Results 1-20 of 235 for going forward speaker:Heather Humphreys

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...the long-awaited auto-enrolment legislation through the Dáil. It is an historic piece of work that will benefit 800,000 workers who currently have no occupational pension. Today, I am bringing forward legislation for another landmark reform of our social welfare system in the form of pay-related benefit. At the moment, if people who have worked hard for 20 years suddenly lose their...

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (28 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...from stakeholders. Auto-enrolment, AE, has been talked about for more than 25 years in this country. There was a major straw man public consultation on it in 2018. This was followed by a series of Government decisions between 2019 and this year that settled the design of the system. Last week, the Bill was passed by Dáil Eireann with no changes to the overarching design. This...

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (28 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...Senator McDowell both raised the issue of the cost to employers. This scheme will be brought in gradually over ten years and the 6% will not kick in until ten years have passed. Gradually, we are going to increase contributions. In the first year, it will be 1.5% of gross wages. That will be the percentage of the employee's contribution and the employer's contribution, and the State...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Systems Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...far, so I compliment everyone on helping me to get it to this point. I particularly thank my officials because this was a massive piece of work. It is a very long Bill. There is a great deal going on behind the scenes as we speak. I really thank those involved and the joint committee, which put a lot of work into its deliberations. We were able to take on board most of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Control of Dogs (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...a follow-up meeting as well. The members are looking at a number of issues. I am happy to hear what their views are. It is a diverse group and I will take on board the recommendations they put forward to me. Going back to the dog wardens, I have given more funding - an extra €2 million - to local authorities to upgrade the dog shelters and buy more dog warden vehicles and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...me: “How come we got no money? How come we did not get any grant?” I asked if they had put in an application and he said “No.” I said that if you do not put in an application, it is not going to fall out of the sky. I appreciate there is work to be done in putting together applications but people need to work with their local authority. In this case, it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tidy Towns (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I recognise that this is a very busy time of the year for the Tidy Towns committees and everyone is putting their best foot forward. They want to make their town or village more attractive. For as long as I have been involved in politics, there has been a debate around posters. Personally, I would not lose any sleep if no posters were put up, but I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (9 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...is "Yes", as I am considering another round of funding. This is an issue that the Deputy has raised with me several times. Sports capital grants are successful and popular and have been on the go for a long time, but we had no dedicated fund for community centres. During Covid, we saw how they did not have the same opportunities to raise money. Like a house, if you do not keep doing...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...co-operation here today. I acknowledge the work of the staff on the Bill as well. This is a massive Bill and I am very pleased that we have been able to bring it through Committee Stage. I look forward to Report Stage. It is going to make a huge difference to the lives of so many - 800,000 people. Some of us may not see the effects down the road, as it will be 40 years from now, but...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...on this. We have to come together and work together. The organisations representing the disability groups also have to come up with their ideas and solutions and we have to try to find a pathway forward. I know, and we all know, there are people with severe disabilities and we know they are never going to work. We need to make sure they are not being asked to fill out forms and such...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Benefits (25 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this. I propose to take questions Nos. 11 and 48 together. In budget 2024, the Govemment decided to extend the payment of child benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or have a disability. This was one of my key priorities in the budget. With many children now starting primary school at age five, together with the increase in pupils doing...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. I have listened intently to all the suggestions and views that have been put forward. There are some areas of difference. Some are quite fundamental to the Government's agreed design. It is fair to say that there has been a broad welcome from all sides of the House for the core idea of auto-enrolment, which is to find a way to provide...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...by my Department in August of last year. The new scheme will combine the two grants, simplify the application process and extend the eligibility and funding for the seven supports that will be available. I look forward to launching the new reformed scheme in the coming weeks. I have been pleased to work with Epilepsy Ireland in recent months to extend my Department's free travel scheme...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (16 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...coverage is not acceptable. At this point, I reiterate that the State pension is, and will remain, the bedrock upon which the Irish pension system is founded. This is the policy intent of this Government and it is a view that I know is shared across the House. However, the State pension is about ensuring that retired people stay above the poverty line. To ensure that workers can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (9 Apr 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...to Illness Benefit. This has been processed and their Illness Benefit claim is now in payment. Arrears have issued paying them fully up to date, and their weekly payment is due each Thursday going forward. I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...€4.048 million under the RRDF for the delivery of a modern and fully resourced library for the town. It is a wonderful and important project. Mitchelstown was given €270,000 under category 2 of the RRDF to develop plans to repurpose a vacant landmark building to facilitate the overall branding and place making of a Georgian heritage cultural quarter. I visited the town...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (5 Mar 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...have all witnessed first-hand the positive benefits that can accrue by making greater use of our community centres. Community centres 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...

Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: From the Seanad (28 Feb 2024)

Heather Humphreys: On Committee Stage in the Seanad, I brought forward three amendments, all of which relate to the extension of child benefit to 18-year-olds who are in full-time education or who have a disability. Of these, amendment No. 3 is the substantive amendment and will provide for the extension to take effect from 1 May rather than from 3 September. The other two amendments are technical amendments...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Payments (20 Feb 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...with the Department of Health is to examine means testing entirely. The Deputy knows that the social welfare system is to keep people out of poverty and to provide them with a basic income. Somebody is going to have to grasp the nettle and pay carers for what they do. They make a considerable contribution when they care for somebody with a disability and cannot work. It was my idea to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Pension Provisions (20 Feb 2024)

Heather Humphreys: ...will certainly strengthen my hand and the hand of every future Minister when it comes to enhancing and improving the supports for care in the future. I believe a "Yes" vote for care will mean we go forward, not back. We have achieved a lot but there is more to do.