Results 15,661-15,680 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: There are a number of environmental disclosure requirements which apply to Irish pension schemes. Directive (EU) 2016/2341 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision (the "IORP II Directive") provides for the consideration of Environmental Social and Governance factors in: -...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The purpose of Rent Supplement is to provide short-term income support to assist with the accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation.  It is subject to a means test and other eligibility criteria.  Rent Supplement claims are also subject to ongoing reviews and payments may be affected if relevant information is not provided or if there is any...

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

Heather Humphreys: Under social welfare legislation, a self-employed contributor will not be regarded as satisfying the contribution conditions for State pension (contributory) unless the person has paid self-employment contributions in respect of at least one contribution year prior to reaching pension age (currently 66 years), and all self-employment contributions payable have been paid. The Scope...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (22 Apr 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. An application for CA was received in respect of the person concerned on 13 November 2020.  It is a...

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision on 14 January 2021.  Under social welfare legislation the decision of the Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Recognition (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Work was commenced in relation to advancing the legislative process in relation to gender recognition those aged 16 and 17 years and other relevant measures at the start of 2020. Since then, the ongoing devotion of resources within my Department to the public health crisis and associated matters has meant that it has not yet been possible to further progress this work. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (22 Apr 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: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department, as an employer within the wider civil service, makes the Cycle to Work Scheme available to its employees.  There have been 588 Cycle to Work scheme take-ups since the start of 2018. 2020 showed an increased number of applications to the scheme compared to the precious two years. 2018123 2019153 2020230 2021 (to date)87 The Department's HR Wellbeing Unit was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Local Employment Service (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As part of the July stimulus, the Government committed to increase resources dedicated to the delivery of employment services both within the Department’s own Intreo service, and, in addition, to expand the coverage of the Local Employment Services to areas not currently covered by existing providers. My Department has already increased its own complement of employment service staff...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The increased shift to remote working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has given us the opportunity for a greater regional distribution of jobs and to support a better quality of life for many people who previously spent many hours in long commutes. Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good quality jobs while continuing to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Transport Policy (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Rural and Community Development has two office locations, one in Dublin and one  in Mayo. Employees are encouraged to cycle to work where possible. To help facilitate this, there are bike racks in each office as well as showers available for staff who choose an active commute to work. My Department promotes the tax incentivised Cycle to Work...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the experience of past recessions indicates that youth employment tends to be significantly impacted by any labour market shock. This is because many employers operate a "last in-first out" protocol when reducing their labour force. Moreover, in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact on our youth is driven by the tendency for many younger people to work in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1099, 1123, 1139 and 1165 together. The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is established as a statutory scheme since 5th August 2020 and is available to support employees and self-employed who have lost their employment as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic. Under the statutory conditions of the scheme, recipients must either be an employed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1100 and 1131 together. The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,557 schools and organisations benefitting 227,000 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: Public Services Card (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Since 1998, when legislative provision was first made for the PSC, it was always intended that it would be used widely across the public service to assist people in their dealings with public sector bodies. The list of public bodies that are authorised to use the PSC is set out in Schedule 5 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 (as amended). That Act also provides that is an offence...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A total of 870 people in Kerry were in receipt of Rent Supplement at end of March , of whom 302 were in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment as of April 18th 2021. The PUP rate breakdown is included in the attached tabular statement. Rent Supplement Recipients in Kerry also in receipt of PUP 302 of whom, received a €350 PUP 204 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On Monday 28th December 2020 new referrals to all contracted employment service providers including JobPath were suspended. As on previous occasions all contracted employment service providers continued to engage with their existing caseloads during these periods of suspensions of new referrals. . Mindful of the need to support the unemployed and given the labour market impacts arising from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1106 and 1136 together. Last year my Department received the report on the Public Employment Service from the Institute for Employment Studies. The report, is a contribution to the ongoing process of procuring new models of contracted Public Employment Services. I referred the report to the Labour Market Advisory Council for their views and my Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I recently signed Regulations which introduced a new disregard which will apply to Disability Allowance recipients who have been granted bursaries, stipends or scholarships towards completing a PhD. It is subject to an annual limit of €20,000 per annum (i.e. if a recipient gets more than one bursary, the combination cannot exceed €20,000) and is available for a maximum of four...