Results 16,561-16,580 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned submitted an application for a Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) on 24/3/2020 confirming his last day worked was 06/03/2020.  A PUP was awarded at the weekly rate of €350 in line with the scheme guidelines at that time. From 29/06/2020 the PUP rate was revised and where a person had no earnings in 2018 or 2019 (for self-employed) and in 2019 or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work supplementary, family benefit which provides additional income support to employees with children and on low earnings. Once awarded, WFP is payable for 52 weeks from the date of award at a fixed weekly rate. At the end of the 52 week award period, a person must submit a new application for reassessment. In order to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (13 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 26 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Waiting Times (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Payment of 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 GNIB card.  This card is required to verify continued entitlement to JA.  Following 3 requests made to the person concerned on 13/10/2020, 25/11/2020 and 08/12/2020 for a current GNIB card, the person concerned informed...

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

Heather Humphreys: Where a recipient of State Pension (contributory or non-contributory ) dies and their spouse/civil-partner/cohabitant is receiving a State Pension in their own right, the surviving recipient has an entitlement to a six weeks after-death payment. As the deceased spouse of the person concerned was in receipt of State Pension (non-contributory), the person concerned qualifies for a six weeks...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My officials have advised that an application form for an Emergency Needs Payment (ENP) and a request for information issued to the person concerned on 06/01/2021. On receipt of the completed application form and any relevant supporting documentation, the ENP application will be assessed and a decision will issue to the person concerned. I trust this clarifies the matter.

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department, like all Government departments and agencies, is required to operate within a staff ceiling figure and a commensurate administrative staffing budget. The staffing needs for all areas within the Department are continuously reviewed, taking account of workloads, management priorities and the ongoing need to respond to new demands across a wide range of services. This is to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the application made by the person concerned for a Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) his claim has been awarded with effect from 13/10/2020 at a rate of €203 per week. A payment will issue to the nominated bank account of the person concerned on Tuesday, 19/01/2021 and any arrears due will issue in the coming weeks. I trust this clarifies the matter.

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

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the entitlement of the person concerned, her claim was suspended as she failed to supply the information required in order to assess her entitlement. Following the submission of this information by the person concerned, their case has been reviewed and their disability allowance (DA) has been re-instated with effect from 7 October 2020. The first payment will be made...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is due Pandemic Unemployment Payment rerate arrears for the periods 26th June 2020 to the 9th of July 2020 and also from the 9th October 2020 to the 5th November 2020. There has been a technical issue with rerate arrears being paid to customers for dates prior to the 06/11/2020. It is envisaged that these arrears will be paid in January 2021. I trust this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for their State pension (contributory) on 18 September 2020 and will reach pension age on 18 February 2021. They were awarded the maximum rate of pension with effect from their 66th birthday. They were notified in writing of this decision on 8 January 2021. The legislation confirming pension age as 66 was enacted on 22 December 2020. I hope this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Due to the nature of the public health crisis, the numbers in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) have fluctuated over time. At the end of March, 283,129 people received a PUP; at the end of June, 438,933 people received a PUP; at the end of September 217,142 people received a PUP; and at the end of December, 335,599 people received a PUP. In total, over the course of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Money Advice and Budgeting Service (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), under the aegis of the Citizens Information Board, (CIB) is the State's money advice service and provides assistance to people, in particular those on low incomes or living on social welfare payments, who are over-indebted. As part of its free services, MABS also provides help and advice to those in mortgage arrears, and administers the Abhaile...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised that the Department has no record of receiving an application from the person concerned for a Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension. Therefore, the Deputy will appreciate that I cannot comment on this particular case. However, in general terms, the following are important points to note. The Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Department has not used outsourcing to consultancies for specifically Covid-related work, services or advice. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment received by the person concerned on the 20th October 2020 was in respect of the period 9th October 2020 to the 15th October 2020. I am advised that when PUP arrears were being calculated in respect of the person concerned, a payment in respect of the period from 2nd to the 8th October was processed but these arrears were nullified by an earlier PUP...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: To date over €5 billion has been paid in relation to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment since its introduction in March 2020 in response to the effects of the Covid-19 virus. On 5th August the payment was introduced as a statutory scheme to continue to mitigate the severe social and economic effects of the Covid-19 virus. To be eligible for the payment a person must have lost their...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Welfare (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Each year my Department publishes annual statistics on gov.ie in respect of a range of dog control responsibilities of local authorities.  Information up to and including 2019 is available at the following link:  The number of livestock worrying incidents reported to the local authorities in 2019 was also collated and published for the first time in 2020.  253livestock worrying...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (13 Jan 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Last December, I announced funding of €20 million for the Transitional LEADER Programme, which will come into effect from 1 April 2021 for new project approvals. In tandem with this announcement and in response to a number of requests for an extension of the timeline for project approvals, I extended the deadline for project commitments under the 2014-2020 programme to the end of...