Results 81-100 of 17,637 for are speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Illness benefit is the primary short term income support provided by my Department to those who are unable to work due to illness of any type and who are covered by social insurance. Eligibility for illness benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. The person must have made the required number of contributions under class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Properties (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...headquarters in Dublin, Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, which is held by the Minister on behalf of the Social Insurance Fund, all buildings and property occupied by the Department of Social Protection, are owned or leased by the Office of Public Works.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (22 Oct 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: A person should always apply for Illness Benefit if they are medically certified as unfit for work. Eligibility for Illness Benefit depends on the person’s PRSI record and class. People must have made the required number of contributions in Class A, E, H or P to qualify. In general, self-employed people make PRSI contributions at Class S which does not count towards eligibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...of enrolments and contribution collection on the 30th September 2025. The AE system is designed to complement rather than replace existing retirement savings provision. Employees who are already enrolled in a qualifying occupational scheme, PRSA, trust RAC or a PEPP will be exempt from AE. In respect of occupational or company pension schemes, Section 772(2)(d) of the Taxes...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...on gov.ie/xlbully. If an application for a 'Certificate of Exemption' is refused for any reason, the owner will be notified in writing by their local authority. Such owners may re-apply if they are subsequently able to address the reason why the application was refused, for example if documentation was missing from the original application. If further applications are refused, and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...a 9% increase in my Department’s funding under Budget 2025. This brings my Department’s allocation to €472 million, giving it additional resources to support projects in urban and rural areas. This record allocation of €472 million will provide €212 million for rural development. This funding will continue to breathe new life into towns and villages...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...well-being and development. In December 2021, funding of €2.6 million was announced to support the development of 26 Town Centre First (TCF) Town Plans. These community-based plans are produced by individual Town Teams, drawn from local community and business representatives, and are helping communities develop a vision for their town and identify viable projects to realise that...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...applications assessed for suitability against scheme criteria and objectives. In 2018, my Department awarded TVRS funding to support projects which would see the development of Rathangan Market Square and Kilcullen Market Square in to multi-use spaces for their local communities. However, the Council subsequently advised that these projects would not proceed in the manner initially...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Projects (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...core capital funding of €201 million in 2024, €210 million in 2025 and €220 million in 2026. These capital ceilings will ensure continued delivery of the important capital schemes and programmes which are supporting rural and urban communities across the country.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...operates a large number of schemes which fund a large number of projects and groups throughout the country each year. Funding announcements, and the list of approved projects for each announcement, are published on www.gov.ie. Information on approved allocations is collated on a county basis. Given the extent of schemes referred to, the time period referenced, and the number of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (22 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 870 and 871 together. The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are generally not maintained by local authorities. My Department reintroduced the scheme in 2017 after several years without dedicated funding. Between 2017 and 2024, my Department allocated almost €170 million to local authorities...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Oct 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...under the occupational injuries benefit scheme, including disablement benefit, do not qualify for this once-off €400 disability lump sum payment. Under the occupational injuries benefit scheme, there are no limits to the amount that recipients can earn from work, or they may already be in receipt of a supplement on an ongoing basis in the form of incapacity supplement. Disablement...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Oct 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 30th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Appeals (17 Oct 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. The Social Welfare Appeals Office has advised me that an appeal by the person concerned was registered in that office on 4th...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Rates (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There have been increases to the core social welfare rates in the last four budgets. As part of Budget 2025, I secured a package of €2.6 billion for Social Protection measures. This represented the largest Budget package for the Department of Social Protection in the history of the State and included a €12 increase to core social welfare rates. The table below outlines social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...To meet this figure in 2025, when the 2025 State Pension (Contributory) rate will be €289.30, an increase of €8.30 on the current rate of State Pension (Contributory) would be required (rounded to the nearest 10 cent). The full-year cost of an increase of €8.30 in the State Pension (Contributory) only is €241.79 million. To meet this figure in 2025, when the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Reviews (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Means tests and income thresholds are kept under regular review and a number of significant changes have been made in recent years. In particular, I have introduced a number of changes to means testing which provide for higher income disregards. These disregards ensure that, where people are in receipt of a social assistance payment and are working, a certain level of income from that work...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Irish social welfare system is underpinned by a general principle of one person, one payment. Normally people qualifying for two social welfare payments only receive the higher payment for which they are eligible. However, there are a limited number of exceptions where a person may receive another payment. One such exception is half-rate Carer’s Allowance. Introduced in 2007,...