Results 3,761-3,780 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (24 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together. The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (24 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Persons aged 25 years or over and who are currently in receipt of either:- Widows/Widowers/Surviving Civil Partners Contributory Pension; or - Widows/Widowers/Surviving Civil Partners Non-Contributory Pension for 12 continuous months or more, are eligible for Community Employment (CE) and have been since 1999. Details of eligibility criteria for CE are listed on the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is designed to support second chance education. It enables social welfare customers in receipt of certain payments to pursue full-time education courses and to continue to receive income support in the form of an allowance. The BTEA is paid for the duration of the course of study, subject to the customer continuing to meet the conditions of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Employment Initiative (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is being managed as part of Ireland’s relationship with the European Social Fund (ESF) under the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020, for which the Irish Managing Authority is the Department of Education and Skills. I am informed that he total amount of YEI funding for which Ireland is applying in relation to the years...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 65,000 people at a cost of €298 million in 2015. Over 13,700 rent supplement tenancies have been awarded this year, of which almost 4,300 are in Dublin, showing that significant numbers are being accommodated under the scheme. A review of the rent limits undertaken...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The JobBridge Scheme was introduced in July 2011 with the aim of providing unemployed people with an opportunity to secure work experience and to prove their competence to prospective employers. Participation on JobBridge is wholly voluntary and is open to all jobseekers who meet the qualifying criteria, irrespective of their skill levels. JobBridge caters for new entrants to the labour...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other vulnerable persons (including lone parents, recovering drug mis-users and persons with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in part-time work and training within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. With respect to the participants...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Projects (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection is undertaking an extensive programme of evaluations over the next three years as part of its commitments under the Pathways to Workstrategy. Towards this end IGEES economists have been seconded to the Department to assist in the conduct this work. The evaluation programme also draws upon expertise of expert economists and experienced practitioners on the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 197 and 202 together. The Department of Social Protection operates a number of programmes and initiatives including the Tús – the community work placement initiative, the rural social scheme, gateway and the community employment scheme. These schemes are administered locally by local development companies, Local Authorities and local...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability. To this end, the Department provides a wide range of work related supports, which in 2015 will cost an estimated €37 million solely for persons with a disability. The Government’s commitments to facilitating increased participation in employment for persons with a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 65,000 people at a cost of €298 million in 2015. Over 13,700 rent supplement tenancies have been awarded this year, of which almost 4,300 are in Dublin, showing that significant numbers are being accommodated under the scheme. A review of the rent limits undertaken...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 to 216, inclusive, together. The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,700 schools and organisations which benefits over 217,500 children. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobPath Implementation (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: JobPath is a new approach to employment activation which will cater mainly for people who are long-term unemployed (over 12 months) and will assist them to secure and sustain full-time paid employment or self-employment. Following the completion of a public procurement process contracts to deliver JobPath have been signed with two companies - Turas Nua Limited and Seetec Limited. Under...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (29 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by jobseekers. This is the rationale behind the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Anti-Poverty Strategy (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: You were.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Listen to the answer.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Allow the Tánaiste to answer.

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Poverty Data (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Has Deputy O'Dea forgotten his party reduced the minimum wage?

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Work Allowance Application Numbers (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: There are two schemes to assist people on certain social protection payments who wish to become self-employed; namely the Short Term Enterprise Allowance and the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. The Short Term Enterprise Allowance provides immediate access to those who qualify for jobseekers benefit wishing to set up a business. Payment under the scheme is at the same rate and for the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (30 Sep 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 74 together. Notwithstanding some variation in unemployment from month to month, over the past three years youth unemployment has been significantly reduced. From a peak of 31.2% in June 2012, the seasonally adjusted youth unemployment rate has fallen to 20.7% as of August, reflecting the impact of government policy and the overall improvement in...