Results 17,641-17,660 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments Administration (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is aware of the Address Point service offered by An Post, which provides a free personal address and mail collection service for persons with no fixed abode. In relation to welfare payments, the An Post Address Point service can be used as a method of postal contact for a customer, but not as proof of address. I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Invalidity Pension is a pension paid to people who are permanently incapable of work because of illness. To qualify for an award of Invalidity Pension a claimant must satisfy both PRSI contribution and medical conditions. Where a person in receipt of Invalidity Pension wishes to return to work, they may apply for Partial Capacity Benefit. The Partial Capacity Benefit scheme extends the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (15 Oct 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. The person concerned was in receipt of CA for one care recipient only. This payment was in place from 22 May 2014...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Referrals to all activation services, including those provided by the JobPath providers, were suspended in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In parallel with the Intreo service, our contracted public employment services, including JobPath and the Local Employment Services, resumed activation for new referrals in June. My officials were in contact with the various contracted employment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 220 together. The Department’s Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) provides income support for jobseekers and certain others in receipt of social welfare payments who pursue full-time education courses at second or third level. The allowance enables qualifying applicants to improve their educational qualifications and their prospects of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) (SPC) on 30 June 2020. State pension (contributory) was awarded at €32.30 per week, backdated six months from date of application to 30 December 2019, in line with social welfare legislation. The person was notified in writing of this decision on 6 July 2020 and arrears due were paid. Since April 2012 payment of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government “Our Shared Future” sets out how the planned increase in the State pension age next year will be deferred and it will remain at 66 years pending the report of the Commission on Pensions. The Government confirmed on Tuesday as part of its Budget measures that the required amendment to primary legislation (the Social Welfare Consolidation Act (2005))...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reports (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: In December 2019, after a competitive procurement, my Department engaged with external consultants to review all contracted public employment services. Progress on this review was slowed, but not stopped, by Covid 19 restrictions and the finalised report was submitted to my officials in August. The report was examined by my officials and formally submitted to me in recent days for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: A person’s entitlement to a jobseeker’s payment for claims made prior to 1stSeptember, where employees may have been in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, will depend on meeting the eligibility conditions, including satisfying the Department with regard to days of unemployment and days of remuneration by their employer. My Department has engaged with the employer...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The fuel allowance is a payment of €24.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €686 each year) from October to April, to an average of 352,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €261.35 million in 2020. The purpose of this payment is to assist these households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Regional Aid (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: This PQ, which I note has been put down to all departments, is not relevant to any of the schemes or services provided by my Department. I hope this clarifies matters for the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reviews (15 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm that neither my Department nor its agencies have provided aid under the regional aid guidelines in the last seven years.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The household benefits package (HHB) comprises the electricity or gas allowance, and the free television licence. My Department will spend approximately €264 million this year on HHB for over 465,000 customers. The package is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The decision to extend the emergency measure relating to an employee's entitlement to claim redundancy from their employer following temporary lay-off or short-time work which arose as a result of Covid-19 was a difficult one. I know many employees who have been laid off are experiencing great uncertainty but, in making this decision, the Government had to consider the need to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance 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 August/September. The allowance is payable for eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 in respect of whom a qualified child increase is being paid. It is also payable to those between...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Non-Contributory) (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, habitually residing in the State, who do not qualify for a state pension contributory, or who only qualify for a reduced rate contributory pension based on their social insurance record. For the purposes of the means-test, it is necessary at the outset for applicants to provide full details of any...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Invalidity Pension (14 Oct 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 22 July 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 light of new...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The pandemic unemployment payment is payable to people between the ages of 18 up to 66 which is consistent with other social protection schemes payable to people of working age who have lost their employment. People aged 66 years and over are provided for through the contributory State pension or the non-contributory State means tested pension. A person in receipt of the State...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department, in line with the overall Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic, moved swiftly at the outset of the pandemic to put in place enhanced and new supports for existing customers and new customers who, as a result of COVID-19, are working reduced hours or who have lost their employment entirely – even if on a temporary basis. A decision was taken in March to allow for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (14 Oct 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme is available to employees and self- employed people who have lost their employment and the income from that employment due to the pandemic, and who satisfy the other qualifying conditions of the scheme. From the outset of Covid-19, many employers will have taken the initiative, in line with requests from the Government, to be as flexible as...