Results 1,921-1,940 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Budgets (11 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres. Earlier this year I approved further funding of over €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres under a separate new build measure of the scheme. The funding for all of these projects is being managed...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputies for their contributions. The introduction of the new pay-related jobseeker's benefit is a major reform of how we support jobseekers in Ireland and will bring us in line with our European neighbours. Pay-related benefit will provide a greater support to people who lose their jobs and find themselves in the position of dealing with that income shock while continuing to meet...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: That works out at about €46.80 per annum, which is an increase of about 0.1%. In September 2021, Sinn Féin's leader, Deputy Mary-Lou McDonald, said the party would increase PRSI by 4%. That is much more than the total of 0.7% I am proposing over five years. I will quote Sinn Féin's leader. She said, "Our proposal is, over the course of a number of budgets, to bring...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I think I would be right on this one.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Sinn Féin promises everything, but somebody else will have to pay for it. That is essentially what Sinn Féin is saying.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In response to Deputy Naughten, the vast majority of carers are women. I provided a pension to carers. Female participation in the workforce has never been higher and I absolutely want more women back working. I launched the updated pathways to work just this Tuesday. There is a significant focus on helping to get people back to work. Regarding the poverty and gender impact analysis,...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: No, they are not my bosses.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I was delighted in recent weeks to bring the long-awaited auto-enrolment legislation through the Dáil. It is an historic piece of work that will benefit 800,000 workers who currently have no occupational pension. Today, I am bringing forward legislation for another landmark reform of our social welfare system in the form of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the law as currently enacted, entitlement to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory pension is only available to a surviving partner who was party to a marriage or civil partnership. On Monday 22nd January, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment in relation to the entitlement of an unmarried co-habitant to a Widows, Widowers or Surviving Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel Scheme allows people who are aged 66 years or over, and who are legally and permanently residing in the State, to travel free of charge on most CIE public transport services, LUAS, Local Link, as well as on the public transport services of a large number of private operators in various parts of the country. Certain people under age 66 may also be entitled to free travel if...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (30 May 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. Following the expansion of the programme in recent years, some 2,600 schools and organisations, covering...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The table below sets out all the schemes operated by my Department that are funded by the Social Insurance Fund. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy. Schemes funded by the Social Insurance Fund: State Pension (Contributory) Widows', Widowers' / Surviving Civil Partners' Pension (Contributory) Widows', Widowers' /...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Social Insurance Fund (SIF) derives its income primarily from pay-related social insurance (PRSI) contributions paid by employees, employers and self-employed persons. The SIF finances a range of social insurance-based payments, such as jobseekers' benefits and State pension (contributory), as well as statutory redundancy/insolvency payments. The administrative costs associated with...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Working Family Payment (WFP) is a weekly in-work support which provides an income top-up for employees on low earnings with children. To qualify for Working Family Payment, the customer must be working a minimum of 38 hours per fortnight in ongoing insurable employment and have at least one qualified child who normally resides with them. An application for WFP was received by the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I wish to acknowledge the crucial role that Carers play in Irish society and I am fully committed to supporting all Carers in that role. The primary objective of the Carer’s Allowance (CA) is to provide an income support to Carers whose earning capacity is substantially reduced because of their caring responsibilities. CA is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 May 2024)

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 from the person referred to on 1 November 2023. 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 Payments (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a suite of income supports for those unable to work due to illness or disability. These include insurance-based schemes based on Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions, and means-tested social assistance schemes. The primary social assistance scheme for people who are blind or visually impaired is the Blind Pension, which is a means-tested payment...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: According to the records of the Department, an application for Supplementary Welfare Allowance Assistance Towards Funeral Expenses (SWA 5), and a bill for funeral costs were submitted by a person who noted himself as a friend of the deceased person on the SWA 5 form. An application for this type of assistance must be made by the deceased person’s next of kin or the person who arranged...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: State pension non-contributory is a means-tested payment for people aged 66 and over, legally and 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. The person concerned is in receipt of state pension non-contributory. Based on their assessed weekly...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 May 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that they have been in touch with the Deputy's office in relation to this case....