Results 16,481-16,500 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person’s pension entitlement has now been reviewed, and they have been awarded State pension (contributory) with effect from their 66thbirthday. According to the records available to my Department, the person has a total of 2,365 qualifying paid and credited contributions from 1965 to 2015. Under the yearly average calculation, this equates to a yearly average of 47. The person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person referred to has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from the 01 October 2020. Payment will issue to his nominated bank account on 28 January 2021. Any arrears due from 01 October 2020 to 27 January 2021 (less any overlapping social welfare payment) will issue in due course. Notification of the decision issued to the person concerned on 19 January 2021. I hope this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The widowed or surviving civil partner grant is a once-off payment of €8,000 available to widows, widowers or surviving civil partners who have one or more dependent children living with them at the date of death, or a widow or surviving civil partner whose child is born within 10 months of the date of death, of her spouse or civil partner. The applicant must also qualify for certain...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (21 Jan 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. It is a condition for receipt of a CA that the person being cared for must have such disability that they require...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On 22 October 2020, I announced my intention to renew or extend all contracted public employment services, including JobPath, in the context of addressing the labour market challenges of Covid-19. The current restrictions mean the demand for public employment services will grow, rather than shrink, in the short-to-medium term. I should emphasise that JobPath is just one element of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath service providers are paid on the basis of performance and, with the exception of the initial registration fee, payments are made only when a client has achieved sustained employment. The initial set-up costs and the day to day running costs are borne by the service providers. The final overall cost of JobPath will be determined by the number of people who participate in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 17 January 2021. They were awarded 93.8% of the maximum rate of pension and living alone allowance with effect from their 66th birthday. They were notified in writing of this decision on 19 January 2021. A mixed insurance, pro rata, State pension (contributory) has also to be determined for this person as they worked in the public sector, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned was assessed with a Jobseekers Allowance (JA) overpayment of €153,702.20. This decision was appealed and the Appeals Officer's decision provided for the award of Carers Allowance (CA) for a period which would have reduced the amount of the overpayment amount. Following a request by the Department for a review of this decision, the Appeals Officers decision was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group to examine certain issues in relation to child maintenance in Ireland. The Group is chaired by former Circuit Court Judge Catherine Murphy and includes legal, policy and academic professionals as well as officials from my Department and the Department of Justice. The Group's Terms of Reference are to consider and make...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As of Monday 28thDecember 2020 new referrals to Jobpath providers were suspended due to the Level 5+ Covid Pandemic restrictions. In parallel with the Intreo service, our contracted public employment services, including JobPath and the Local Employment Services, paused and resumed activation for new referrals during 2020 in line with public health advice. Referrals to the employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm for the Deputy that the review referred to was completed in August 2020 and submitted to me shortly thereafter. The finalised report from the external consultants includes a review of my Department's entire Public Employment Services provision and outlines a model for the future provision of employment services. I referred the consultants’ report to the Labour...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (21 Jan 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 an average of 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....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: One-Parent Family Payment (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The issue of family maintenance payments is first and foremost a private matter for the people concerned. Where a one parent family payment (OFP) is awarded, the Department seeks to contact the other parent, referred to as the liable relative, in order to ascertain if they are in a financial position to make a contribution towards the cost of the OFP. This contribution will be assessed in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Offshore Islands (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic my officials had been engaged in a process of consultation with island communities in relation to the development of a new Islands Policy. This consultation was carried out through structured public meetings on the islands. The consultation process had to be temporarily suspended during 2020 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and to avoid...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) are among the first deliverables of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) and will provide high-speed broadband connectivity to publicly accessible sites in rural and isolated areas of the country, including a number of our off-shore islands. These sites will be provided with a temporary wireless connection by National Broadband Ireland (NBI), the company...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 517 to 519, inclusive, together. Arising from the first and second calls under the Rural Regeneration scheme, 63 Category 1 projects have been approved for funding of €131 million and 76 Category 2 projects have been approved for funding of €35 million. Category 1 relates to major capital projects that can drive sustainable rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (21 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The third call for Category 1 applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed on 1st December. My Department received 66 applications to this call and I understand that an application was received relating to the Omeath Regeneration Strategy Project, submitted by Louth County Council. The application process for the Fund is competitive in nature. Applications are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 341 together. To be eligible for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment a person must have lost their employment as a direct consequence of Covid-19 and must not be in receipt of pay from their employer. From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative, in line with requests from the Government, to be as flexible as possible in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 333 and 334 together. To date approximately €5.3 Billion has been paid on the Pandemic Unemployment payment (PUP) which continues to mitigate the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our economy and society. The scheme will remain open to new applications until 31st March. To be eligible for PUP a person must have become unemployed due to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 336 together. The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is a statutory support which is available to support persons of working age from 18 years up to pensionable age, 66 years, who have lost their employment due to the pandemic and where they are not being paid by their employer. The age range provided for is consistent with other social...