Results 15,981-16,000 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (10 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. I confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 24 October 2019. On foot of a...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 29 January 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. These papers were received on 15 February 2021. The appeal was referred on 26 February...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 9 February 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. The papers were received on 22 February 2021. The appeal was referred on 1 March 2021...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (10 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 20 October 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. Those papers were received in the Social...

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

Heather Humphreys: I confirm that an application from the person concerned for disability allowance (DA) was received by the Department on 19 November 2020. The application has been referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for a report on the person’s means and circumstances. On 2 February 2021 the person concerned was asked to supply further documentation which was required by the SWI in order to...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered with that office on 11 December 2020. 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. The papers were received on 20 January 2021. The appeal was referred on 28 January...

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

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from 18 November 2020. A letter issued to him on 10 February 2021 informing him of this decision. The first payment was made by his chosen payment method on 17 February 2021. Arrears of payment due were calculated and issued to the person concerned on 10 February 2021 I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability. It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. The only exception to this is the...

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

Heather Humphreys: The rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment for a self-employed person is calculated by reference to their reckonable income in either 2018 or 2019, whichever is the greater. Detail of reckonable income is provided to the Department by the Revenue Commissioners. The Department uses 2019 and 2020 (to end September) earnings data in respect of employees as this information is readily...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Telephone Support Allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. Approximately 135,500 customers are in receipt of the TSA payment. The full year cost of the scheme is estimated at €18 million. The primary objective of the TSA is to allow the most vulnerable people at risk of isolation, including the elderly and those with disabilities, access to personal alarms or phones...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the earnings disregard for the Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment by €5, €10, €15, respectively is set out in tabular form below: - € Estimated additional Annual Cost @ €170 disregard €664,000 Estimated additional Annual Cost @ €175...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The data requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below Figures as at 28/02/2021 Number of Recipients Jobseekers Allowance 140,368 Jobseekers Allowance (Claim duration > 390 days) 90,480 Jobseekers Allowance + Fuel Allowance 31,394 Working Family Payment 46,688

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 581 together. 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 a 24 month period...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Make Work Pay report was published in April 2017 following a commitment in the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for people with disabilities 2015 -2024, and was undertaken in order to better identify how people with disabilities could be supported to achieve their employment ambitions. The report made two recommendations (numbers 9 and 10) that addressed significant issues around the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (10 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department, like every other Government Department and Office, is required to move its banking operations to Danske Bank on foot of a Government decision to tender for an “All of Government” Banking Service in 2017. The Government’s objective then was to identify the most economically advantageous arrangement for the provision of an efficient, streamlined,...

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

Heather Humphreys: Parent’s Leave and Benefit will be extended from 2 weeks for each parent to 5 weeks as announced in Budget 2021. This extension will be made available retrospectively to parents in respect of children born or adopted on or after 1st November 2019. The period during which this leave can be taken will be extended from 12 to 24 months so it can be taken up to a child's second birthday...

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

Heather Humphreys: Maternity benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed pregnant women who satisfy certain pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. In order to qualify for maternity benefit, a person must be in employment immediately before the first day of her maternity leave. The last day of insurable employment must be within 16 weeks of the end of the week in...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 584, 610 and 612 together. The Pensions Commission was established in November 2020 to examine sustainability and eligibility issues with the State Pension and the Social Insurance Fund, in fulfillment of a Programme for Government commitment. These issues are being considered from a perspective of fiscal and social sustainability, and intergenerational...

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

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance for people with a disability aged between 16 and 66 with a disability expected to last for at least one year and who satisfy the medical condition, means test and are habitually resident in Ireland. Processing times vary across schemes, depending of the differing qualification criteria. Schemes that require a high level of documentary...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department is committed to providing a quality service to all its customers, ensuring that applications are processed and that decisions on entitlement are made as quickly as possible. Processing times vary across schemes, depending on the different qualification criteria. Also, means-tested payments can require more detailed investigation and interaction with the applicant, thereby...