Results 381-400 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: State Pensions (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The person concerned reached pension age on 28 November 2023. An application for state pension (contributory) was received from them on 11 August 2023. To qualify for state pension (contributory), a total of 520 paid reckonable contributions are required which is equivalent to 10 years contributions. As the person concerned had a total of 61 reckonable contributions which were recorded...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) is a means-tested payment made to people who are unemployed and who do not qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed. Amongst other qualifying criteria, a person must be capable of and available for full-time work. According to the records of my Department, the Deputy emailed the person’s JA application to my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties. In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further round of funding to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (17 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: In July of this year I launched Ireland’s National Social Enterprise Policy, Trading for Impact 2024-2027. This new policy, which builds on the first national social enterprise policy, is designed to cultivate a strong and impactful social enterprise sector in Ireland that enriches the social, environmental, and economic well-being of our communities. My Department operates a range...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputies for raising those points. A group of current and former Members have brought a High Court action seeking to have class K contributions payable as public officeholders declared unconstitutional. The matter is subject to legal proceedings, so maybe I had better say no more. I do not want to-----

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: We can always get legal advice, but as far as I am concerned, it was an austerity measure taken during difficult times. It is now a simple question of whether we should reverse that measure.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes. The benefits available to the self-employed have been expanded considerably over the years. They get maternity benefit, paternity benefit, parent’s benefit, treatment benefit, the contributory pension, jobseekers’ benefit for the self-employed, the invalidity pension and the partial capacity benefit. They do not get illness benefit. That can be considered, but are...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes, they will now be able to apply for carer’s benefit, which is-----

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It will help some people’s situations. My point remains the same. Deputy Sherlock knows well enough that it is a case of all for one and one for all on this matter.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for tabling this amendment. Regarding extending parent’s leave and benefit, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has responsibility for parent’s leave policy and I have responsibility for the associated benefit payment. Parent’s leave and benefit are available to eligible parents within the first two years following...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I absolutely understand the point the Deputy is making. I have had this debate in the Seanad a number of times. The best solution I could find was for them to come forward with a proposal on an all-party basis via a Private Member's Bill and I am still waiting for it. If there is all-party agreement on it, I will be happy to take it, but there will have to be all-party agreement and no...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Well that one is still there.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am just saying it as it is. I have sympathy for Oireachtas Members, especially those who lost their seats during the Covid-19 pandemic because they could not take up employment. Things were closed down. They had no income. I grant that there is a termination payment when Members leave these Houses. Having said that, I take the Deputy's point on maternity leave. We are bringing...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I propose to speak to the three amendments together. I make the same point that I would rather not put requests for reports into legislation. However, I will definitely do one of them if that is all right. I will explain. I recently signed the commencement order confirming that the new jobseeker's pay-related benefit scheme will be available from 31 March. The priority is to launch the...

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Overtime.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I have no problem asking the interdepartmental group. I understand what the Deputy is saying there. Overtime is not basic income; it is extra income. If we go into the means-test space, we just look at household income. I will ask the group to look at that. I am not telling the Deputy that he will get the answer he wants, but we will certainly look at it.

Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for tabling this amendment. While I understand why Deputies submit requests for reports by way of amendments, I have made the point previously, and will make it again now, that including commitments to produce reports in primary legislation, particularly legislation which is already as complex as the Social Welfare Consolidation Act, is not good practice for us. I...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (16 Oct 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Before I begin, on my own behalf and that of my Department, I extend our sympathies to the committee's Chairperson, Deputy Naughten, and the Naughten family on the sad loss of his brother John. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and members for the invitation to present the 2024 Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Social Protection. I am seeking a Supplementary Estimate of...