Results 17,181-17,200 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (17 Nov 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 confirm that my Department received an application for CA in respect of two care recipients from the person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Deputy should note that matters related to the collection of taxes are outside the responsibility of my Department and should instead be pursued with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners as it is the primary collection agent for income tax and PRSI payments.  Income tax and social insurance payable by a self-employed contributor are treated as one aggregate sum.  For...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (17 Nov 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. My Department received an application for CA from the person concerned on 30 September 2020. Additional information...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of my Department, a Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment has been awarded to the person concerned at a weekly rate of €300 from 16/10/2020 and will be paid into his nominated bank account on 17/11/2020.  All arrears due will be paid by the end of this week. I trust this clarifies the matter.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those who are unable to work due to an illness or disability.  It is important to note that entitlement to these supports is not contingent on the nature of the illness/disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work. In March of this year, under the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that the individual referred to by the Deputy has been contacted regarding his application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) by officials of my Department so that they may proceed to progress his application. Upon receipt of outstanding information, this application will be processed without delay.   I trust this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity, is a face to face process which results in the issuing of a Public Services Card.  Customers entitled to free travel receive a free travel variant of their Public Services Card to use when availing of free travel.   At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (17 Nov 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 gentleman concerned was awarded IP from 01 October 2020 at the maximum weekly personal rate of €208.50.  His claim for an increase for a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance scheme (BTEA)  is a full-time education support available to jobseekers.  It is a non-statutory scheme operated by the Department which is designed to enable jobseekers to take up full-time education opportunities while continuing to receive income support related to standard jobseeker schemes. Ordinarily a person must be in receipt of a qualifying...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Budgets (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department recognises and accounts for contingent liabilities in accordance with generally accepted accounting standards.  The international accounting standard (IAS.37) defines a contingent liability as: (a) A possible obligation that arises as from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the costs of clothing and footwear when children start or return to school each autumn.  The scheme operates from June to September each year. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Since the introduction of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme in March, approximately 815,000 people have applied for payment and in some cases, they have done so on a number of occasions as they moved in and out of employment. Consequently, there are over 1.4 million applications to be examined to determine if arrears are due. During the month of March, my Department received and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Bodies (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591, 592 and 594 together. I am pleased that the Government recently approved the establishment of the Commission on Pensions, as committed to in the Programme for Government. As the Deputy will be aware, I announced on Budget Day that the planned increase in the State pension age from January of next year will be deferred, in line with our Programme for...

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

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence, decided to disallow the appeal of the person concerned by way of a summary decision on 27 August 2020.   Under social welfare legislation the decision of an Appeals Officer is final and conclusive and may only be reviewed by an Appeals Officer in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Wage Subsidy Scheme (WSS) is an employment support to private sector employers, the objective of which is to encourage employers to employ people with disabilities and thereby increase the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the open labour market.  The scheme provides financial incentives to private sector employers to employ people with a disability for...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government includes a number of commitments in relation to the LEADER programme, including the question of increasing the rate of aid applicable to private enterprises from 50% to 75%. My Department has engaged with a number of stakeholders, including the Local Development Companies who work closely in the delivery of the LEADER programme, to obtain their views on the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Nov 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.  Funding is provided under a broad range of themes, including enterprise development and social...

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

Heather Humphreys: The current LEADER programme, which is co-financed by the European Commission, comes to an end this year as far as new project approvals are concerned.  The Programme for Government includes a commitment to prioritise a State-led programme to bridge the gap between the current LEADER programme and the next EU programme, which will not commence until 2022 at the earliest. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (17 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructure projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. The areas originally designated for CLÁR were selected in 2001 based on the level of population decline in each area between 1926 and 1996.  The Cooley Peninsula was also included on the basis of...

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

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the current 2014-2020 LEADER programme comes to an end this year as far as new project commitments are concerned.  Currently, all funding allocations to projects must be committed before 31stDecember 2020 by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver LEADER locally. The LAGs have previously indicated to my Department that they will have their...