Results 16,201-16,220 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes Data (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: To date, just under 894,000 people have applied for the Covid Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This week, my Department issued payments valued at €144.6 million to over 477,000 people who are currently being paid under the scheme. Since the onset of the pandemic almost €6 billion has been spent on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. In line with all other social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The well-being of the Department's staff has been to the forefront in the management of the Covid-19 pandemic. The huge impact on the organisation necessitated a new Well-being policy and associated delivery plan which was approved and supported by the Management Board in July 2020. The strategic plan was developed centrally by the Department's Human Resources (HR) area with a dedicated...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Payments (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Departmental records reflect that the person concerned submitted an online application for a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) payment in July 2020. Unfortunately, due to an error in the online platform, the application was not picked up and remained unprocessed. As a result of your representation, the person concerned was contacted on 16/02/2021 and asked to submit certain documentation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Expenditure (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection does not have any contracts with public relations agencies or PR consultants. I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ministerial Correspondence (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Strengthening bilateral relations with the US is a priority for Ireland as set out in our Programme for Government, as well in our Strategy for the US and Canada (2019-2025). While I have not been in contact with my US counterpart directly I look forward to engaging with the US Administration on issues as they arise and in particular on our bilateral social security agreement. Officials from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,557 schools and organisations benefitting 227,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that officials of my Department have been in contact with the Deputy's office and with the individual referred to by the Deputy regarding her Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) and the matter has been satisfactorily resolved. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. It is funded by my Department and administered through the relevant Local Authorities. Since the LIS was re-launched in 2017, over €58 million has been allocated for improvement works on over...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Welfare (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Act provides a robust regulatory framework for, inter alia, the licensing, monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments by local authorities and, where a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, for the closure of such establishments. As...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dog Licences (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department publishes annual statistics in respect of a range of the dog control responsibilities of local authorities. Information up to and including 2019, by county and in tabular form, is available at the following link: . The 2020 dog control statistics will be published later this year. The total number of dog licences issued in 2019 was 217,261. This includes 212,559 individual dog...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. It is funded by my Department and administered through the relevant Local Authorities. Since the LIS was re-launched in 2017, over €58 million has been allocated for improvement works on over...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department’s policies and funding programmes aim to deliver sustainable outcomes that positively impact the quality of life of those living and working in our communities. The Department of Rural and Community Development is finalising a new whole-of-Government Rural Development Policy for the next five years, which will set out a range of measures to strengthen the resilience...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1062 and 1064 together. My Department’s mission is to promote rural and community development and support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country and I am committed to the successful delivery of a number of programmes which have provided financial and other supports to community groups and organisations. These...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1063 and 1070 together. Addressing the issue of social inclusion and isolation in communities is central to many of my Department’s policies and funding programmes which deliver targeted supports to benefit vulnerable individuals. Policy in my Department is informed, during its development, by extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department works closely with Local Authorities and community groups across the State on a range of issues, including connectivity and digital development. Under the Broadband Connection Points (BCP) initiative, which my Department has been leading on, some 300 locations will be provided with high-speed broadband connections for onsite public use. BCPs are typically community centres...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER programme, which is co-funded by the EU, is based on a local-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The programme supports projects from local community groups and businesses which, amongst other objectives, promote economic development, social inclusion and the protection of the rural environment. The programme is administered at local level by 29 Local Action Group...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1072 and 1073 together. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme aims to support the revitalisation of Ireland's rural towns and villages. In 2020, the scheme was adapted to assist towns and villages to respond to the impact of COVID-19. I approved over €25.7 million in funding for more than 500 projects under the scheme last year, with the support...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My objective is to ensure that our offshore islands continue to support sustainable and vibrant communities. In this regard, the integration of the islands function into my Department last year will ensure a more integrated and cohesive approach the development of island communities and their economies, as an integral part of rural Ireland. My Department is currently developing a new...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not entered into any such contracts, as described by the Deputy, this year.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Communications (17 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: There has been no contact to date between my offices in the Department of Rural & Community Development and the US administration.