Results 18,221-18,240 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Maternity Leave (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has decided to extend the application date for the Pandemic Unemployment Payment to the end of the year.  The payment was due to close to new applications on the 17thSeptember 2020 but it has been decided to extend this period at this time.  I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy 

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the appeal of the person concerned by way of summary decision. 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 evidence or new facts.  I am advised...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department does not appear to have received an application from the project in question.  If the Deputy wishes to provide my office with further details of the application and the programme under which the application was made, I will be happy to look further into the Deputy's query.

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

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is co-funded by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The current programming period concludes in December 2020. Proposals for new regulations for the CAP 2021-2027 were launched in June 2018 by the European Commission.  However, given the nature of the discussions on the CAP and the wider EU Budget post-2020, there has been a delay...

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

Heather Humphreys: LEADER is an EU-funded programme which adopts a Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) approach to the delivery of rural development interventions, underpinned by a Local Development Strategy for the particular LEADER area. In June 2018, the European Commission published a proposal for a draft Common Provisions Regulation (CPR) for the next programming period, 2021-2027....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Travel (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Subject to public health guidelines, I hope to visit a number of rural areas, including the off-shore islands, over the coming months in my capacity as Minister for Rural and Community Development. I note the organisations in Connemara which the Deputy suggests I might visit and I will bear these in mind.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 251, 253, 255 and 261 together. My Department's mission is “To promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland." A key part of achieving this mission is ongoing engagement with a wide range of stakeholders regarding the Department's policies, programmes and supports so...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 260 together. The Department for Rural and Community Development was established in 2017 to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country. My Department delivers a coherent package of supports to strengthen and rejuvenate rural and urban communities. These supports enable economic growth and development and also...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 256 and 263 together. The Department for Rural and Community Development was established in 2017 to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country. My Department has developed strategic interventions, funding programmes and schemes which target social inclusion in urban and rural areas nationwide. These supports...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ministerial Priorities (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My priority for rural Ireland is to develop and publish a new 5-year Policy for Rural Development in the coming months. The new Policy will reflect a whole-of-Government approach to supporting the economic, social and cultural development of rural Ireland.  It will be forward-looking, ambitious and will seek to highlight and foster the interdependence between urban and rural areas. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Job Creation (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department is currently developing the next phase of rural development policy, which will set out measures to support the economic and social needs of rural areas over the period 2020-2025, including actions to support employment in rural areas.  As was the case with the Action Plan for Rural Development 2017-2019 which I published in 2017, the new policy will reflect a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Island Communities (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government includes a commitment to develop a new Policy for Island Development which will identify and address the main challenges and opportunities for our island communities to support their social, economic and cultural development.  There has already been a large amount of consultation with island communities in relation to the development of this policy under...

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

Heather Humphreys: Connectivity, whether in terms of transport, in-person social contact or through communications networks, is important in ensuring the wellbeing and cohesion of our rural communities. Many of my Department's policies and funding programmes aim to address isolation in rural and urban communities and respond to the additional challenges facing vulnerable individuals as a result of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was tailored to focus on interventions that can assist our rural towns and villages to respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19.  The scheme includes an Accelerated Measure which will enable towns and villages to introduce initiatives immediately to support increased footfall and encourage people to shop and socialise safely in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government includes a commitment for an expanded Town and Village Renewal Scheme to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use and promote residential occupancy. In October 2018, my Department launched a Town Centre Living Initiative to explore in a holistic way how to encourage increased residential occupancy in rural towns and villages.  The pilot...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Plan (17 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017 as a whole-of-Government initiative to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland.  The three-year Action Plan concluded at the end of 2017. One of the objectives of the Action Plan was to support enterprise growth and job creation in rural areas.  The Plan's coordinated cross-Government...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Low Pay Commission (16 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Programme for Government states that the Low Pay Commission is to examine Universal Basic Income, informed by a review of previous international pilots, and resulting in a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government. This matter will be progressed in line with the Programme for Government commitment and a referral to the Low Pay Commission will be made in due...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (16 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Ireland has a comprehensive suite of employment rights legislation that protects all employees, including migrant workers, who are legally employed on a contract of service basis.  This is specifically set out in Section 20 of the Protection of Employees (Part-Time Work) Act 2001.  Anyone employed under a contract of employment has access to those protections, including entitlement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government has given approval to keep the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) open to new applications until the end of 2020.  The payment was due to close to new applications on the 17thSeptember 2020.  It is also open to those who were in receipt of PUP and who returned to work, to reapply for PUP, should they be made unemployed before the end of the year.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (16 Sep 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The records of my Department show the person concerned submitted an application for a Jobseeker's Benefit payment dated 12/3/2020.  In this application he confirmed his last day worked was 28/2/2020 and that his employment had ended.  His loss of employment was not due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  The person concerned also provided a letter from his former employer confirming...