Results 2,321-2,340 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not disagree with some of the comments that have been made here in terms of the armaments industry and all of that. However, we have to remember that this is not State money. This is the money of the citizens who contribute through the automatic enrolment process. They also have property rights. This is their pot and their money. I do not propose to take on board these amendments...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is not the same.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not have all the answers.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do not want to see anything invested in the armaments industry, no more than do any members of the committee. I must look at this context here, though, from the point of view of the contributions of the citizens of this country. These are contributions. Money, of course, goes into the NTMA. While that is garnered by taxation, the money in this case does not come from taxation. These...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I do.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I just have concerns that we would be treating, in an inequitable manner, the lower-paid workers who would benefit from auto-enrolment. I would be very concerned about that. As I said, with regard to the word "may", I will be talking to the OPC and I expect to be in a position to change that to "shall". I will leave it at that.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We do not need this amendment because it is already in the Bill. The Bill already provides for relevant information sharing arrangements, and these are set out in Part 7. In particular, section 108 provides for a specified body, which includes the Revenue Commissioners, to share with the new authority any information that is necessary and proportionate for the purpose of the performance of...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There is no naivety here. There are extensive provisions with regard to employer compliance, information-sharing, and the anti-victimisation of employees, including employees having recourse to the WRC for the last point. We do not need the amendment because it is already there. The point is that from day one when you take somebody on, you enrol them in auto-enrolment. That is it. That...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Sherlock. I do understand his concern, which has been conveyed to me also by the trade union representatives through the LEEF subgroup on pensions. However, the proposed amendment cannot be incorporated into the AE Bill at this time as it is subject to ongoing legal advice. The preliminary legal opinion suggests that such a provision would be unconstitutional with regard to...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: On 29 May.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the members of the committee for their work on the pre-legislative scrutiny and their co-operation here today. I acknowledge the work of the staff on the Bill as well. This is a massive Bill and I am very pleased that we have been able to bring it through Committee Stage. I look forward to Report Stage. It is going to make a huge difference to the lives of so many - 800,000...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Debate is through the Chair, Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Carer's Allowance is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care. On 13 June 2023, the person concerned was notified that they had no entitlement to Carer's Allowance. As the person had...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The fuel allowance is subject to a household composition requirement where everyone who resides in the house is aged 70 or over or, if under the age of 70, in receipt of a qualifying payment from this Department, or an equivalent social security payment from a country covered by EU Regulations or a country with which Ireland has a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, or Revenue Job Assist....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In November 2023, I published and laid a report before the Oireachtas entitled ‘Report on measures to include long COVID in the Occupational Injuries Benefit Regulations’. This report concluded that COVID-19 does not satisfy the criteria for recognition as an occupational illness or an accident at work under the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005. Specifically,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In general, medical or health related benefits fall within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. However, my Department administers the treatment benefit scheme which provides certain dental, optical, and medical appliances benefits to insured workers, the self-employed and retired people who have the required number of PRSI contributions. These treatments are also available to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Public service pension policy is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform. However, as regards social insurance contributions, these are made in accordance with the legislation and the employment terms and conditions in force at the time they are made, and eligibility for social insurance benefits flows from those particular contributions. Civil and public...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: This is not a matter for my Department. The matter is likely to be appropriate to one of my colleagues either the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth or the Minister for Transport.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (2 May 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 5 April 2016. To date, my department has not received an application for State Pension (contributory). Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate contributions paid in the state to qualify for standard State Pension (contributory). 520 full-rate contributions equate to 10 years of full-rate insurable employment....