Results 41-60 of 791 for 5 million speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 84 and 101 together. As part of budget 2024, I secured a €2.3 billion social protection package. This is, for the second year in a row, the largest in the history of the State. This package provides a mixture of exceptional cost-of-living payments delivered over the coming weeks, along with an across-the-board €12 weekly rate increase...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (24 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million. As part of Budget 2024 I was particularly pleased to extend my Department’s Free Travel Pass to support people who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (17 Oct 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...to state that the Irish labour market is performing extremely well. The employment rate has been rising and now stands at 74.2 per cent, the highest in the history of the series, with over 2.6 million people in employment. Since Q4 2021 the unemployment rate has been below 5 per cent - beyond this level the economy is conventionally considered to be at full employment. Currently,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (26 Sep 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...community-based organisations, of personal alarms or pendants. This scheme is open to applications at all times. The Scheme to Strengthen and Support Volunteeringprogramme has a budget of €6.5 million in 2023. This fund supports the network of 29 Volunteer Centres across the country as well as a number of national volunteer-supporting organisations including Volunteer Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Forestry Sector (13 Jul 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...ensure that there is a joined up and coordinated approach to deliver maximum impact from the significant investment in the sector and to build on the natural advantages in place. In May 2022, I announced €15 million of funding for Coillte as part of a new five year strategic partnership between my Department and Coillte to enhance outdoor recreational facilities on Coillte-owned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (15 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...to the employer. The current average number of hours worked by participants in the Wage Subsidy Scheme is 31 hours per week. Over the past five years, the Wage Subsidy Scheme has paid just under €101 million to employers. The following table provides a breakdown of the Wage Subsidy Scheme drawn down by employers per year, the number of employers availing of the scheme and the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: General Register Office (14 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ..., may search the indexes to the registers held by GRO and purchase photocopies of entries in the registers. The research room holds bound volumes of indexes to the registers of births (since 1865), adoptions (since 1953), deaths (since 1865) and marriages (since 1844). Each volume represents a specific period of registrations and a customer, upon payment of the required fee, can look...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (14 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. There are over one million customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2023 is €95 million. As part of the “Make Work Pay” initiative, persons who move directly from certain long term Social Protection...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Vacant Sites (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...designed to tackle vacancy and dereliction in rural Ireland. The original closing date for receipt of applications under the building acquisition measure was 28 April 2023 but this was extended to 5 May 2023 in response to requests from local authorities to extend the deadline. A total of 35 applications valued at just over €8 million were received from 22 local authorities. This...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Last November, I was delighted to launch the 2022 Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme, with funding of €10 million to assist local community and voluntary groups across the country with a multitude of costs including energy and utility bills, other operating costs, minor upgrade works and small capital purchases. The CSF funding is administered on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the development of rural Ireland over the next 5 years. It sets out a range of actions for delivery across Government, and sets the strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. Over €64.2 million in funding has been allocated by my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (13 Jun 2023)

Heather Humphreys: Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025 sets out an overarching vision for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being and development. My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. We...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (24 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. Since the CLÁR Programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. Funding of over €57 million has been approved for almost 2,100 projects since its relaunch. I launched CLÁR 2023 on 29 March 2023 and the measures to be funded are:Developing Community Facilities...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of payment by an additional €5 per week, from €129.70 to €134.70 per week, is €3.6 million. This includes a proportionate increase for qualified adults and those on an age-reduced rate of Supplementary Welfare Allowance. This costing is based on the estimated average number of recipients in 2023, and is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (18 May 2023)

Heather Humphreys: .... The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025. In furtherance of this commitment, my Department’s focus to date has been on strategically developing the National Hub Network and the shared online booking platform...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (25 Apr 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. Since the CLÁR Programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. Funding of over €57 million has been approved for almost 2,100 projects since its relaunch. I launched CLÁR 2023 on 29 March 2023 and the measures to be funded are:Developing Community Facilities...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rail Network (19 Apr 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...Department does not have detailed records relating to the project referred to by the Deputy but I understand that in 2006 the Department for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs announced provision of €5 million under the CLÁR programme to support essential clearance and preservation works on the Claremorris to Collooney stretch of the Western Rail Corridor. The works were...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (18 Apr 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...full advantage of the education provided to them.  The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Budget 2023 provided €94.4 million for the programme.  The Government recently approved an additional €14.5m to allow access to the Hot School Meals scheme for all remaining DEIS schools from...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (28 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...to the same age-group and is, in fact, more generous that the one paid in Scotland. The Carer's Support Grant can be paid to a carer who has reached the age of 16 years. The grant is almost 5 times the value of the grant paid to young carers in Scotland and is not contingent on the the person or people you care for getting certain benefits themselves. The Carer’s Support...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (28 Mar 2023)

Heather Humphreys: ...of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. Budget 2023 has provided €94.4 million for the programme. The Government has recently approved an additional €14.5m to allow access to the Hot School Meals scheme for all remaining DEIS schools from September 2023. ...