Results 3,441-3,460 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: In response to the first contribution and the reference on the forcing of women to work, the Senator quoted from the article by the journalist in the Irish Examinerabout being passive. I represent an inner city community and the first point I want to make is that not all lone parents are women. I have seen lone parents in their 40s who have received no training, support, education or...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Her name is Victoria White.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The worst possible outcome for members of jobless households is to have no role model to which to aspire. I have seen this in numerous families where there is an intergenerational history of unemployment. I do not accept that we are doing our best for children if we facilitate a situation where they grow up in a jobless household. We need children to see their parents actively involved in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Senator knows very well that the Department of Children and Youth Affairs subsidises approximately 40,000 child care places, 25,000 of them specifically targeted at low-income parents. These include the 500 places under the after-school child care scheme operating at primary school level. The jobseeker's allowance transitional arrangement was introduced in 2013 to take into account the...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (21 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I am aware that the issue is under review and I will revert to the Senator as soon as that review is completed. On the question of the CE schemes under the remit of the Department of Social Protection, one of their great successes has been to train people to FETAC levels 5 and 6 who then go on to full time employment. Recently we have lowered the age of eligibility to allow younger people...

Topical Issue Debate: Exceptional Needs Payments (23 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A bereavement at any stage is always very difficult for families. I sympathise with the two cases Deputy Durkan has brought to my attention. It would be worthwhile to outline the policy position. The administration of the supplementary welfare allowance scheme was transferred to the Department of Social Protection on 1 October 2011. The Department of Social Protection's assistant...

Topical Issue Debate: Exceptional Needs Payments (23 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I can imagine what it was.

Topical Issue Debate: Exceptional Needs Payments (23 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Deputy Durkan knows me well. Of course I will look into the issue. In the case of the first person concerned, a payment totalling €2,500 has now been made towards the funeral bill of €5,505. In the case of the second person concerned, a payment totalling €3,000 towards the funeral bill of €6,845 has now been made by the Department. Considering the pressure...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 62, 103 and 107 together. The rent supplement scheme provides 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 approximately 70,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Senator. He is correct in saying his party colleague debated this issue at length. Unfortunately, I will probably give him an answer similar to what I gave to his colleague. I recognise that the information raises some concern. I want to make it absolutely clear that all claims for all three payments are already decided by a deciding officer and have been since the scheme was...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The back-to-work family dividend is a very positive element. It will help many people who are quite distant from the workforce and who are worried about whether there will be a financial dividend in going back to work. There is a significant benefit for people in going back into the workforce and not having to worry about whether they will lose money. The back-to-work family dividend will...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: It is not.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I beg the Senator's pardon.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I have always shown the Senator respect. I know the Senator does not want to go back to history although it is not really long ago. It is four years ago which is a very short time period.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: This is not targeted particularly at Senator Paschal Mooney because his contribution to the House goes beyond reproach.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: This is not targeted at the Senator. It is just a statement if fact,

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: That is the reality and that is where we found ourselves. I sat in the parliamentary party room with my colleagues in the House listening to the things that were about to happen and the dire economic straits the country was in and it was a very difficult place. There have been some improvements but it is not a land of milk and honey. I certainly hope we will get there sooner rather than later.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The best way we can help lone parents is by helping them back into good paid work. The Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Gerald Nash, has started that process. The Senator mentioned special arrangements for lone parents. There are some companies that already operate special arrangements. I am aware the Tánaiste and Minister for Social...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Please.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (28 Apr 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I did not hear anyone say a land of milk and honey.