Results 15,961-15,980 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these challenges, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. Along with other broader Government initiatives, my Department provided a range of supports in 2020 to assist community and voluntary organisations in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Administrative Arrangements (24 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department does not issue any fines, charges or bills in respect of the programme areas under its remit. Any funds which need to be remitted to the Department must be lodged through the Department of Justice, who provide Financial Shared Services to my Department. As such, any future plans for provision of an online payment facility would have to take place through that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together. The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is a statutory scheme to support employees who have lost their employment due to COVID-19. The scheme does not provide support for potential or prospective but unrealised employment. Where a person is not eligible for PUP, they may apply for a Jobseeker payment. Jobseeker's Benefit is paid for 9 months (234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (11 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 of a household....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In answer to the Deputy's question, since the start of the scheme there have been 88,336 people from Cork who have availed of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). As of March 9th 2020 a total of 47,011 people in Cork are currently in receipt of the PUP.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 3 March 2021. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant Departmental papers and comments by the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought. When these papers have been received from the Department the case in question will be referred...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit (11 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. An increased payment can be made where full-time care is being provided to two people. To qualify, the carer must satisfy certain PRSI conditions, employment conditions, show that they are providing full-time...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The customer concerned has received his arrears, including rerate arrears, in 3 separate payments, €1191, €585 and €300. The payment of €1191 was authorised on 17/12/2020 and corresponds to rerate arrears for the period 06/11/2020 to 10/12/2020 and arrears at €203 per week for the period 16/102020 to 05/11/2020. The payment of €585 was paid on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for disability allowance (DA) on 25 November 2020. The application, based upon all the evidence submitted, was refused on medical grounds as it was not found that this lady was substantially restricted in taking up employment. It was also refused on having means in excess of the statutory limit. Notification of this decision and the reason(s) for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel Allowance is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs. It is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made at the weekly rate of €28.00; or if preferred, by way of two lump sum payments; and is paid over the winter...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the tabular statement below: 1990 Recipients without Adult Dependants Recipients with Adult Dependants Total Recipients Old Age Pension Contributory 55,148 19,322 74,470 Old Age Pension Non Contributory 109,271 8,952 118,223 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The table below provides details of PRSI receipts for each of the years 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020 as requested by the Deputy. - 1990 2000 2010 2020 Social Insurance Fund €1,604 million €3,726 million €6,701 million €10,639 million National Training Fund ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As previously outlined in Dáil Questions 519 and 587, payment of a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) in the case of the person concerned ceased on 23/12/2020 and is currently suspended pending the provision of a current Irish Residence Permit (IRP) formerly known as a GNIB card. This permit is required to verify continued entitlement to JA. The person concerned applied for a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (11 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, a subsidised air service is in operation between Aerfort Chonamara and the Aran Islands. Work is underway within my Department to develop the new PSO tender documents, with a view to tenders being sought in the coming months. There are no proposals to include an air service to Inishbofin as part of the request for tenders.

Civil Registration (Right of Adoptees to Information) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the debate in the House today and acknowledge all of the Deputies who have contributed, particularly those who have shared personal family stories. I also thank Deputy Funchion and Sinn Féin for bringing forward this Bill. We all recognise the background to the issues giving rise to this initiative. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, has already set out...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to employees and self-employed persons who have lost employment as a direct consequence of COVID-19. To date expenditure on the PUP scheme is over €6.2 billion. There is some flexibility under PUP which provides that a self-employed person can take up limited employment and retain PUP, whereby they can earn up to €960 over a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Gender Recognition (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The report of the group established to review the 2015 Gender Recognition Act advised that the process of changing a person’s name after they receive a gender recognition certificate should be made less difficult and suggested that a gender recognition certificate could act as a legal change of name as well as a legal change of gender. The previous Government had developed legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Local Employment Service (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, contracts for the existing employment services have been renewed until end-2021. My Department is currently finalising a new model of employment services in some areas of the State where there are currently no local employment services. The provision of these new employment services will assist in ensuring that we are in a position to support those who have lost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I spoke directly to the person referred to last week as soon as her case was brought to my attention. I have asked my officials to bring forward the necessary legislative changes required to remedy this situation as a matter of urgency and, once drafted, I intend to sign regulations to this effect in the coming days.