Results 301-320 of 795 for 5 million speaker:Heather Humphreys

Principles of Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...welfare across the policy functions of other Departments. Delivery of social protection and achievement of social inclusion is not confined to the payment of benefits. As recognised in Article 45 of the Constitution and in reports like the National Economic Social Council, NESC's, Developmental Welfare State, social protection is a complex interaction of services, payments and active...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (20 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population in the past. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has provided funding of almost €39 million for over 1,600 projects. I launched the 2021 programme on 15thMarch and I was pleased to secure a 10% increase in funding bringing the allocation for 2021 to €5.5 million. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...-19 support payments. The pandemic unemployment payment has proven to be a vital income support to workers, thousands of whom lost their jobs virtually overnight. Since its introduction, over 23 million PUP payments have been made to in excess of 850,000 people, providing income support of more than €7.5 billion to date. The number of people in receipt of the PUP fluctuates in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, was introduced on 13 March 2020 in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Since its introduction, in excess of 23 million payments have been made, with 14.7 million payments made in 2020 and 8.4 million payments in the first four months of 2021. Last week, my Department issued payments to more than 376,000 people...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...be sole traders or corporate entities. The total cost from March 2020 to the end of April 2021 on all these schemes, including the provision of funding to Revenue for the TWSS and the EWSS, is €13.15 billion. The breakdown of expenditure is as follows: The spend on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) since March 2020 to April 2021 is €7.32 billion. Nearly €5...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions.  It is paid for two weeks and is available in respect of any child born or adopted on or after 1 September 2016.  Paternity Benefit is paid at €245 per week - the same rate as Maternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit. A budget of €14.47 million is provided for Paternity...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (18 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...of children until their 18th birthday who are in full-time education, or who have a disability.  Child benefit is currently paid, as of end-March 2021, to over 637,000 families in respect of over 1.2 million children with an estimated expenditure of more than €2 billion in 2020. Families on low incomes may be able to avail of a number of other social welfare schemes that...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Programme for Government (12 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...capacity and quality of existing remote working facilities across the State in support of the National Hub Network initiative. The total indicative funding available for the Connected Hubs Call is €5 million. The fund will provide grants from €10,000, up to €250,000 for multi-hub applications. My Department also continues to invest significantly in the provision of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (5 May 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...established last October to oversee the development of a National Hub Network. In addition to the supports and tools being developed under the National Hub Network programme, I have allocated €5 million to fund a Connected Hubs Call under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year. This initiative will provide funding to support small scale capital works in existing hubs, both...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (29 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...and also to income support helplines. Since February this year, employment services staff are returning to their roles in activation, leading to an increase in the numbers of systematic engagements with jobseekers.  Under current Level 5 public health restrictions, these engagements continue to be carried out by phone.  This week, my Department has issued...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legal Aid Service (28 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...the statutory, independent body responsible for the provision of civil legal aid and advice to persons of modest means in the State, in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 and the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 1996 to 2017. The Act was amended by Section 54 of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011, which gave the Board the additional responsibility to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (22 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...booking engine for hub users. I expect to be in a position to outline the results of this work over the course of the year. In addition to the supports and tools being developed under the National Hub Network programme, I have allocated €5 million to fund a Connected Hubs Call under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme this year. This initiative will provide funding to support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Fuel Allowance (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: .... The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €28.00 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €784 each year) from October to April, to over 372,000 low income households, at an estimated cost of €300 million in 2021. 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 household....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2569, 2571, 2581 and 2588 together. The increased shift to remote working as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has given us the opportunity for a greater regional distribution of jobs and to support a better quality of life for many people who previously spent many hours in long commutes. Remote working has the potential to transform rural Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...closing dates, to allow the Local Authorities plan and manage their engagement with communities and the preparation of applications under the different schemes. I launched the CLÁR programme on 15th March and I will be announcing details of the other schemes, including the LIS, over the coming weeks. The LIS allocation for 2021 for each Local Authority, including in County Laois,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (21 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is just one of a number of initiatives funded under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. A total of €58 Million has been allocated under the Scheme since it was reintroduced in 2017 and this funding has benefited over 10,000 landowners and residents across 2,400 road projects. This has made a real difference to the landowners...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Food Poverty (1 Apr 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...system to provide children with nutritious food while the schools are closed. This funding was provided during the summer months and throughout the period of school closures following the move to Level 5 restrictions in late December. Funding is also available during the current Easter break from 29 March – 9 April. Under the School Meals programme, the Department of Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (31 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...who have lost their job on or after 13th March 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The expenditure to date in 2021 for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is €1.8 billion with over 5 million payments made. These figures are provisional and are subject to reconciliation. The table below provides the number and value of payments weekly from 8th January 2021 up to 30th March...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Remote Working (25 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. The facilities referred to by the Deputy form a network of Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) across the country.  Approximately 300 BCPs will be fully connected this year. BCPs provide on-site high-speed broadband access to the public in areas that currently do not have adequate broadband services. They are primarily based in remote...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (25 Mar 2021)

Heather Humphreys: ...and closing dates to allow the Local Authorities to plan and manage their resources in engaging with communities and preparing applications under the different schemes. I launched the CLÁR programme on 15th March and I will be announcing details of the other schemes, including the LIS, over the coming weeks.  The LIS allocation for 2021 for each Local Authority will...