Results 2,501-2,520 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures (20 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: JobBridge has made very significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. As at 15 January 2015, a total of 36,603 internships have commenced with 6,291 participants currently on a JobBridge placement, and 816 internship posts currently advertised on the JobBridge website. To date, almost 16,000 host organisations have participated in the scheme. A rigorous monitoring...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Action Plan for Jobs (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Action Plan for Jobs has been updated and revised each year since its inception in 2012. It has not been cut, and the 2015 iteration of the plan is expected to be finalised shortly. Within the Intreo activation process managed by the Department of Social protection, a Personal Progression Plan is developed with each Jobseeker. Participation in a training, education, or development...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Education and Training Provision (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department in conjunction with other Departments and agencies (most notably the Department of Education and Skills and Solas) has put in place a range of options for reskilling as part of the wider whole of government approach contained in the Pathways to Work Strategy. The former FAS training provision is being transferred to the new regional Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Mortgage Interest Supplement Scheme (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The original purpose of the mortgage interest supplement scheme was to provide short-term support to eligible people who are unable to meet their mortgage interest repayments in respect of a house which is their sole place of residence. The supplement assists with the interest portion of the mortgage repayments only. There are currently approximately 5,800 people in receipt of mortgage...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in the delivery of key local services, to tackle disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. It provides valuable resourcing for service delivery undertaken by not-for-profit companies and cooperatives in communities around the country. Some 2,800 people are supported in employment by the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Funding (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I regret to inform the Deputy that the Department does not have funds of this ad-hoc discretionary nature at its disposal. All funding to not-for-profit organisations for the provision of services and events is channelled through structured programmes aimed at generating and supporting employment of jobseekers, to support local service provision and/or to promote the social inclusion outcomes...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 52, 53, 81, 111 and 113 together. There are approximately 71,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €298 million for 2015. I can assure the Deputies that the Department continues to monitor the maximum rent limits and is aware of the difficulties people are experiencing, including recipients of rent supplement,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Eligibility (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A person of 25 years of age or over who is currently in receipt of Widows/Widowers Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension for a minimum of 12 months is eligible to participate on the Community Employment (CE) programme, as per the published eligibility criteria. From 16 January 2012, newparticipants on CE schemes will not be able to simultaneously claim their original social welfare...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: With effect from 3 April 2000, lifetime cumulative maximum participation on CE by an individual is as follows: - 3 years (156 weeks) maximum for persons under 55 years of age; - 6 years (312 weeks) maximum for persons of 55 years of age up to State Pension age (inclusive of any CE participation under 55 years of age); and - For people in receipt of a qualifying disability-linked social...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Services Programme (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The community services programme (CSP) is designed to address gaps in the delivery of key local services, to tackle disadvantage and to ensure that community facilities are utilised. It provides valuable resourcing for service delivery undertaken by not-for-profit companies and cooperatives in communities around the country. Some 2,800 people are supported in employment by the programme...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Supplementary Welfare Allowance Data (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Under the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme, the Department may make a single exceptional needs payment (ENP) to help meet essential, once-off and unforeseen expenditure which a person could not reasonably be expected to meet out of their weekly income. The Government has provided €27.9m for ENPs in 2015. There is no automatic entitlement to a payment. The ENP scheme is...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 83 to 86, inclusive, 89, and 93 to 98, inclusive, together. Table 1 contains details of the breakdown of JobBridge host organisations by number of interns. Table 2 contains details of the breakdown of JobBridge interns by age. Table 3 contains details of the breakdown of JobBridge interns by Government Department and Agency. Since the commencement...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Guarantee (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 87 and 88 together. The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested. The Department will be in direct contact with the Deputy with the information as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment and Youth Activation Charter (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 90 to 92, inclusive, together. The Employment and Youth Activation Charter was launched by An Tánaiste on the 29th September 2014. The Charter is an initiative of the Labour Market Council which was established by An Tánaiste to help drive actions under the Government’s programme of change as set out in the Action Plan for Jobsand Pathways...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 99 to 101, inclusive, together. JobsPlus provides a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit employees from the Live Register and those transitioning into employment. It provides employers with two levels of payment - €7,500 or €10,000 over two years - paid in monthly instalments provided the employment is maintained. The...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Eligibility (14 Jan 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: As acknowledged in the Judgement referred to by the Deputy, the legislation governing entitlement to rent supplement already provides that decision makers must have due regard to the circumstances of an individual and the relationship with his/her children in terms of financial and material support and dependency. In this particular case however, the Judge considered that the decision makers...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Eligibility (18 Dec 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 37 and 44 together. JobBridge is open to jobseekers with a live claim who have been in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, Jobseeker Transition Payment, One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance or who are signing for social insurance contribution credits for a minimum of 3 months within the previous 6 months. I am currently reviewing...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (18 Dec 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 39 together. There are approximately 71,800 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for 2014. Rent supplement recipient numbers and expenditure since 2010 is provided in the tabular statement. There are currently over 1,500 rent supplement recipients in Westmeath, of which approximately 520,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Data (18 Dec 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Based on micro data from the Quarterly National Household survey, the Department of Social protection estimates that the number of young people aged less than 25 years not in employment, education or training in the second quarter of 2014 was 76,500. This represented 14.6% of the estimated population in this age group. There has been a significant fall in this percentage since the second...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Senators for their contributions over recent days. I am sorry I am a little hoarse but I am well on the way to recovery. It is a little like recovering from a cold where a person does not believe it until they are over it. The public listen to Members in this House talking about recovery and things getting a little better, but they have not felt it yet in their pockets or in...