Results 4,601-4,620 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: After all, it might be his last performance.

Seanad: Order of Business (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: To be honest with the Leader, this may be everyone's last performance if Leo calls an election.

Seanad: Proposed Sale of AIB Shares: Statements (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the Minister to the House. It is probably his last visit to the Seanad as Minster for Finance, because he has indicated that he is not seeking reappointment. I note that he has said he is not standing for re-election, so I wish him the very best in his retirement and I acknowledge the lengthy public service he has given. As a Government bankbencher in the previous Dáil, I...

Seanad: Proposed Sale of AIB Shares: Statements (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Unfortunately, the joke is on the citizens of Ireland. A sum of €20.9 billion was put into AIB to recapitalise it. That is clearly where the joke is at the moment. I certainly do not support the sale of 25% of the shares. Questions need to be asked and identified. I would like to see the fees being paid to Rothschild and the other advisers in respect of the sale of this 25% being...

Seanad: Proposed Sale of AIB Shares: Statements (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The Fianna Fáil members should compare their speeches to that of the party spokesperson on finance, Deputy Michael McGrath.

Seanad: Proposed Sale of AIB Shares: Statements (31 May 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I wish the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan the very best in retirement. The Labour Party and I believe that this is the wrong time to sell AIB shares. I ask the Minister to review that decision and that there be a democratic vote in the Dáil saying that the Minister should not sell the shares and I believe we would have had a similar vote in this House if we had been allowed to put...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I will not repeat everything that Senator O'Dea has said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Deputy O'Dea. Sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I listened to him speak in the Dáil last night and thought, for a second, that he had announced his retirement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have a question on head 5. I understood that social welfare overpayments are always recouped over a period. The proposed change in head 5 is to provide the Minister with the power to further punish somebody convicted in our courts of social welfare fraud. If the change is passed, the provision will allow the Minister to cut a person's weekly social welfare payment by up to 25% for a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The key to the question is that there is a process in the court and a punishment if the accused is found guilty, as in the witness's cases. Another process outside the judicial system is now overlapping with it. With or without discretion the case was tried and the punishment was handed out. The proposal under head 5 is to put an additional punishment on top of that. That is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Even if it is one percent it is swaying into the judicial area, and that would set a precedent. As a legislator on this side of the House we have to protect judicial independence very strongly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: It is not a matter of liking it or not, it is actually the legal content.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I disagree. I apologise to Ms. Stack for interrupting her. There is a separation between the judicial and the legislative, and this is the legislative moving into the judicial area. That is the key. Deputy O'Dea would probably have an opinion on that, but we are overstepping the mark by even putting a document such as this out. It is really worrying. Forgive me for saying this, but I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2017: Discussion (1 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The current maximum deduction from social welfare payments is 15%. Will the officials clarify if it is underpinned by a statutory instrument or regulation and, if so, if the relevant statutory instrument or regulation will have to be changed?

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Last week, we saw a report on breastfeeding and the challenges Ireland faces in this regard. We see from the data that were published that Ireland is 31st out of 41 countries, just slightly above Britain, for breastfeeding rates. This is an important public health issue because there are health benefits of breastfeeding not only for the mother, but also for the child. I believe our poor...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House, and I congratulate him on his promotion. It is a great honour to serve the Irish people as a Minister, and I know he will do his best. I compliment Senator Norris and Deputy McGuinness and the others who worked to bring the Bill forward. I listened very closely to Senator Norris's contribution. He openly and honestly said this is not a...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The Bill deals with demand. If one stops people losing their homes, one stops demand increasing-----

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: -----so we must look at this in a logical way. If the Minister of State wants to deal with supply, I can give him many suggestions on how to do so. One very simple suggestion would be to introduce legislation on short-term lets. This could provide 2,000 units overnight just within the Dublin area, not to mention Cork, Leitrim, Galway or wherever else this could be done. If the Minister of...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: This is the debate the Bill is allowing to take place. However, this will not solve everything, which is why the co-operative and how it can be purchased is an innovative idea. There are pension funds, the ECB and investment institutions that are looking for what I call moral ways to invest money. They are looking for returns but they want to make a contribution to society. I very much...