Results 161-180 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. The disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and habitual residency conditions. The DA claim of the person concerned was reviewed by a Social Welfare Inspector during...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 640 and 642 together. There are some 2,200 primary schools currently eligible for hot school meals for the 2024-2025 school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children. Funding under the programme is solely...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (5 Nov 2024)

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; cash income, including foreign pensions, the value of any property (excluding a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 644 and 645 together. Estimating the abolition of a means test is difficult and any such estimate is by definition high level and as such should be treated with caution as the actual outcome may be quite different. The key questions in any estimate of the additional cost if the means test was to be abolished are how many additional carers would qualify...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The main income supports to carers provided by my Department include Carer's Allowance, Carer's Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance, and the Carer's Support Grant. Spending on these payments in 2024 is expected to exceed €1.7 billion. Carer’s Allowance is a means-tested payment for people living in Ireland who are looking after someone who needs full-time support because...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The cost of a €10 increase, for all recipients, is €39.76 million. The costs are on a full year basis and are based on the estimated number of recipients in 2025. The breakdown is as follows: Scheme Cost, million Carer's Allowance Under 66yrs: €26.63 Carer's Allowance 66yrs or Over: €0.94 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Funding (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: JobPath was a payment by results model and all set-up and day-to-day operational costs were borne by the companies. The companies were paid on the basis of performance and with the exception of the initial registration fee; payments were made only when a client had achieved sustained employment. The overall cost of JobPath was determined by the number of people who participated in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My priority as Minister was the roll out of Hot School Meals to all children in primary schools. As...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (5 Nov 2024)

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, cash income, including foreign pensions, the value of any property (excluding a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Child Benefit is a monthly payment to the parents or guardians of children under 16 years of age. Child Benefit can also be claimed for children aged 16, 17 and 18, if they are in full-time education or full-time training or have a disability and cannot support themselves. If a family were to leave Ireland to reside and work in another EU state, there is generally no entitlement to Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is an Office of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The SAFE (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) registration process is the method used by my department to verify a person’s identity. Following this process, a person will receive their Public Services Card (PSC). Their PSC can then be used to get a verified MyGovID account, which allows the person to access a range of online public services. To verify their identity,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and habitual residency conditions. Legislation provides that the means test takes account of the income and assets of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: As requested by the, below are details of staff on career break from the Department: End of December 2023 in my Department Grade Total number on career break On career break Over 5 years Administrative Officer 4 1 Assistant Principal Officer 2 1 Clerical Officer 46 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Christmas Bonus is paid to long-term 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. Those on maternity benefit who do not avail of the Christmas bonus may be eligible for the Double Child...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Birth Certificates (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The registration of a birth outside the State is provided for under Sections 26 and 27 of the civil Registration Act 2004. Section 26 applies if the child is the child of an Irish citizen domiciled abroad, and section 27 applies where the child is born on a Irish aircraft or an Irish ship, a foreign vessel travelling to and from a port in the State. Section 27 also applies in the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There are some 2,200 primary schools currently eligible for hot school meals for the 2024-2025 school year. As announced in Budget 2025, Hot School Meals will be extended to all remaining primary schools in 2025 meaning that there will be 3,200 eligible schools in respect of 550,000 children. Funding under the programme is solely for food and is made available on the basis of a set price...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Nov 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The fuel allowance is a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. The payment of €33 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €924) is paid from late September to April to assist households with their energy costs. The Fuel Allowance has been awarded. The first lump sum payment of €462 will issue on Friday 1 November 2024. An additional lump sum of €300...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (5 Nov 2024)

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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 1 August 2024. It is a condition for receipt of CA...