Results 4,141-4,160 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 117 together. The community services programme (CSP) is one of a number of programmes and schemes operated by the Department. It provides financial support to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a social inclusion nature. Many of these companies are also funded from other sources and generate revenue from the public use of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to schools and organisations at a cost of €39 million in 2015. An additional €3 million was allocated to the programme as part of Budget 2016, bringing the allocation to €42 million in 2016. There are two schemes operated under the school meals programme. The first scheme is the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The purpose of Community Employment (CE) is to enhance employability and mobility by providing work experience and training within communities. The person in question was informed by Departmental staff that she only had eligibility for one year’s participation on CE at present under the standard eligibility criteria (i.e. she did not have sufficient qualifying time for the three-year...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 92 and 101 together. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The company referred to by the Deputy is supported by the Community Services Programme. Following a full examination of its operations in 2013, a number of concerns were raised relating to the outputs being achieved by the company when compared with similar operations nationally. The company was informed that the Department could not sustain the level of financial support should the level...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Obesity Levels (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and giving me an opportunity to set out the position in respect of this matter. In the first instance, I wish to clarify that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government does not have a role in imposing...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Obesity Levels (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Senator. While this undoubtedly is an important issue, as indicated within the body of the original reply, the guidelines give power to local government regarding new developments. The Senator highlighted this point in respect of section 5 of these guidelines. There is a specific problem regarding existing businesses that would be within 500 m and I acknowledge the Senator...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Obesity Levels (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: There must be a much stronger emphasis on parental skills in this regard. I believe this to be one of the major challenges Irish society will face in the coming years but the Senator has a fantastic track record in highlighting this issue. I again thank her for raising it.

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Labour Activation Measures (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: We are certainly moving in the right direction. Five years ago the rate of unemployment was 15.2%. It is now below 9% and moving in the right direction. It was natural that there would be a concentration on assisting those in receipt of benefits to get back into employment. The distribution of what was a scarce resource was prioritised, I believe correctly. Now, as we move from recession...

Seanad: Commencement Matters (Resumed): Labour Activation Measures (26 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Senator. There is nothing more important than having a role model within the household of somebody going out to work. The Senator mentioned the year 1934 and the question to the then Minister, Mr. Lemass, but we should look back and learn from what happened in the 1990s. During the previous recession there was a group of persons who lost their jobs and did not have an...

Order of Business (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: It is.

Order of Business (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: There was no agreement.

Order of Business (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: She can speak for herself.

Topical Issue Debate: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Indeed, the Department makes exceptional needs payments in respect of funeral expenses. There is no better Deputy than Deputy Durkan to understand the constraints and the information that it is necessary to provide in this regard. For some time I have been concerned about the difference in funeral expenses throughout the country. I remember looking at the matter closely. Deputy...

Topical Issue Debate: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy knows the rules and regulations around this. He said a substantial amount of documentation was submitted but he is not quite sure where it is. If the file is with him, he can send it directly to my office and I will ensure a review is carried out. From looking at the information I have, it seems outstanding information was to be provided. If that could be provided, it would...

Topical Issue Debate: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy. This issue arose on Leaders' Questions and the Order of Business today. It is a very difficult time for the staff who have lost their jobs in this manner. My heart goes out to them. It is always very difficult for families when redundancy crosses the doorsteps. I thought of it very clearly today, when I read in a newspaper what had happened to the workers. My...

Topical Issue Debate: Redundancy Payments (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for her question. She can rest assured that there will be an awareness of that within the Intreo offices, certainly of the 350 people who lost their jobs in the Xtra-vision stores. The priority of the Department is to ensure that the workers receive their statutory redundancy and other wage related payments due at the time of liquidation. I give the Deputy an undertaking...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Tables giving the details requested by the Deputy are set out below in this reply. JobBridge, the National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy – particularly the sharp increase in unemployment. The primary aim of the scheme is to give unemployed people the opportunity to secure work experience and prove their...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Applications (28 Jan 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme is a non-statutory scheme which provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. In order to qualify for BSCFA, an applicant must satisfy a number of qualifying conditions, one of which requires the applicant’s household income to be within the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (2 Feb 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 104, 106, 131 and 135 together. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies and the Office of Public Works (OPW) has responsibility for capital flood relief activities. However, the Department of Social Protection has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate...