Results 1,161-1,180 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I do not think the Leader believes that.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Fine Gael put him into transport.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I hope we will not be talking about rugby this time. Can we talk about the issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I, too, thank the delegates for their presentations and will be quick as the time available to us is tight.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: One of the major challenges facing us as we emerge from the recession is presented by intergenerational unemployment. We do not have sufficient data to tackle this issue which can also have a geographical dimension. What are the delegates views on this issue? Age discrimination is evident as we emerge from the recession and will become a major issue. Age fear is also an issue, by which...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I accept Mr. Donohue's comments. On the community employment programme, when we consider what it is measured against, there are two elements. There is a need to redefine what is meant by community employment. My experience of it is that those involved with the programme are finding it difficult to recruit because there are other opportunities available. As the services provided by those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: It is interesting that Ms O'Brien says that. It is one of the activities that is supposed to link up within the Intreo office. The person the client is interacting with is supposed to know they can receive this payment while they go back into employment, so it is a one stop shop. I fear it is not working. Ensuring it happened was one of the key designs within the Intreo offices. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The other issue people should be aware of is the fact that the JobPath payment is tied to the client's satisfaction rating. If the client's experience is bad, it affects the JobPath payment. Elements of it need to be brought out more. I am worried about the parking of the benefits, given that they used to be advertised on the radio and in the newspapers at key times in the year such as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Radio and text campaigns were done on a-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The name is still around

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: Today's edition of The Irish Timescarried a report on bogus marriages. I compliment An Garda Síochána and the public servants in the Department of Social Protection who introduced the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 that allowed An Garda Síochána to tackle this issue. Not only has it reduced the number of bogus marriages in Ireland, but it has also had a positive...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I welcome the necessary focus on rural Ireland. Little as it is, I welcome the plan. As the previous Senator said, most of it is a rehash of the broadband strategy and other elements. One of the things that has concerned me since the Government came to power is its total disregard of and lack of focus on disadvantaged urban areas. The issue has totally dropped off the radar. From...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank both sets of delegates for their submissions and presentations. I agree with Mr. Allen that we must place a greater emphasis on what does and does not work. Sometimes there is a hesitancy around doing that level of research because people are frightened they will get clipped around the ears if the report does not come out exactly as they might want. Mr. Allen referred to the last...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have two quick questions. I hear constantly that it is not worth while for a couple to stay together and that a lone parent is financially better off. Are there financial gains in going from partnership lone parenthood? I am dealing with this. This would be said to me every week. I am asking this of One Family. Ms Kiernan and Ms Maher probably have much more experience in this area...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: What was the cost of financing the campaigns?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: The report is important, especially regarding lone parents. I got into politics in 1999 in local government. I went through what was supposed to have been the prosperous noughties where everybody was seeing the benefit of the Celtic tiger. It made no difference, however, to many people in Dublin's inner city because they never got employment. I remember carrying out a survey where we saw...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Issues Facing Lone Parents: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Jan 2017)

Kevin Humphreys: I have a quick question. Can the Department harvest the information on intergenerational unemployment to assist and target in particular those who have such intergenerational problems? Is there a mechanism in the Department's IT database to harvest that information in order that we can see a trend of one generation after the other?

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: I have been very critical of what is being termed "new politics". Very few decisions have been made during the Government's term in office. We have had committees, studies and the Citizens' Assembly but we have had very little legislation. That is the case for one clear reason. When the Government tries to make a decision, it must bring Fianna Fáil along with it. Fine Gael was...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: No, I will not go away. The Taoiseach made a commitment to do so. He has given 100% support to the Minister, Deputy Coveney, for a possible withdrawal of the legislation. The country needs leadership. There is a housing crisis and a need to deal with the rental crisis that exists, especially in terms of the rent hotspot that is Dublin. A 4% increase is a very clear signal to landlords to...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Kevin Humphreys: We have a former Taoiseach who was at the Cabinet table when this country crashed. We have the Minister, Deputy Ross-----