Results 3,401-3,420 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I try to keep it to a minimum. Let us keep this in the centre. The Government does not rule any of the amendments out of order. That is not our role. There is an independent entity in place. I would have preferred if some of the amendments ruled out of order had been in order so that we could have had a good discussion and debate on them. A good debate often informs future decisions. It...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: It is not our role to do this. As far as this being a sop is concerned, it is not a sop or a response to people being under pressure. The back-to-work family dividend is substantial and the people I have spoken to have quite welcomed it. They see it as an opportunity to get back into the workforce, having been distanced from that. This is an opportunity for people to get back into work...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: He should look at the figures from 2010 to 2014 in regard to the number who now qualify for carer's allowance.

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: With regard to GPs, if a GP makes a diagnosis, there is no question about the diagnosis but it is an overall assessment that decides the carer's allowance. I have addressed the contents of the Bill on Committee Stage and also this morning, including the particular points made. A Deputy asked: "What work?" There are jobs out there. When we came into government, unemployment was at 15.1%...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: That has to be addressed. However, I certainly do not believe this is in any shape or form an attack on carers. Deputy Ó Snodaigh debated for a long time on Committee Stage and Report Stage in regard to the medical assessors to whom Deputy Coppinger is referring. I believe I have adequately explained what we are doing to those who were present in the House. By and large, I believe...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: We are not taking our policies from English newspapers or from "Panorama". We can certainly learn from others and make sure we do not make mistakes. I take on board the points made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh on Committee Stage and on Report Stage this morning. I think I have reassured Deputy Ó Snodaigh that, when we are taking on medical assessors in this manner, to have such a system...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Projects (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 to 61, inclusive, together. Considerable progress has been made in increasing the number of participants on the community employment (CE) drug rehabilitation scheme. Table 1 shows that in December 2014, there were 936 referred clients on drug rehabilitation places (644 male and 292 female) and 220 support workers (103 male and 117 female). In total, in...

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the opportunity to address the Seanad on recent concerns about a mailshot that issued from the Department of Social Protection and quality customer service. My ministerial role is to identify the needs of the customer and tailor our services in meeting them. It would not be appropriate to be drawn into a debate on whether cash or EFT, electronic funds transfer, payments are...

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Senator Whelan referred to critical mass and how services are provided. Ireland has suffered from bad planning for a long time. The death of rural towns is a serious problem. I have travelled the country for the past six months engaging with people and I have seen the empty shop units in small rural villages. I am proud that the Government has taken this issue seriously and that is why a...

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I am sorry, but-----

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A simple-----

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A simple telephone call to the Department would have explained what we were doing and why.

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Excuse me.

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: If my Department made that simple oversight, the Senator would have me before the House next week and the week after. Via a telephone call, we could have explained what we were doing, why we were doing it, why there was a small sample size and why the decision on transaction accounts was made. When I was asked to attend this debate, I dropped everything and automatically said, "Yes." I...

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I will conclude.

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I hope I have cleared up Senators' issues in this comprehensive discussion. If any Senator has other questions on this matter, I will be happy to meet him or her and answer them.

Seanad: Department of Social Protection Payment Methods: Statements (2 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I am happy to answer. The sample size across the two schemes was 2,800. We are quite open on these matters.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (15 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Community Employment (CE) Procedures Manual sets out the policies and procedures for the compliance of CE Schemes. This Procedures Manual is updated regularly to ensure that schemes are run in accordance with sound corporate governance procedures and financial best practice. Schemes are monitored at least one a year to ensure compliance with the policies and procedures. Where schemes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Funding (15 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations which benefits over 205,000 children through two schemes. The first is the statutory urban school meals scheme, operated by local authorities and part-financed by the Department. The second is the school meals local projects scheme through which funding is provided...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (15 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A range of supports are available to jobseekers from the Department. A jobseeker who is available for and genuinely seeking work can apply for the contribution-based jobseeker’s benefit or the means-tested jobseeker’s allowance, depending on their previous employment history. While the Department does not provide any specific supports for those wishing to join or return to...