Results 3,581-3,600 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I said I will bring any concerns that are raised at this committee directly to the Minister-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There will be a Cabinet committee meeting on Thursday on this specific issue. I can assure the members that I will bring all the concerns they have raised here to that meeting as well. I intend-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputies. As we all know, this is an emergency situation. During the 90-day period in which people are in this designation accommodation, the beneficiaries will be supported in trying to find employment and sourcing accommodation which may be private or pledged, as I said earlier. The Department of children is actively standing up arrival centres for use at the start of the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, there will be a communication plan in place. As I stated, we will have a Cabinet committee meeting on Thursday. I expect that other Departments will come forward with their plans for how we implement this in terms of communication.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I move amendment No. 5: In page 5, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “CHAPTER 2 Amendment of International Protection Act 2015 Amendment of International Protection Act 2015 8. Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015 is amended— (a) by the insertion of the following definition in subsection (1): “ ‘designated accommodation...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The temporary protection directive falls under the Minister for Justice. Discussions are ongoing at EU level regarding what will happen when temporary protection comes to an end in March 2025. The Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, is dealing with that. The Deputy asked what will happen to people who are here under the directive. Obviously, these discussions will take place at EU level...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We have another year, in fairness.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It has to be thought through. We have to make decisions-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: There are a couple of issues here. First, we will have to see what happens with the war in Ukraine. Unfortunately, it has gone on far longer than any of us anticipated. There are far more people coming to our shores than we anticipated. The second thing is we will work with our EU partners. This will be a decision for the Department of Justice. Many people have come here from Ukraine....

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I take on board the points the Deputy is making but the directive will not expire until May 2025. The Minister for Justice will have discussions with our EU partners on this matter. As I said, I have no doubt the Government will do the right thing when that time comes. In fairness, there is a while to go yet. I understand the Minister for Justice is at a Council meeting tomorrow.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy that we have to redouble our efforts to make sure this war comes to an end. It is very difficult for people. There is no doubt about that. He is right that 33%, or approximately 17,000, of Ukrainians are working. The Department continues to engage with them all the time to try to find employment for them and break down those barriers, which were mainly language...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I move amendment No. 7: In page 3, to delete line 6 and substitute the following: “An Act to amend the Social Welfare Acts to exclude assessment of child maintenance payments from social welfare means tests and to repeal the provisions relating to liable relatives; to make further provision for certain matters relating to persons to whom permission to reside in the State is given...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. As I said, I hear what they are saying and I listen, as they know. I will bring some of the concerns raised to the relevant Ministers.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Cathaoirleach and wish "Good morning" to everyone. I am glad to be here this morning with officials from my own Department of Social Protection, with officials from the Departments of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and of Justice. I will speak to the Bill first. The purpose of this Bill is: to change the means test for social welfare payments in order...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (24 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: That is right. That was waived.

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Motion to Instruct Committee (23 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I move: That it be an instruction to the Select Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands on the Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023, that pursuant to Standing Order 187, the Committee has power to make amendments to the Bill which are outside the scope of the existing provisions of the Bill in order to adjust the supports...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (23 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: My department administers the Daily Expenses Allowance (DEA) which is paid to protection applicants who reside in accommodation provided by IPAS in order to meet incidental, personal expenses. The current weekly rate of payment for an adult is €38.80. Following your representation, officials from my department contacted the person concerned by email and letter to invite them to attend...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Equality Issues (23 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 372 and 402 together. The latest monthly unemployment figures from the CSO for December 2023 record an unemployment rate of 4.9%; in this regard, below 5% is traditionally considered to be full employment. This rate is slightly higher for males than females, standing at 5.1 and 4.6 percent respectively. The unemployment rate for young people aged 15-24 years...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Partial Capacity Benefit (PCB) scheme allows a person in receipt of an Invalidity Pension (IP) or Illness Benefit (IB) to enter employment or self-employment and continue to receive a partial or full payment. The amount of payment is set at 50%, 75% or 100% of their previous payment depending on the extent to which their condition is assessed to impair their capacity to work. A person...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (23 Jan 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The Treatment Benefit Scheme provides dental, optical, and aural services to insured workers, the self-employed, retired people and their dependant spouse/partner who have the required number of social insurance (PRSI) contributions. In order to qualify, a person needs to have at least 260 PRSI contributions paid at either Class A, E, H, P or S, since first starting work, and also have 39...