Results 19,081-19,100 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring bodies.  The contract agreement between the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Widow's Pension (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned has been awarded a widow's, widower's or surviving civil partner's (contributory) pension at the weekly rate of  €202.90 with effect from the 29th May 2020.  Payment of pension will commence at her nominated Post Office from the 3rd July 2020.  She will also receive arrears of pension due from the 29th May 2020 on that same date...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is a time limited payment available to people age between 18 and up to 66 years, and the age range is consistent with other jobseeker and social protection income supports paid to working age persons.  People aged 66 years and over are provided for within the Social Protection income support framework through the State Pension,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Services Card (30 Jun 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 (PSC). Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department has temporarily suspended the SAFE registration process.  This decision was taken in order to comply with HSE and WHO guidelines in respect of social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Household Benefits Scheme (30 Jun 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 461,000 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 837, 851, 856 and 867 together. The COVID-19 pandemic unemployment payment was introduced as a time limited emergency measure in response to the pandemic and approval has been given to the extension of this payment until 10th August.  The Government is aware that there are certain sectors which will be affected by business closures...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Overpayments (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department wrote to the person concerned on 10/02/2020 and on 28/05/2020 in relation to a review of entitlement to jobseeker's allowance, requesting additional information in order to complete this review.  A revised decision and assessment of an overpayment was issued on the 18/6/2020 on the basis of the information available to my Department.  The person concerned was advised...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (30 Jun 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. Payment rates for Carer's allowance have not been affected by pandemic support payments.  The number of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: On 5th June the Government approved the extension of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment until 10th August.  From 29th June a two-level payment structure was introduced to link the pandemic unemployment payment level to gross prior earnings or income.  The majority of recipients will not be impacted by these changes as it is estimated that approximately three-quarters of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned applied for State pension (contributory) on 2 October 2018, in advance of reaching pension age in June 2019.  According to the records of my Department, they have a total of 389 paid full-rate Irish social insurance contributions.  Since their contributions fall short of the requisite 520 paid full-rate contributions, they do not qualify for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The information sought by the Deputy in respect of the number of self employed musicians accessing welfare supports is not available to the Department.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: Fuel allowance is a means-tested payment which aims to help householders on long-term social welfare payments with their heating costs during the winter season.  It is not intended to meet those costs in full.  Only one allowance is paid per household. The applicant must satisfy a number of eligibility conditions, which include being in receipt of a qualifying payment, satisfying a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Government acknowledges the crucial role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting carers in that role.  This commitment is recognised in both the Programme for Government and the National Carers’ Strategy. The main income supports to carers provided by my Department are Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit and the Carer’s Support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Department is aware that many people may be due arrears for the pandemic unemployment payment.  However, the circumstances in each case are different.  As a result, considerable work and resources will be needed to deal with each of these.  That can only begin once the payment processing we’re currently engaged in takes less time and resources.  Unfortunately...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Disability Allowance (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4 June 2020.  It is a statutory requirement of the appeals process that the relevant papers and comments by or on behalf of the Deciding Officer on the grounds of appeal be sought from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.  These papers...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Data Protection (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department administers over 70 schemes and has the legal basis to collect and process personal data for the administration of these schemes. The Department has also a legal basis to collect personal data for a specific reason and use it for another compatible purpose.  This is because the Department provides a wide range of related services and it would be...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Jobseeker's Benefit (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 848 and 849 together. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of persons aged 65 years of age that claimed jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit in each month of 2019 and in each month to date in 2020 is detailed in the attached tabular statement. Tabular statement attached/........ The number of persons aged 65 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: JobPath Programme (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: My Department engaged with the consultants in December 2019 to assist in reviewing the existing public employment services and advise on the design and development of the future public employment services including the public tendering of contracted public employment services.  Their draft report is expected to be finalised shortly. Once finalised, the publication of the report...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) (30 Jun 2020)

Heather Humphreys: An increase for qualified adult (IQA) is a means-tested increase which may be payable with the State pension (contributory).  It can be awarded to a person whose spouse/civil partner/co-habitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source do not exceed a means test income limit, based on the means held...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Carer's Allowance (30 Jun 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. An application for CA was received from the person concerned on 14 October 2019. The evidence submitted in support of this...