Results 17,401-17,420 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Flexible Work Practices (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) will be among the first sites connected under the National Broadband Plan. At present, there are over 200 public access BCP sites scheduled for connection in 2020, in addition to 75 school BCPs. Up to 100 further sites are planned for connection in 2021. BCPs will be located in some of the most rural and isolated areas in the country, including 10 islands...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy will be aware, the 2014-2020 LEADER programme will end this year as far as project approval are concerned. Due to delays at EU level, the next EU LEADER programme will not commence until 2022 at the earliest. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. No funding was available for new applications under the programme between 2010 and 2016 due to constraints on the public finances. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a range of different measures including outdoor play...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Revised Estimates 2020 sets out a gross capital expenditure of €168.6 million in respect of my Department. This includes a total of €18.6 million in capital funding on foot of Government’s capital stimulus package in July and the transfer of Island functions to my Department. €81.2 million in capital expenditure has been spent to the end of October. As has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government committed to publishing and implementing a new Rural Policy to build on the progress of the Action Plan for Rural Development and to promote rural recovery and development in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. My Department is currently finalising this new policy, which will have a five year horizon. The new policy will be forward-looking and ambitious. It...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Harbours and Piers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A business case for the development of the Inis Oírr pier is currently being finalised by Galway Co. Council.An Oversight Committee, consisting of officials from the Department of Rural and Community Development, Galway County Council and the Consulting Engineers, is also finalising the projected timeline for work on the project. Once this business case has been completed and the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government committed to publishing and implementing a new Rural Policy to build on the progress of the Action Plan for Rural Development and to promote rural recovery and development in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. My Department is currently finalising this new policy, which will have a five year horizon. The new policy will be forward-looking and ambitious. It...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to people who lost their employment on or after 13 March 2020 as a direct consequence of Covid-19. Where a person was not eligible to receive the Pandemic Unemployment Payment they may apply for a jobseekers payment. The Jobseeker’s Benefit scheme provides a social insurance contribution-based support for people who have lost...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that my Department has allocated Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) to the individuals referred to by the Deputy. Letters issued to the solicitor concerned on 2nd November 2020 with details of the PPSNs. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 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 department received a claim for IP for the gentleman concerned on 28 September 2020. The claim was refused on the grounds that the medical conditions for the scheme...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A self-employed contributor has nine months following the end of the contribution year, or from the day in the contribution year in which he or she ceases to be such a contributor, to remit and pay his or her social insurance liability for that contribution year. Where the social insurance liability is paid in full in respect to a contribution year, 52 contributions weeks at the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The individual referred to by the Deputy provided a UK address to my Department when he applied for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) earlier this year. I can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy in May and a letter with details of his PPSN issued on 28th May to that UK address. A letter with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned is in receipt of Pandemic Unemployment Payment. Since the introduction of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment scheme in March to early November approximately 806,000 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 as of November 1stover 1.4 million applications to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An application for an increase for living alone was received from the person concerned on 26 August 2020. The increase was awarded with effect from 28 August 2020 and the person was notified of this decision. The deciding officer has reviewed the decision and has backdated the award by six months to 28 February 2020. A revised decision letter has issued to the person concerned, notifying...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Personal Public Service Numbers (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE registration process, which my Department uses to authenticate a person's identity when they apply for a PPSN is a face-to-face process, carried out in PPSN Centres across the country. At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, my Department temporarily postponed the SAFE registration process. This decision was taken to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key element of my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme which also includes the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER programme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, CLAR and the Local Improvement Scheme. Since the Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016, over €78 million has been...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Public Library Strategy “Our Public Libraries 2022” seeks to establish the library as an important enabler of digital services and facilitator of digital skills development. In addition to its 330 library branch network, the public library service provides an array of online and digital services Online library services include access to over 48,000 eBooks, over 33,000...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an additional €2 million has been allocated to my Department to support the offshore islands under Budget 2021. This will bring the total budgetary allocation for the islands from €8.983 million in 2020, to €10.983 million in 2021. The additional allocation comprises €1 million in Current funding and €1 million in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the next EU LEADER programme will not commence until 2022 at the earliest, due to delays at EU level. 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. The objective of this Transitional Programme is to allow locally-led rural development projects...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme (5 Nov 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides funding through a range of programmes to support rural development across the country. These include the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, LEADER, CLAR and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. The schemes provide an opportunity for local communities and Local Authorities to source funding for opportunities which they...