Results 4,401-4,420 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: -----who wanted Sean Fitzpatrick at the table as Minister for Finance. Unfortunately, the Fianna Fáil spokesperson, Deputy Barry Cowen, has caused total uproar with his lack of negotiation skills. Cowen is a familiar name that one can add to the list that contributed to the crash in this country. We have a responsibility to call the Taoiseach into this House to make clear exactly what...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: The Minister went to the Taoiseach last evening. I put the Leader on notice that I will call for the Taoiseach to be present on Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: We normally have to go in to fix Fianna Fáil's mess.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: It is probably not ideal. It is unfortunate.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Are Deputies voting in different ways?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: While Deputies were voting in the Dáil, we were talking about the actual cost of pensions, which is €7 billion at the moment and will increase by approximately €1 billion every five years. The Department is in the process of getting an actuary to look at those figures more exactly for a better projection. Mr. Duggan was saying we will have those figures by the middle of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: That would be of great help. At this stage, if we are having an overall look at pensions, we must look at what people contribute and the return they get from that contribution. I move on. A great deal of Mr. Duggan's submission was very clear. He said approximately 35% of people in the private sector had pensions. Do we have a breakdown in regard to that 35% in terms of earnings? It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Is there a cost-benefit analysis in regard to it? If one looks at the higher sector workers, there are preferential tax returns for that. In many ways, it is an additional subsidy for a higher earner whereas somebody on a low or minimum wage does not have the opportunity to get that subsidy towards the contributory pension. It would be interesting to see the true cost in relation to that....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: It would be helpful if we could link up with the UK authority. I want to ensure that it is an inclusive pension scheme, so will people at all income levels be able to get it? Even with a figure of roughly 10%, if it is concentrated in a low-income area the automatic enrolment will not help to deal with the problem of those on low incomes. The more information we have, the better the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Overview of Pensions: Discussion (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: Senator Alice-Mary Higgins will deal with the gender issue, but I have a final question. When we moved to average contributions, in many ways the bar to qualify for the State pension affected people who had started earlier in the workforce. They have been hugely disadvantaged, yet they are only starting to work into the system now. For example, some people began working at 16 or 17 in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank both sets of delegates for their submissions and presentations. I agree with Mr. Allen that we must place a greater emphasis on what does and does not work. Sometimes there is a hesitancy around doing that level of research because people are frightened they will get clipped around the ears if the report does not come out exactly as they might want. Mr. Allen referred to the last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have two quick questions. I hear constantly that it is not worth while for a couple to stay together and that a lone parent is financially better off. Are there financial gains in going from partnership lone parenthood? I am dealing with this. This would be said to me every week. I am asking this of One Family. Ms Kiernan and Ms Maher probably have much more experience in this area...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: What was the cost of financing the campaigns?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The report is important, especially regarding lone parents. I got into politics in 1999 in local government. I went through what was supposed to have been the prosperous noughties where everybody was seeing the benefit of the Celtic tiger. It made no difference, however, to many people in Dublin's inner city because they never got employment. I remember carrying out a survey where we saw...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have a quick question. Can the Department harvest the information on intergenerational unemployment to assist and target in particular those who have such intergenerational problems? Is there a mechanism in the Department's IT database to harvest that information in order that we can see a trend of one generation after the other?

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the necessary focus on rural Ireland. Little as it is, I welcome the plan. As the previous Senator said, most of it is a rehash of the broadband strategy and other elements. One of the things that has concerned me since the Government came to power is its total disregard of and lack of focus on disadvantaged urban areas. The issue has totally dropped off the radar. From...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Today's edition of The Irish Timescarried a report on bogus marriages. I compliment An Garda Síochána and the public servants in the Department of Social Protection who introduced the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 that allowed An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue. Not only has it reduced the number of bogus marriages in Ireland, but it has also had a positive...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I, too, thank the delegates for their presentations and will be quick as the time available to us is tight.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: One of the major challenges facing us as we emerge from the recession is presented by intergenerational unemployment. We do not have sufficient data to tackle this issue which can also have a geographical dimension. What are the delegates views on this issue? Age discrimination is evident as we emerge from the recession and will become a major issue. Age fear is also an issue, by which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I accept Mr. Donohue's comments. On the community employment programme, when we consider what it is measured against, there are two elements. There is a need to redefine what is meant by community employment. My experience of it is that those involved with the programme are finding it difficult to recruit because there are other opportunities available. As the services provided by those...