Results 401-420 of 17,800 for are speaker:Heather Humphreys

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. He makes a valid point. When you are getting your pension and the price of everything is going up but your pension is not, it is not nice. I agree with the Deputy. I will ask the relevant Minister to speak directly to the Deputy on that point. It is a matter for An Post, given the issue concerns its pension scheme. I will raise the issue with the Minister, Deputy Ryan.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. The Irish Road Haulage Association is a great organisation with which the Deputy and I are both familiar. Hauliers are hard workers who just want to get on with their jobs, and I acknowledge that. I will bring the Deputy's point to the attention of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Ryan. I will ask him to engage directly with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. My Department of Rural and Community Development is committed to investing in rural Ireland. We are committed to repurposing old buildings and changing them for 21st century use. There has been engagement between my Department and the local authority in Tipperary and we will continue to engage and progress the proposals it brings to us.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. It is important to put matters into context. Some 140,000 children are carried to school every day on a bus provided by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I know about such children because there are some in my own constituency. There are still a few children for whom a bus has not been provided. Things happen. Unfortunately, we are in a very tight labour market and it is hard to find bus drivers. There is no doubt about that. To give the Deputy an example, one bus driver broke his ankle and could not drive the bus and nobody could be...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...and he and I have discussed this at length on many occasions. He is right that some of the savings or capital allowances for means tests need to be changed. I agree with him there. My officials are finalising the report and I will give the Deputy a commitment that as soon as I receive it I will share it with him.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I will go back to my officials after these questions are finished and find out where the report is. As soon as I receive it, I will share it with the Deputy because a lot of what he wants to do, I want to do also.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I agree there is more we can do on our connected hubs. We now have a wonderful network. We are one of the first, certainly in Europe if not globally, to have such a network of hubs throughout our country. In fact at an OECD conference Ireland was singled out as being leaders in this field. The Deputy is right that there is more we can do. I asked the Western Development Commission, which...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...of towns have been transformed by the urban regeneration and development funding. 1 o’clock My colleague, Minister of State, Deputy Butler, tells me that the North Quays in Waterford are a great example. A total of €170 million has been approved for their development. There is also a good project in Monaghan, which is getting a few euro to transform the town. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ------provided. Anyway, I will go back to what I am supposed to be answering here. To give the Deputy an example, a mother has two children aged 13 and eight and she is a carer for one of them. She currently receives carer's allowance with increases for her children that total €348 per week. That is a real example. Her weekly child support payment has increased by €8 for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. As he knows, the money collected from that tax is ring-fenced to support people who are less well off. We have the fuel allowance-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I have announced a fuel allowance lump sum that people will be receiving. There are two energy credits worth a total of €250 that are going to be issued before Christmas. There is a 20% reduction in public transport fares for another 12 months.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Government is looking at that. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, spoke about this but of course we are investing these funds for the future and there are a number of different important infrastructure projects that deserve support. I have no doubt the Mallow relief road will be included in all those considerations. I will raise that with the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...some public sector workers do not get a contributory State pension when they retire, but my focus has been to increase that. The €12 increase this year, along with all the double payments they are receiving, has certainly improved the situation for pensioners across the country.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We have made considerable changes but we are on a journey. We have to do more. I accept that but we cannot do everything on the one day. We have made substantial changes to the carer's support grant. It has been increased. The carer's allowance is now a qualifying payment for the fuel allowance. Domiciliary care allowance has been increased; I have increased it by €50 during my...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is not talk. You are wrong.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am well aware of the figures but there is a process here. Even the Deputy will accept that. I have been engaging regularly with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, the NCSE and the local ETB, which I feel will also play an important role in this process. I can tell the Deputy about all of the fine buildings and investment that has gone into Monaghan in terms of education, including...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...of mandatory timelines, a reorganisation of An Bord Pleanála, greater alignment of all tiers of planning and improvements to the judicial review process. It will bring consistency, clarity and transparency to the planning process. I support it and acknowledge the significant work of the Minister and his team and what they have done to get this Bill to this point. Regarding LNG...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...SNAs have also been provided. This is the highest number of SNAs allocated, bringing SNA posts nationwide to over 23,000. The investment of €62 million is the largest yet for summer programmes. There are targeted resources to help with planning and transitioning for children with special education needs. There is a dedicated special education innovation fund in recognition of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (9 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...on 25 May 2024. An application for State Pension (contributory) was received on 21 February 2024. In general, public servants who joined prior to 6 April 1995 paid modified contributions which are not reckonable for the standard state pension (contributory). However, such employees generally have an occupational pension, the level of which is related to a number of factors, including...