Results 3,781-3,800 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (30 Sep 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 65,000 people at a cost of over €298 million in 2015, with over 13,700 tenancies awarded this year. A review of the rent limits undertaken earlier this year found that the impact of increasing limits at a time of constrained supply will increase costs...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Relief Eligibility (30 Sep 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The administration of the Mortgage Interest Relief scheme is a matter for the Revenue Commissioners and any changes to current arrangements is a matter for the Minister for Finance. The Government’s strategy to assist those in mortgage difficulty is built around the following measures, as recommended in the 2011 Interdepartmental Mortgage Arrears Working Group (Keane Group), in four...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Dietary Allowance Administration (1 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: Diet supplement, administered under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, is payable to qualifying persons, in receipt of the supplement prior to February 2014, who have been prescribed a special diet as a result of a specified medical condition. During 2013, the Department commissioned the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) to update their previous research...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (1 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The figure mentioned of 23,943 was the total number of participants and Supervisors employed on Community Employment at year-end 2013. The estimated cost of 2,057 additional places (inclusive of Supervisory costs) is in the order of €28.8 million. The current number of participants and supervisors as at the end of August 2015 is 24,239 places.
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (1 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together. 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 showing that significant numbers are being accommodated under the scheme. A review of the rent...
- Leaders' Questions (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: And Priory Hall.
- Topical Issue Debate: Community Employment Schemes Funding (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: I thank Deputy Costello for highlighting this issue, which has come to my attention only recently. He provided an example of the Dublin Adult Learning Centre, for which the insurance premium has increased by €2,500. This substantial increase was quoted without warning. I understand the reason the Deputy, as a director of the centre, community activist and public representative for...
- Topical Issue Debate: Community Employment Schemes Funding (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: It would be interesting and helpful to seek a breakdown of the factors cited by the insurance industry, although obtaining such a breakdown may be another matter. Two main insurance companies are involved in community employment. This issue was highlighted to the Department only recently. Until now, insurance for community employment schemes has cost approximately €50 per...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The Back to Education Allowance provides income support for jobseekers and others in receipt of certain social welfare payments that pursue courses of education at second or third level. The objective of the scheme is to raise the educational and skill levels to enable jobseekers better access to the emerging needs of the labour market in line with Government activation strategy . The...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Data (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The rural social scheme provides income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments on the basis of low means. Key criteria for participation and continued eligibility for the scheme is that the participant is underemployed in their primary activity, i.e. either farming or fishing, and that earnings are insufficient....
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Microloan Scheme (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: A proposal for a Personal Micro Credit scheme in Ireland is currently being developed under the auspices of Citizens Information Board and the Social Finance Foundation. A preliminary outline of the scheme envisages a microloan facility, operated by Credit Unions, providing small loan amounts (circa €500), over an average term of 12 months, at an interest rate of approximately...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 233 together. 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. The provision for 2015 represents a transfer of funding in excess of €20 million to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government to support...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Eligibility (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The supplementary welfare allowance scheme (SWA) is designed to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those in need who do not qualify for payment under other State schemes. Apart from the excluded categories, anyone in the State who satisfies a habitual residence condition and a means test, has registered for employment, unless they have a physical or mental disability, and can...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables below. The Deputy should note that for 2010 – 2011, Table 1 figures are based on accrualaccounting while for the period 2012- September 2015, they are based on cashaccounting. Table 1: Community Employment Expenditure 2010 – Sept 2015 Year Participant Allowances €m Actual 2010 276.606 2011 264.640...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (6 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection operates a number of programmes and initiatives including Tús – the community work placement initiative, and the rural social scheme. These schemes are delivered locally by local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht areas. Various community services and activities are also directly and indirect supported by...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Administration (7 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The JobBridge Scheme was introduced in July 2011 as a response to the unprecedented collapse in employment and the sharp increase in unemployment (a Live Register of 460,000). As a consequence of this economic shock, jobseekers were finding it increasingly difficult to secure work experience which was specified as a requirement for many jobs. JobBridge was designed to address this issue. It...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (7 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The Government’s primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth and the availability of productive employment for young people. However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (7 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: There is no surplus of €28 million in the CE Training Fund. The 2015 annual training budget for Community Employment is €6.1 million. CE training expenditure up to 23rd September 2015 is €4.1 million. It is not possible at this point in time to determine if there will be an underspend in this budget by year end. As you are aware, there is always an increase in the...
- Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Cessation (8 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy will be provided with hard copies (by post) of the original agreement (2002) and updated agreement (2005).
- Financial Resolutions 2016 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (14 Oct 2015)
Kevin Humphreys: Fianna Fáil cut the minimum wage by €1.