Results 3,861-3,880 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: It will be a separate office until the amalgamation happens because within the legislation there is a prohibition on the Pensions Ombudsman holding another job. When enacted, the Bill will improve services for the customer because there will be a one-stop-shop to deal with related concerns. It is enabling legislation to ensure that when the Department of Finance amalgamates the two offices,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government has approved the heads of the Bill. The proposed amendments amount to a bridging measure to allow the holder of the office of Financial Services Ombudsman to hold the office of Pensions Ombudsman pending the passing of the legislation providing for the formal merger of these two offices. I fully accept what Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh said about opening up the Bill to deal...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 2:In page 3, line 11, to delete “read together as one.” and substitute “construed together as one Act.”. This is a minor technical change to provide for the amendment of the Social Welfare Acts and the amendments contained in Part 2 of the Bill to be construed together as one.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 3:In page 3, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following:“(3) The Pensions Acts 1990 to 2014 and Part 3shall be construed together as one Act and may be cited together as the Pensions Acts 1990 to 2015. (4) Part 3shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Social Protection may appoint by order or orders either generally or with...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 4:In page 3, to delete line 16 and substitute the following:“ “Act of 2010” means the Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2010;”. In light of the enactment of the Marriage Act 2015, these amendments provide for various references to the gender-specific terms of "husband" and "wife" contained in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 to be...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I wish to compliment the staff of the Departments of Social Protection and Justice and Equality on endeavouring to implement the legislative structure arising from the referendum as quickly as they did. While the Government has endeavoured to make all the amendments changing references to "husbands" and "wives" to "spouses", I accept fully a few...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Throughout this process, the Department has endeavoured to change as many as possible. The consolidated Act is under review constantly to ensure the legislative references are correct. Since I came into the House, I and many Deputies have been finding references that were not up to date. However, through a review mechanism, the Government will rectify anything that is discovered. A huge...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 5:In page 3, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following:“ “Act of 2013” means the Social Welfare and Pensions (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013;”.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 7:In page 5, line 28, to delete “Act of 2010” and substitute “Social Welfare Act 2010”.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I will address Deputy Ó Snodaigh's last query first. This is standard practice for increases and it arises from budgeting for weekly payments. As it ties into weekly payments it is very difficult to administer payment of partial weeks. This is why it is based on the different start dates and has been standard practice in payment of weekly payments since I came into the House and...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I do not have the transcripts of the Second Stage debate but I am happy to discuss that with Deputy O'Dea at a later stage when I have read the transcripts.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: To be fair to the Tánaiste, Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh should note that she was not challenging Sinn Féin to vote against the welfare budget. The comment was directed more at his colleagues sitting beside him.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: It was quite obvious because Deputy Willie O'Dea ran true to form.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Deputy Brendan Ryan asked me about costs. For pension measures and the qualified adult rate of payment, there is a cost of €93 million to 2016. The overall package is worth approximately €250 million, which is substantial considering where all of the experts said we would be in budgetary matters at this stage. They said we would still be taking money out of the economy and...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I will get the officials to go through the documentation. As soon as they find the figure, I will give it to the Deputy. I will send it to him after the meeting if it is not found while the meeting is in progress.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The cost of the overall budgetary package is €250 million. The overall increase associated with the increase in the pension of €3 per week is €93 million. There are additional costs associated with the fuel allowance and the Christmas bonus.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I have the figures for Deputy Willie O’Dea. The figure for the number in receipt of the State contributory pension is 386,420. The number in receipt of the State non-contributory pension is 94,640.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Dependants.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Is the Chairman asking about qualified adults?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: They are included.