Results 17,001-17,020 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 24 October 2020. They applied for State pension (contributory) on 24 July 2020. Since the person had a record of self-employment, their claim was referred to my Department’s Client Eligibility Service (CES) on 15 September 2020 to confirm their social insurance record, as is normal practice in self-employment cases. The case was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded disability allowance (DA) with effect from the future date of 16 December 2020 as they are currently in receipt of a higher rate of jobseeker's allowance (JA). The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 20 November 2020. The first payment will be made by their chosen payment method on 16 December 2020. I trust this clarifies the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Local Employment Service (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 to 486, inclusive, together. My Department is in the process of designing and drafting a request for tender for the provision of additional employment services. This additional provision will be in the areas of the country which currently do not have a Local Employment Service in operation and where the analysis of the Live Register indicates there are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Qualified Child Allowance (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An Increase for two qualified children was awarded to the person concerned with effect from 12 May 2020. The allowance was backdated six months from 11 November 2020. The person was notified of this decision on 19 November 2020. Other aspects of this claim have been examined and it is possible to further backdate the allowance for one of the children. The person concerned will be notified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Guardian's Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for Guardian's Payment (Contributory) in April 2019. A letter issued to the person concerned on 23 April 2019, requesting further information, to which no reply was received. A reminder letter issued on 04 July 2019 but no reply was received. Subsequently an attempt was made to contact the person concerned by telephone, to no avail. On 01 August 2019, having...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has had his eligibility for arrears of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment assessed and the sum of €3,339.00 has been approved for payment. This payment is due to be credited to the nominated bank account of the person concerned on 1st December 2020.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government recognises the importance of supporting people with disabilities to access employment opportunities. Through the Comprehensive Employment Strategy, my Department is committed to improving employment outcomes and removing barriers to employment for persons with disabilities. The supports provided are designed to enable them to achieve their employment ambitions by focusing on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Youth Unemployment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: We know from past recessions that young people tend 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, that are most immediately affected by economic downturns. As research...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Illness Benefit (1 Dec 2020)

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 provisions of the Social Welfare Acts to provide for entitlement to illness benefit for persons who have been diagnosed with, or are a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to the unemployed who lost their employment due to Covid- 19 and satisfy the scheme conditions. Self- employed individuals must have suffered a reduction in their trading income to the extent that they are available for full time employment. The weekly rate is linked to prior weekly earnings. Individuals with prior earnings of €400...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Inquiries (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In accordance with the provisions under the FOI publication scheme, my Department publishes details of public contracts awarded (over €25k). The tables below outline all contracts over €25k for 2018, 2019 and to the end of Q3 2020. 2018 Tender Name Contract Awarded To-Name Contract Award Date Expected Value of Contract- Excluding VAT ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Christmas Bonus will be paid in the week beginning 7th December to social welfare recipients, such as pensioners, people with disabilities, carers and lone parents in recognition of their long-term financial dependence on social welfare payments 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (1 Dec 2020)

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 individual on 27th November 2020 with details of the PPSN. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Working Family Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is an in-work family payment which provides additional income support to employees on low earnings with children, relative to family size. An application for WFP was received from the person concerned on 17 February 2020. Their application was referred to a Social Welfare Inspector (SWI) for clarification on 02 March 2020 as it was not possible to carry out a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Following a review of the entitlement of the person concerned, it was found that she had a decrease in her means from 18 March 2020. Based on the information provided to my Department, an increased rate of disability allowance (DA) was awarded. The first payment will be made to their chosen payment method on 2 December 2020. A letter issued to the person concerned informing her of this on...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: From last March to June 29th last the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was paid at a flat rate of €350 per week. From June 29th the Pandemic Unemployment Payment was paid at two different rates and this rate was linked to an employee's average gross weekly earnings in 2019. If the average was greater than €200 per week in 2019 then the appropriate Pandemic Unemployment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Benefit (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role. This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Paternity Leave (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: While there are no plans to extend Paternity Leave and Benefit beyond the existing duration of two weeks, fathers will be able to avail of the extension to Parent's Leave and Benefit from two weeks for each parent to five weeks, as provided for in Budget 2021. This extension will be made available retrospectively to parents in respect of all children born or adopted on or after 1st November...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Living Alone Allowance (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An application for the Living Alone Increase was received from the person concerned on 15 November 2020. The increase was awarded with effect from 16 May 2020, backdated six months from date of receipt, in line with social welfare legislation. The person was notified of this decision on 16 November 2020. Further backdating of this allowance beyond six months may be considered where the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (1 Dec 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment was introduced as a support to employees who lost their employment as a direct consequence of Covid-19. It is also available to self-employed persons who can demonstrate that their income ceased, or reduced, as a direct consequence of Covid-19, to the extent that they would be available to take up full-time employment. The Covid-19 Pandemic...