Results 2,921-2,940 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: At the end of October 2014, JobsPlus supported 96 positions in Co Mayo and a further 194 positions in Co Galway. The number of businesses supported was 157 in Galway and 73 in Mayo. JobsPlus is promoted to businesses in a variety of ways, including through the Department’s employer engagement teams at national and regional level working directly with employers and representative...

Topical Issue Debate: Food Quality Assurance Scheme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Yes. Deputies Anthony Lawlor, Martin Heydon and Catherine Murphy have agreed to defer their matter until next Tuesday, 25 November on the understanding that either the Minister for Health or the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, has committed to taking it on that day.

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: No one does.

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for providing details on Scoil Bhríde. To provide some background, the school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services for some 1,600 schools and organisations. Almost 207,000 children benefit through two schemes, the first of which is the statutory urban school meals scheme operated by local authorities and part-financed by the...

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection always operates in an open and transparent manner and furnishes Deputies with the information they request. It is heartening that the Deputy has confirmed this in respect of the information provided for him by the Department. The Government has been able to protect the funding provided for the school meals programme. In 2009 funding for the scheme stood...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The annual estimated cost of introducing a defined contribution scheme for CE Supervisors was estimated at €3.75m for 2008, if the Department were to be the main funding body. Subsequent years have been calculated to work out at an average of approximately €3.7m per annum. The Department is not the employer in respect of any person engaged in CE schemes. The responsibilities...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently approximately 72,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Skills Development (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle long-term unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. However, the Government also recognises the need for additional measures in the interim while the economy recovers. This is the rationale behind...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Internet Blocking Systems (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, I thank Senator Reilly for raising this very important matter. The Internet is a vital tool and contributes to education, communication, commerce and the gathering of knowledge among its many uses. However, we are increasingly aware that there are dangers inherent in the use of the Internet, in particular for children and young people....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Internet Blocking Systems (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: We have chosen to implement blocking by administration means. The remainder of the provisions of Article 25 are being transposed into Irish law in the criminal law sexual offences Bill, which is on the Government's legislative programme. At that stage, the Senator will have an opportunity to expand on her views and ensure that we have the proper safeguards as she outlined in her contribution.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The freedom to move and reside freely within the territory of the member states of the EU is a fundamental right guaranteed under the EU treaties to all citizens and this can bring great benefits to those who exercise those rights and to the countries to which they move. However, it is important that those availing of these freedoms do so for the right reasons and are not intent on abusing...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Social Welfare Benefits (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I pay tribute to the Senator for expressing an interest in people who had to emigrate over a long period. He has always fought their corner and has always brought the matter to the attention of the Government in a constructive manner. For that reason, I thank him for his contributions. On the Dano case in particular, we certainly need to monitor the situation closely. We must examine the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Mental Health Services Provision (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I am. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, would have responded but she is not in the country this week. I apologise to the Senator.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Mental Health Services Provision (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Senator for raising this issue as it is important to keep to the fore the progress on implementing the widely accepted policy in A Vision for Change, in line with the need to modernise mental health services across the country. It is clear from the many occasions that mental health has been raised in both Houses in recent times that there is widespread agreement in the Oireachtas...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Mental Health Services Provision (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I warmly welcome Senator Byrne's endorsement of A Vision for Change. It is very important for mental health areas that we get a commitment to a community-based care centre. I know Senator Byrne is very committed to that himself. I thank him for bringing this to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, and I will ask her to communicate with him on the specific items he has...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (25 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: In response to the major increases in unemployment in the fallout of the crisis, an unprecedented programme of policy reform in the social welfare system and of organisational change was undertaken by the Department of Social Protection. Through consecutive iterations of the Pathways to Work Strategy and the Youth Guarantee, labour market activation policies have been radically overhauled and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (25 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 174 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Assistance Payments Eligibility (25 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 147 and 156 together. The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (25 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: With effect from 3rdApril 2000, lifetime cumulative participation on CE by an individual is limited to: - 3 years (156 weeks) for persons under 55 years of age; - 6 years (312 weeks) for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age; and - Eligible persons in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked Social Welfare payment will be eligible for one additional year on CE over the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (25 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Tús, the community work placement initiative introduced during 2011, provides short-term, quality work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than a year. Some 7,865 are currently engaged on Tús as of 20th November 2014. A key feature of Tús is that all selection is undertaken by random processes conducted at local level by the Department. The selection is...