Results 16,521-16,540 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructure projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. In 2018 and 2019, the programme included funding for Play Areas and Multi-Use Games Areas (MUGAs), which required that facilities supported should be available for wider community use. The objective was that these play areas...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department's staff are not front-line workers and have therefore not been offered Covid vaccines due to their status as Non-front-line workers. However, they will be offered the vaccine, in due course, as part of Government community roll-out of the vaccine. The Department continues to adhere to public health advice in relation to Covid and to follow the guidance on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seirbhísí Farantóireachta (20 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Tá treoirlínte eisithe ag Feidhmeannach na Seirbhíse Sláinte chuig na farantóirí a iompraíonn daoine chuig na hoileáin mórthimpeall na tíre, agus tá aon eolas nó fógraíocht atá curtha ar fáil ag an FSS scaipthe ag an Roinn ar na comhlachtaí cuí. Is gné thábhachtach é an scaradh...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No. 1), the Government, having regard to the manifest and grave risk to human life and public health posed by the spread of Covid-19, extended the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a probable source of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 145 together. Fortnightly payments were introduced by my Department to assist with social distancing measures in the early period of the current pandemic. Having listened carefully to the concerns expressed by groups, such as St Vincent De Paul, around the difficulties presented to people, including our most vulnerable, in trying to manage money on a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 2 November 2020. It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Social Protection. These papers were received in the Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter issued to the person concerned on 8th January 2021 with details of the PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Apprenticeships are divided into on and off the job phases. Apprentices who are in a phase of off-the-job training will continue to receive their training allowance from the State. There will be no loss of income for these apprentices. Apprentices who were in the on-the-job phase with their employer and who have subsequently lost their employment as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The customer concerned is due arrears from 24/04/20 to 20/08/20. The amount due in PUP arrears to the customer concerned is €4774.00. The customer concerned should receive the payment within the next two weeks. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My specific priorities in 2021 include the finalisation and implementation of a new Pathways to Work Strategy which will increase the supports available to those who are unemployed, particularly those who are long-term unemployed, the further delivery of the pension commitments as outlined in the Programme for Government and the Roadmap for Pensions Reform; and the ongoing implementation...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy. A letter issued on 5th January 2021 with details of his PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Labour Activation Programmes (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Gateway Initiative was introduced in 2013 at a time of high unemployment in Ireland, with a target of 3,000 working opportunities. The aim of the Gateway scheme was to improve the employability and work readiness of participants by providing them with the opportunities to put their work skills into practice and to learn new skills to enable their progression to work, further...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 248 and 250 together. Prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic my Department 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 due...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, my Department has been working on a new Rural Development Policy as a successor to the Action Plan for Rural Development.  The new policy will be forward looking and ambitious, reflecting a whole-of-Government commitment to rural Ireland. It will have a five year horizon, and will seek to strengthen the resilience of our rural communities and economies,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (14 Jan 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.  The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through the relevant Local Authorities. The scheme provides Exchequer funding for the construction or improvement of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Strategies (14 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.  In delivering on its mission my Department has sought to continue to deliver on its programme of policies and initiatives as planned throughout 2020, with additional consideration given to delivering supports to communities facing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Early Retirement Allowance (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” commits to introducing a Retirement Payment for 65 year olds paid at the same rate as Jobseeker's Benefit without a requirement to sign on, partake in any activation measures or be available for and genuinely seeking work. Officials in my Department are currently considering how the Government commitment could be implemented and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, and based on experience from past recessions, youth employment tends to be disproportionately impacted by any labour market shock.  This is because many employers operate a "last in-first out" protocol when reducing their labour force and also because young people tend to work in occupations and sectors such as retail and hospitality, for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On the 22nd of October, I announced the extension of referrals to the JobPath service for a further twelve months until the end of 2021.  This was announced in conjunction with similar commitments to ensure contracts for the Local Employment Services, Job Clubs and EmployAbility would also be extended into 2021.  These measures were taken in order to expand the capacity...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Treatment Benefit Scheme (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: A standard eye examination is available, free of charge, under the terms of the Optical Benefit scheme, to all qualified PRSI contributors and their dependent spouse/partners on a biennial basis.  Some optical providers can now provide additional eye checks using new technology as an optional extra and these may incur an additional fee payable directly by the...