Results 221-240 of 20,274 for speaker:Heather Humphreys in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: This Government acknowledges the important role that family carers play and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the State Pension system currently gives significant recognition to those whose work history includes an extended period outside of paid employment, often to raise families or in a full-time caring role. The current State Pension (Contributory)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Most welfare benefits require the recipient to be habitually resident in Ireland. Certain welfare benefits, such as State Pension Contributory allow the recipient to live outside the State. The data requested by the Deputy for the calendar year 2023 is shown in the attached tabular statement. There were approximately 3,500 recipients of increased qualified adult payments living abroad, and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Recipients of certain social welfare payments can claim an increase in their payment in respect of a qualified adult, subject to a means assessment. A qualified adult is the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of the recipient who is being wholly or mainly maintained by that claimant. The information requested is not readily available, and may also not be available for all schemes. My...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Subject to certain conditions and those applying to the different schemes, an Increase for a Qualified Adult is payable in respect of a person who is wholly or mainly maintained by the person applying for the payment. For the purposes of social insurance schemes, a spouse/civil partner/cohabitant of the applicant is only regarded as being wholly or mainly maintained, where that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Primary weekly social welfare payments are intended to enable recipients to meet their basic day-to-day income needs. Each primary payment has specific eligibility criteria, which may include residence in Ireland. In addition to these primary payments, the Department also provides a range of other payments, on a weekly, monthly, or less frequent basis. These payments are considered...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Persons entitled to receive their social welfare benefit abroad are also entitled to cost of living lump sum payments to help with the cost of living. This includes, for example, recipients of State Pension Contributory, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Contributory) Pension or Invalidity Pension. In 2023 there were approximately 63,000 recipients receiving 91,000 cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ukraine War (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's allowance 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. Disability Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The January bonus was paid to recipient's of a long term Social Welfare Payment. Long Term are customers with over 312 paid days from this Department. Persons in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit from are entitled to either 156 or 234 paid days only and therefore would not have an entitlement to the January Bonus, unless it was linked to Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) within 26 weeks,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Disability Allowance (DA) is a weekly allowance paid to people with a specified disability who are aged 16 or over and under the age of 66. This disability must be expected to last for at least one year and the allowance is subject to a medical assessment, means test and Habitual Residency conditions. I confirm that my Department received an application for DA from the person concerned...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Benefit Payment for 65-Year-Olds was introduced in line with the Programme for Government commitment to address the position of people who are required to or choose to retire at age 65 before the State pension age of 66. The payment is designed to bridge the gap for people who retire from employment or self-employment at age 65 until they qualify for the State Pension at age 66. The...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (16 Apr 2024)

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. This increases to 1.75million customers when spouses and companions are included. The estimated expenditure on the Free Travel in 2024 is €104 million. It is important to note that, in...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Construction Industry (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the Housing for All Implementation Fund, a dedicated team staffed from the Department of Social Protection (DSP), SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards (ETBI) is supporting recruitment and training for the construction industry as part of the Future Building Initiative. In delivering on the Housing for All Action Plan, this Department committed to hold an annual national...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Ambulance Service (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Issues regarding the ambulance service are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My Department provides a range of supports which are available to both Men's and Women’s Sheds, depending on the works being completed. Men’s and Women’s Sheds were eligible to apply for capital funding under my Department’s Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), which I announced last December. This €6 million capital fund was set up to assist thousands of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I was delighted to officially open St Declan's Way in September 2021. This is a great amenity for locals and visitors alike, and it is of note that it has received support under a number of schemes and supports operated by my Department in recent years. For example, St. Declan's Way has been awarded funding of over €220,000 through my Department's Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving rural roads and laneways not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 after several years without dedicated funding. Between 2017 and 2023, my Department allocated almost €130 million to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I have prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres across the country as they are a vital resource for any community. They are where we go for community activities and events, and for social supports and social interaction. They are home to many of our cultural and sporting clubs. They are also where communities come together in times of difficulty and in times of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not entered into any contracts with the organisation referenced in the details supplied, in 2023 or 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am committed to improving outcomes in relation to Dog Control in Ireland and in this context, I recently announced the establishment of a high level stakeholder group to consider and make recommendations to strengthen policy in relation these issues. I have appointed John Twomey as Chair of the stakeholder group, which comprises members with a broad range of expertise including academics,...