Results 15,861-15,880 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (25 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is just one of a number of initiatives funded under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme.  This Programme also includes the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, CLÁR and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The Local Authorities are heavily involved in the delivery...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rights of Way (25 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In 2011, a Mountain Access Scheme to facilitate access to the uplands for recreational users was developed through Comhairle na Tuaithe. Two areas were selected to pilot the approach - one at Mount Gable in Connemara and the other in the MacGillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry.   Comhairle na Tuaithe went on to establish a Mountain Access Project Steering Group in 2014, which was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (25 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population in the past. The areas originally designated for CLÁR were selected in 2001, based on the level of population decline at Electoral Division level between 1926 and 1996.  The Cooley Peninsula was also included in...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme is available to employees and self- employed people who have lost their employment and the income from that employment due to the pandemic, and who satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme. From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative, in line with requests from the Government, to be as flexible as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As outlined in the response to Dáil Question number 180 on 25th February 2021, the person concerned submitted an application for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance with effect from 02/02/2021 pending the outcome of his Invalidity Pension appeal. In order to complete the means assessment for this payment, a letter dated 10/02/2021 issued to the person concerned in which he was asked to...

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

Heather Humphreys: On 5th August 2020 the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) was introduced as a statutory scheme and all applicants of the scheme must meet all of its qualifying conditions.  In common with other Jobseeker payments such as Jobseekers Benefit and Allowance, the fundamental condition for receipt of PUP is that the person is available to work but cannot do so because suitable work is not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 960, 984, 1010 and 1024 together. I introduced the new Benefit Payment for 65 year olds in line with the Programme for Government commitment, to provide a benefit payment for people who are  aged 65 and who are required to retire, or who chose to retire, without a requirement to sign on, engage in activation measures or be available for and genuinely...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 18 December 2013.  According to the records of my Department, at that time they had a total of 1,075 qualifying full-rate paid and credited contributions from their date of entry into insurable employment on 24 January 1967 to end-December 2012.  This equated to a yearly average of 23 contributions and gave them an entitlement to a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 962 and 966 together. My Department administers the JobsPlus incentive which is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking employment. The conditions under which the JobsPlus scheme operate are designed to ensure that they address the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Benefit (CARB) is a payment made to insured people who leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a child or an adult in need of full-time care and attention. To qualify the carer must satisfy PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time care and attention and must show that the care recipient requires full-time care and attention....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (24 Mar 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 from the person concerned on 5 November 2020. The evidence submitted in support of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Poverty (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Government’s Strategy to Combat Energy Poverty was published by the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications in 2016.  The Strategy set out a number of actions to alleviate the burden of energy poverty on the most vulnerable in society.  The focus of the strategy was on high impact actions which aimed to make a real difference to the lives of those in energy...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department can assist customers who meet the qualifying conditions with funding under the Training Support Grant (TSG).  The TSG is designed to fund quick access to short-term training or related interventions for Jobseekers who have identified work opportunities or where Case Officers have identified an immediate skills gap that represents an obstacle to a Jobseeker in taking up a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Statutory Instruments (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Occupational Pension Scheme (Revaluation) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 87 of 2021) were signed on 22nd February 2021, laid before the Oireachtas on the 3rd March 2021 and published on both the Department’s website and the Irish Statutebook site at - I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: 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 an average of 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 contribution towards the energy costs...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. All decisions taken by Deciding Officers or Designated Persons of the Department of Social Protection are appealable to the Chief Appeals Officer.  About 85% of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is responsible for the administration of a range of benefits that support parents of new born and young babies.  In all circumstances, entitlement to claim benefit follows on from having an entitlement to the corresponding leave and the legislation covering the different forms of leave are the responsibility of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Disability allowance is a payment for persons between the ages of 16 and 66 with a specified disability which is expected to last at least 1 year, and who by reason of that disability, are substantially restricted in undertaking work suitable to their age, qualifications and experience.  Applicants must also satisfy a means test and be habitually resident in the State. The main...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: 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 contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Legislative Process (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Legislation in the Department of Social Protection is driven mainly by commitments in the Programme for Government.  The legislative programme is also based on other Government policy priorities that seek to ensure that Social Welfare, Pensions and Civil Registration legislation can respond to the evolving needs of society and, in particular, the Department's...