Results 16,321-16,340 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Parental Leave (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 415 and 420 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme (MIS) was to provide short-term support to eligible people who were unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence due to temporary unemployment of loss of earnings.  The mortgage interest supplement scheme was discontinued to new entrants from 1st January...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Basic payment is a short term emergency payment that can be made pending the award of the most appropriate primary payment, such as Jobseekers Allowance or Disability Allowance.  If a person is fit for work, they should apply for a Jobseekers Allowance, and if a person is unfit for work due to illness or disability, they should apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision.  The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer’s decision on 27 January 2021. This particular appeal was registered in the Social Welfare Appeals Office...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has provided the required details for the bank account where they wish their State pension (contributory) to be paid.  Arrears due will issue to the person’s bank account by Friday, 5 February 2021 and pension payments will be made to that account each Friday. The person concerned was notified accordingly in writing on 1 February 2021. I hope this clarifies...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (3 Feb 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 adult who has such a disability that as a result, they require that level of care. Credited contributions (credits) are social insurance contributions designed to protect the social insurance entitlement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department approved 77,070 Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) applications in 2020 and 11,346 PPSN applications in January 2021. My Department does not maintain records of instances where a person has applied for a PPSN but is found not to be entitled to one.  The SAFE registration process, which involves the authentication of a person's...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Insured workers may be awarded credits if they claim a social welfare payment because they are out of work, or they are ill or incapacitated, or if they are engaged in certain training or educational courses. In order to be entitled to such credits, a person must be in receipt of a qualifying payment in their own right.  Under current legislation, the person concerned is not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department the first person concerned submitted an application for a rent supplement payment with effect from 28 September 2020.  The application was disallowed on the basis that the person concerned had not established a reduction in household income as a result of the Pandemic and has therefore not established a need for a Rent Supplement.  It was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence.  The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test.  The package is also available to some people under the age of 66 who are in receipt of certain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In March 2020, under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1) and subsequent regulations, the Government provided for entitlement to Illness Benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with Covid-19 or are a probable source of infection with Covid-19. At €350 per week, the rate of payment of the enhanced Illness...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance, under the National fuel scheme, may be payable to certain households in receipt of long term Social Welfare payments who are unable to provide for their heating needs.  The allowance is subject to a means test and is paid only to those who live alone or with certain exempted people.  Full details of the qualifying criteria for the scheme are available on the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 429, 430 and 431 together. The Social Welfare Appeals Office functions independently of the Minister for Social Protection and of the Department and is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. I am advised by the Chief Appeals Officer that it is currently not possible to facilitate in-person oral...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In line with other statutory social welfare schemes, all decisions made by deciding officers of my Department in relation to entitlement to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) and associated regulations. It is open to any person to request a review of any statutory decision made by my...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: All decisions made by deciding officers and designated persons of my Department in relation to entitlement to social welfare payments are bound by the relevant provisions of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) and associated regulations. The legislation provides for a transparent and fair decision making process in conjunction with the control of social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Aviation Industry (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: In cases where a person's working hours have been reduced employees may claim part-time jobseeker payments or Short-Time Work Support payments for days of unemployment where they are not being remunerated. To qualify for a jobseekers payment a person must be unemployed for at least 4 days out of 7 consecutive days. Jobseekers benefit is available to people who have sufficient social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: An application for domiciliary care allowance was received from the person concerned on the 30th September 2020. The application was not allowed as the child was not considered to satisfy the qualifying conditions for the allowance. A letter issued on the 6th November setting out the decision of the deciding officer to refuse the allowance. A request for a review of the decision was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Domiciliary Care Allowance (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 13 November 2020.  The person concerned was notified of the Appeals Officer's decision on 17 November 2020. Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (3 Feb 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. Claim processing times are currently  well within the set targets.  These are kept under active review to ensure this  standard is maintained  and improved...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (3 Feb 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The basic supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependents.  The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who are awaiting the outcome of a claim or an appeal for a primary social welfare payment or do not...