Results 2,661-2,680 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Skills Development (20 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: In the first instance, the Government’s primary strategy to tackle long-term unemployment is to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. However, the Government also recognises the need for additional measures in the interim while the economy recovers. This is the rationale behind...

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for providing details on Scoil Bhríde. To provide some background, the school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services for some 1,600 schools and organisations. Almost 207,000 children benefit through two schemes, the first of which is the statutory urban school meals scheme operated by local authorities and part-financed by the...

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department of Social Protection always operates in an open and transparent manner and furnishes Deputies with the information they request. It is heartening that the Deputy has confirmed this in respect of the information provided for him by the Department. The Government has been able to protect the funding provided for the school meals programme. In 2009 funding for the scheme stood...

Topical Issue Debate: Food Quality Assurance Scheme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Yes. Deputies Anthony Lawlor, Martin Heydon and Catherine Murphy have agreed to defer their matter until next Tuesday, 25 November on the understanding that either the Minister for Health or the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, has committed to taking it on that day.

Topical Issue Debate: School Meals Programme (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: No one does.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Administration (19 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The annual estimated cost of introducing a defined contribution scheme for CE Supervisors was estimated at €3.75m for 2008, if the Department were to be the main funding body. Subsequent years have been calculated to work out at an average of approximately €3.7m per annum. The Department is not the employer in respect of any person engaged in CE schemes. The responsibilities...

Social Welfare Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: She was absent for 65 days.

Topical Issue Debate: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for raising this topical issue. Although I do not have the information on the European decision that he has outlined, I would like to put this matter in context. The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability-type payments. The scheme...

Topical Issue Debate: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for his comments, and I compliment the officials who negotiated the return of this route. I take on board the Deputy's views on how important that route is for people living in isolated areas. It is worth recalling that there has been a significant increase in the numbers using such services. In 2001, more than 600,000 people were availing of the free transport scheme,...

Topical Issue Debate: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: Is that the issue raised by Deputy Ciara Conway?

Topical Issue Debate: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I understand that my colleague Deputy Ciara Conway has agreed to defer discussion of her issue until Tuesday, 25 November 2014. On that date, I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, who is the Minister responsible, will take the debate.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The purpose of rent supplement is to provide short-term support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation, whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are currently approximately 72,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Review (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department keeps the operations of the Community Employment (CE) scheme under review and, where necessary, it updates the programme to comply with legislation changes, Government policy decisions, (e.g. Pathways to Work) and Departmental policy decisions (e.g. the CE Childcare programme). CE is subject to continuous improvement and the Department seeks to maximise the utilisation of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Data (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 137 and 151 together. JobBridge has made very significant progress since it came into operation on 1 July 2011. As at 14 November 2014, a total of 35,167 internships have commenced with 6,676 participants currently on a JobBridge placement, and 2,078 internship posts currently advertised on the JobBridge website. In County Mayo, there have been a total of...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. There are approximately 72,500 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided over €344 million for...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The progression figures for those who exited the community employment (CE) scheme in 2013 are outlined in the table. Community Employment Schemes Percentage/Number Found Employment/Self-employment 21.6% (2,145) Progression to Further Education 4.9% (485) Total Placement/Progression 26.5% (2,630) Total exits from CE in 2013 9,913 With regards to qualifications achieved while...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: At the end of October 2014, there were 22,815 community employment (CE) participants (excluding supervisors) engaged on the programme, an overall increase of 1,009 participants from October 2013. The breakdown of the 22,815 places is: Community Employment Schemes Breakdown 18,706 Jobseekers (JA/JB) 82.0% 1,215 Lone Parents/Widows 5.3% 1,886 Disability 8.3% 1,008 Others (e.g....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (18 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: At the end of October 2014, JobsPlus supported 96 positions in Co Mayo and a further 194 positions in Co Galway. The number of businesses supported was 157 in Galway and 73 in Mayo. JobsPlus is promoted to businesses in a variety of ways, including through the Department’s employer engagement teams at national and regional level working directly with employers and representative...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Eligibility (13 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The Budget of 2012 announced the disqualification from certain welfare payments for welfare recipients while participating on Community Employment (CE). Up until 16th January 2012, certain social welfare payments could be retained in part or in full when participating on CE. The CE personal rate of €208.00 was applicable to these participants (as any dependants were covered under the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Housing Assistance Payments Administration (13 Nov 2014)

Kevin Humphreys: The purpose of the rent supplement scheme is to provide short-term income support to assist with reasonable accommodation costs of eligible people living in private rented accommodation who are unable to provide for their accommodation costs from their own resources. The overall aim is to provide short term assistance, and not to act as an alternative to the other social housing schemes...