Results 3,701-3,720 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Two years is adequate. The numbers we are dealing with, as the Deputy pointed out, are such that we may not even see a case in the 16 to 18 age group in that period. Two years is an adequate period to have a look at it. In response to Deputy O'Dea, once the review has commenced, a report needs to be made to both Houses within 12 months, which is an important element. A review is adequate....

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Deputy Ó Snodaigh correctly stated that the pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill was excellent. As he knows, the Bill goes well beyond the recommendations of that committee, and it is progressive. On many occasions in the House, the legislation of other countries has been mentioned, but there are also quite regressive elements in that legislation. The Bill surpasses such...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 8:In page 8, line 38, to delete "section 91" and substitute "section 90".These are technical amendments dealing with references in the Bill to the register of inter-country adoptions and the foreign birth register. Amendments Nos. 8 and 9 refer to the Adoption Act 2010, under which the register of inter-country adoptions is maintained. Amendments Nos. 24, 30 and 31...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 9:In page 8, line 40, to delete "subsection (1)(b) of that section" and substitute "section 91(1)(b) of that Act".

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: There was a long debate on Committee Stage that was not guillotined.

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy was entitled to attend the meeting.

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy is entitled to make a contribution on Committee Stage.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The client has been in continuous receipt of a Diet Supplement payment on a monthly basis since September 2012. Her payments are made by cheque at end of each month, the last being issued on 29th June 2015. Her case has been reviewed recently, there is no change to her entitlement and the next payment is due to issue on 27th July 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A decision has been made on the exceptional needs payment application and has been forwarded to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Jul 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. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the school meals programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million. The Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to plays a vital role in supporting approximately 67,000 families and individuals at a cost of €298 million. Over 10,000 new tenancies have been processed since the start of the year, indicating that significant numbers of people are being accommodated under the scheme. I welcome the valuable inputs and proposals provided by the various groups which...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that CE supervisors are the employees of private companies. In the circumstances, it is not possible for the State to take over responsibility for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where those companies are reliant on State funding. This position was confirmed by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (D/PER) to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government gave no commitment to provide gratuity payments to Community Employment Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors. In July 2008, the Labour Court recommended that an agreed pension scheme should be introduced for CE Supervisors and assistant supervisors and that such a scheme should be adequately funded by FÁS, the funding agency responsible for CE at that time. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Gateway is a work placement initiative delivered by county and city councils which aims to provide short-term work opportunities for those who are unemployed for more than 24 months. Participants will benefit by being involved in work, they will improve their work readiness and will be able to apply their skills and learn new ones. The scheme was introduced in December 2013 and selected...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 151 to 153, inclusive, and 155 together. I include tables giving numbers of individuals and host organisations who participated in JobBridge in the postal districts approximating to the South Dublin Local Authority area. The Department operates an internal monitoring list for host organisations that commit minor breaches of the scheme. Organisations placed...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The Government has provided €44.3 million for this scheme in 2015. In general, the means tested allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 and between the ages...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I am taking the reference to a bursary as a reference to the wage subsidies to employers available under the JobsPlus initiative. The JobsPlus incentive is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking work. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (14 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 and 244 together. Rent supplement continues to plays a vital role in supporting approximately 67,000 families and individuals at a cost of €298 million. Over 10,000 new tenancies have been processed since the start of the year, including new claims, change of address and churn within the scheme. This level of activity shows that significant...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (15 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that the individuals concerned are the employees of private companies. It is not possible for the State to take over responsibility for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where those companies are reliant on State funding. Employers (including CE Sponsoring Organisations) are legally obliged to offer access to at least one...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (15 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The JobsPlus incentive is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for long periods or on young people seeking work. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers in the form of a monthly grant paid over two years with two levels of grant payable - €7,500 or €10,000 provided the...