issue concerning the courthouse with the Minister for Justice. I spend a lot of money in my Department refurbishing empty courthouses and repurposing them for other uses, but I take the Deputy's point and I will raise it with the Minister for Justice. Regarding Deputy Healy-Rae's question, yes, he is correct. These grants have been at the same...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I understand the point the Deputy is making. When people's houses are flooded, they want action immediately. I will raise this matter with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, who has responsibility for the OPW. To be fair, there are a many reports and issues that have to be addressed as part of the process. This does take time. We often hear about a number of different schemes that...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: -----and ask him to come back to the Deputy with a response.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not have the relevant details here, so I will ask the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, to respond to the Deputy directly. I take the point that there is no point in buying second-hand trailers. New trailers are needed. I will raise the matter with the Minister and ask him to reply to the Deputy directly. As the Deputy stated, he has raised this matter on a number of occasions. It...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Those grants are very useful to have houses adapted for people with disabilities who, perhaps, cannot use the upstairs of the house any longer. They are very popular grants. I am aware they are being looked at. I will raise the issue with the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Dillon, and ask him to come back to the Deputy directly with a response.