Results 16,681-16,700 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 18 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: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity pension (IP) is a payment for people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness or incapacity and for no other reason and who satisfy the pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution conditions. The review of the decision to disallow IP will be processed as quickly as possible and the person concerned will be notified directly of the outcome. As the further...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an appeal for the person concerned was registered on 29 July 2020 and file papers were received from the Department on 24 August 2020. The appeal was assigned to an Appeals Officer on 11 September 2020. The Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, has decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The delivery of public library services, including the provision of library premises, is a matter for each local authority in accordance with the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of library services in Ballybay and the surrounding areas is a matter generally for Monaghan County Council. My Department funds a Libraries Capital Programme which is currently fully committed...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The total allocation for the LEADER programme for 2021 is €44 million. This is an increase of €4 million on the 2020 allocation. I can confirm that this allocation will be used to fund a combination of existing projects as they come to completion, as well as for new projects to be approved under the Transitional LEADER Programme, which I announced yesterday. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: National Broadband Plan (17 Dec 2020)

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: Community Development Projects (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Funding may be available through the LEADER Programme for the type of project referred to by the Deputy. LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-2020 which is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country. To date, over 3,700 core projects have been approved under the current programme, for funding in excess of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Public health guidance has been issued by Government, the HSE, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSPC), the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and others. This guidance should be carefully considered and should form the basis for any COVID-19 related plans. Further guidance for the community and voluntary sector has been developed by my Department in conjunction with Pobal to help...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland, allowing people to build careers in good quality jobs while continuing to live closer to home. It also provides an opportunity for those that moved away from home to return to their roots to raise their families. The increased shift to remote work in the last nine months as a result of COVID-19 has given us the opportunity to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (17 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, due to delays at EU level, there will be a delay between the end of the current LEADER programme, which was due to conclude at the end of this year, and the next EU programme which will not now commence until 2023. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a transitional LEADER programme to bridge that gap. Yesterday, 16th December 2020, I...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Senator Craughwell for tabling the amendment but, as I indicated in the House on Monday, I will not be able to accept it. I am happy to consider it and will certainly ask my officials to look at the matter. Senators Ardagh, Higgins, Lombard, Wall, Seery Kearney, Chambers, Carrigy and Crowe have spoken and I understand and appreciate the points that all of them have made. It is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Senators for their courtesy and co-operation in ensuring that the Bill was passed in good time in order that it could go to the President for signature. A good number of the amendments in the Bill will make a difference to people's lives. Social protection is here to help people and to give them that helping hand whenever they need it. It is the support mechanism that we have as a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review, an entitlement to a Christmas Bonus payment has been established for the person concerned as a result of the combined period he spent in receipt of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker’s Benefit payments. The person concerned qualifies for a bonus of 100% of his normal weekly payment of €529.70. This payment will issue to the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID 19 pandemic unemployment payment (PUP) was introduced as an emergency measure to meet the surge in unemployment which resulted from the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. In order to ensure that the scheme was accessible for the unprecedented number of applicants, flat payment rates were introduced. In certain circumstances, people with dependents were advised to apply for a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 18 February 2019. They applied for State Pension (contributory) on 9 September 2020. In line with social welfare legislation, the person was awarded State pension (contributory) at 94.2% of the maximum weekly rate, backdated to 10 March 2020, six months from the date of their application. They were notified in writing of this decision on 28...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (16 Dec 2020)

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. I can confirm that my Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 29 September 2020. It is a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Based on the evidence supplied in support of this person’s application, her application for disability allowance (DA) was disallowed on the grounds that the medical qualifying condition was not satisfied. The person in question was notified in writing of this decision on 3 November 2020. Following the submission of further medical evidence by the person concerned, their case has been...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Christmas Bonus is paid to social welfare recipients such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers, lone parents and the long-term unemployed in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on their social welfare payment for all or most of their income. In recognition of the impact that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on employment levels and the sudden financial...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (16 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has had their application for Pandemic Unemployment Payment reviewed and is due one week arrears for the period 3rdApril to 9thApril 2020 in the sum of €350.00. The payment has been approved and will be paid to the persons nominated bank account within the next week. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.