Results 121-140 of 20,160 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Heather Humphreys

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,...

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

Heather Humphreys: My Department has not received an application to mark and celebrate Ernest Shackleton’s 150th anniversary under any of the schemes or programmes it operates. However, support may be available, depending on the nature of the proposed activity, from the LEADER programme. The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural...

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

Heather Humphreys: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The Scheme was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. I am committed to improving...

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

Heather Humphreys: The SuperValu TidyTowns competition is a unique volunteer-led programme that makes a hugely positive contribution in communities across Ireland. Ahead of the competition launch each year, officials in my Department meet with SuperValu, the main sponsor of the competition, and with our highly skilled and competent panel of adjudicators. Any changes to the competition's eight scoring...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (11 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for Qualified Child by €1 for children under 12 years of age is €11.8m. The estimated full year cost of increasing the Increase for a Qualified Child by €1 for children aged 12 and over is €4.4m. It should be noted that these costings are subject to change in the context of emerging trends and associated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Sport and Recreational Development (11 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways and blue ways throughout rural Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme in 2016, funding of over €113 million has supported more than 1,700 projects...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 272 to 276, inclusive, together. Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025 represents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the development of rural Ireland. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (10 Apr 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. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all the evidence, disallowed the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The data requested by the Deputy is shown in the attached tabular statement. Scheme Number of recipients end December 2023 Blind Persons Pension 968 Carer's Allowance 95,787 Carer's Benefit 3,904 Illness Benefit 56,806 Disablement Benefit 14,513 ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Parental leave is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I hold responsibility for the associated benefit payments. Parent's Leave and Benefit are currently available for seven weeks to all eligible parents of children born or adopted from 1 November 2019 and must be availed of within the first two years of the child’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached state pension age on 11 June 2017. An application for the state pension contributory and state pension (non-contributory) were received in my Department prior to the person reaching pension age. Officials in my Department examined entitlement to both pensions. It was decided that the person concerned had an entitlement to the state pension (non-contributory)...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 95 and 96 together. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The governing social welfare legislation for backdating payments is contained in section 241 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, 2005 (as amended) and Article 186 of Social Welfare (Consolidated Claims, Payments and Control) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 142 of 2007). This legislation specifies the rules regarding backdating for a range of payments. The legislation provides for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €156 million has been allocated to more than 1,700 projects across Ireland. As committed under Our Rural Future, Ireland's rural development policy, and in line with the Town Centre First...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (10 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas. The LEADER Food Initiative was launched by my Department and...