Results 16,101-16,120 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Circular 20/2019 on Promoting the use of Environmental and Social Considerations in Public Procurement provides for public bodies to deliver wider social aims through their procurement processes by the inclusion of social considerations, such as the promotion of social enterprises. The purpose of such a clause is to support the inclusion of social enterprises in public procurement given...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Consultation Process (25 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The issues raised in the approximately 1,000 submissions to the public consultation relating to the control of dogs in Ireland are wide ranging, complex and require analysis, further consultation with stakeholders and an exploration of approaches in other jurisdictions. This process is nearing completion and I expect the findings of this review to be submitted to me shortly. Some of...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: European Council Meetings (25 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I do not currently attend any specific Council of the European Union fora, either formal or informal, in my role as Minister for Rural and Community Development.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Procurement Contracts (25 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 380 together. I can confirm that no contracts for Covid-19 related spending for my Department, in 2020 or to date in 2021, took place via negotiated procedure without prior publication.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Offices (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department operates 13 main offices and 75 Intreo and public offices. All of these buildings have at least one restroom for staff which can be used by a breastfeeding mother. The rooms have a bed, a chair and a lockable door. All our offices have fridge facilities for use by staff and arrangements are made locally by mothers who wish to store expressed milk. The Department also...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The following tables outline the recipient numbers and expenditure for the State Pension (Non-Contributory) and State Pension (Contributory) schemes for the requested years: 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020. Note that the expenditure amounts for 1990 and 2000 have been converted from Punts to Euro (£1=€1.27) State pension (non-contributory) 1990 2000 ...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 555 and 562 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Turas Nua is one of two companies under the JobPath contract to provide, as part of the State's Public Employment Service, employment assistance and advice to the long-term unemployed in order to assist them secure full-time paid employment. On 22 October 2020, I announced the extension of referrals to the JobPath service for a further twelve months until the end of 2021. At that time I...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme is the safety net within the overall social welfare system in that it provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. Supports provided under the SWA scheme can consist of a basic weekly payment, a weekly or monthly supplement in respect of certain expenses, as...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds may be paid from the date of a person's 65th birthday until the date of their 66th birthday as long as they continue to satisfy the conditions for this payment. The person concerned has signed for Jobseeker Credits from 12/10/2017 and it appears from an initial examination of his contribution history that he requires a further 13 paid contributions at Class...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pensions Reform (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I recently announced the introduction of the new Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds. This fulfils a key commitment in the Programme for Government to provide a benefit payment for people who are aged 65 and who are required to or who choose to retire early, without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. This new payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds is a payment for people aged 65 who have ceased employment or self-employment and who satisfy the pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. To qualify, a customer must have paid at least 104 PRSI insurable employment contributions at Class A, H or P OR have paid at least 156 PRSI self-employment contributions at Class S AND have paid at...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 593 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: Social Welfare Appeals (24 Feb 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 21 August 2020. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the light of new evidence or new facts....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA) is a full-time education support available to jobseekers to enable them to take up full-time education opportunities while continuing to receive income support related to standard jobseeker schemes. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment for a minimum period, which is generally between 3 and 9 months,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Advisers (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I have requested the appointment of one advisor in the Department of Social Protection. The details are as follows: Name Address Contact email address Mr. Pauric McPhillips Ministers Office Dept. of Social Protection Aras Mhic Dhiarmada Store Street Dublin 1 Pauric.McPhillips@welfare.ie

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is a statutory scheme to support employees of working age from 18 years up to pensionable age, 66 years, who have lost their employment due to COVID-19. The age range is consistent with other social protection schemes payable to people of working age. A person under 18 years of age who has lost their employment and is living in the family home is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The following table provides a breakdown of the permanent staff employed in my Department by gender and by civil service salary scale. These figures are as at the end of January 2021. The figure for full time equivalents (FTE) takes account of staff that avail of work-share options. Male Female Grade Staff Count FTE...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department currently has seven (7) live studies in progress. Details of these are set out in tabular format as follows. Live studies, reviews and research undertaken or commissioned Expected completion date 1. Review of Management Accounting Process. Q.2 2021 2. The Department, on behalf of the Pensions...

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

Heather Humphreys: The telephone support allowance (TSA) is an allowance of €2.50 which is paid to more than 135,000 customers weekly. The estimated full year cost of the scheme in 2021 is over €18 million. To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment and also in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance. The scheme supports...