Results 61-80 of 1,032,710 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Paul Donnelly OR speaker:Heather Humphreys OR speaker:Denis Naughten)

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the committee members for their co-operation and their contribution to bringing the Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill through Committee Stage. I look forward to finally returning it to the Dáil and moving on with it. This is important and significant legislation. Pay-related benefit will mean a huge difference to many people. I am delighted...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: Is it the Minister's intention to have it enacted before the House goes into recess?

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: If we can, yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: I understand that only a small amendment is required.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is. We will put the general scheme to the committee here for pre-legislative scrutiny. I will start then to bring the legislation through the Dáil. If I can get it through before the recess well and good. It sounds straightforward but it is actually complex enough. It is on foot of the Supreme Court judgment that we are bringing it forward. We will get it to the committee as...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: I believe I speak on behalf of all the members here by saying that if the Minister wishes for and seeks a waiver on the pre-legislative scrutiny, the committee would be very amenable to that request in order to expedite the matter. It is a Supreme Court judgment-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: -----and we do not have a lot of flexibility in relation to that. We do not want to impede the passage of that legislation. If that request were made, the committee would look at it favourably.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: That is fair enough. As I said, I got agreement this morning so we will move on now to get the general scheme of the Bill together. It will hopefully move fairly quickly. I can talk to my officials about the next steps and about whether the committee is happy to leave it without pre-legislative scrutiny.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It is just tricky to explain. It takes a few minutes to go through it to be honest with the Deputy.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The way it has been worked out is that the definition of "qualified cohabitant" for the scheme will be broadly based on the existing definition of qualifying cohabitant contained in the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. That Act was referred to in the Supreme Court judgment. Therefore, we are working along the lines of that Act in terms of-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: The 2010 Act.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: Much of it will be based on that because that is where the definition of a cohabitant is in the legislation.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am happy to provide the Deputy with a copy of the draft legislation.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: It may be helpful to have a briefing from officials when the Minister has the draft available to provide the type of clarity, which is important and has been indicated by Deputy Ó Cuív. We also need to try to facilitate the expeditious enactment of it if we can. We can find a balance between both sides on it.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: I am happy for the officials to come in. When we draft the legislation, they can come in to walk and talk members through it and answer any concerns they have. I am happy to do that, absolutely.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: I will put on the record that the committee will insofar as is possible facilitate an expeditious passage of this legislation.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: It will be going forward.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Heather Humphreys: That is fair enough. I had the same issues as the Deputy. In fairness to the officials, however, they have done a lot of work on this. We will hopefully be able to allay most of the concerns people will have. We put a fair bit into it because there are a number of different scenarios. We tried to look at how we can do this.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: The Minister's officials present, who have been very helpful to the committee, will engage with the clerk. There is a willingness to see whether we can move this forward.