Results 16,121-16,140 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

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

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy regarding the number of on-site inspections by Social Welfare Inspectors is not retained specifically in relation to the construction sector. However I am happy to supply the Deputy with a summary of all employer investigations completed for the years in question. Employer investigations carried out by all Social Welfare Inspectors Year ...

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: Free Travel Scheme (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 582 together. 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...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Enterprise Support Grant (ESG) is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and re-start their business. A once-off grant of up to €1,000, to assist with the costs associated with reopening, is available under this measure. The grant, of up to €1,000, is payable to self-employed individuals who employ fewer than...

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

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 575 to 577, inclusive, together. These questions seek an interpretation of the law. The Deputy will appreciate that, as Minister, I am not in a position to offer any such interpretation, as such matters are reserved for the courts.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (24 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the processing of jobseeker claims is currently in line with my Department’s service delivery targets, the requirement to secure the assistance of third parties in the processing of such claims does not arise at this time. As the Deputy will be aware, individuals can apply for a jobseeker's claim online through my Department's online portal www.MyWelfare.ie. The pandemic and...

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

Heather Humphreys: Rent Supplement is a means-tested payment for certain people living in private rented accommodation who cannot provide for the cost of their accommodation from their own resources. Rent Supplement is generally paid to the person who has made the application. If there is evidence that payments are being withheld following the breakdown of a relationship, it is standard practice that the...

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

Heather Humphreys: The table beneath provides a breakdown of the permanent staff employed in my Department by gender, age range and by grade. These figures are as at the end of January 2021 and are full-time equivalents (FTE). The figure for full time equivalents takes account of staff that avail of work-share options.

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s Social Welfare Inspectors, including members of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) and the Employment Status Investigation Unit (ESIU), carry out employer investigations as part of their duties to ensure compliance with PRSI regulations. The ESIU is a team established in mid-2019. In contrast to other inspectors who check for and pursue compliance across social...

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

Heather Humphreys: 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 for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the...

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

Heather Humphreys: Widowed Parent Grant is a once off payment designed to assist with the income support needs of a widow(er) with at least one qualified child, immediately following the death of a spouse. A child aged between 18 and 22 continues to be a qualified child if they are in full time education by day at a recognised school or college. The course the child of the person concerned attends does not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (24 Feb 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 household. It is...

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

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the rate of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is linked to a person's previous average weekly earnings. Last November, I secured Government approval to extend the 2020 earnings reference period for employees to September 2020. This change, which is effective from 2 October, meant that people who only commenced employment after February 2020 but were laid-off in...

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

Heather Humphreys: As previously outlined in Dáil Question No. 519, 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 Supplementary...

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

Heather Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below, and includes those in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment for the weeks specified who were working in either pre-primary education or in child day-care activities. This breakdown is based on the sector of the last known employer. Week Commencing Total 21 December 2020 ...

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

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports for carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant. Combined spending on all these payments to carers in 2021 is expected to exceed €1.4 billion. At the end of December 2020, there were 88,906 people in receipt of Carer's Allowance. The estimated...

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

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The Department received a claim for IP for the person concerned on 09 October 2020. It has been decided that the person satisfies the medical criteria for IP. To qualify for IP a claimant...

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

Heather Humphreys: In total, the Department delivered 18 public information campaigns related to COVID-19 during 2020. The aim of these campaigns was to increase public awareness of the available Covid-19 related income supports and other related Department services. Advertising included national and regional print publications, national and regional radio, as well as targeted digital and social media...

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

Heather Humphreys: The enhanced Illness Benefit claim from the person concerned has been awarded. A payment of €733.34 has issued to her, paying her the full amount due for the duration of her claim. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

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

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered by that Office on 7 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. These papers were received from the Department of Social Protection on 8 December 2020. ...