Results 12,521-12,540 of 27,613 for speaker:Heather Humphreys

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank Deputy Carey. In terms of the CE supervisors' pensions, the starting point for this issue is, as the Deputy will be aware, the 2008 Labour Court recommendations. We have had a number of discussions. We have put forward a recommendation to the CE supervisors and my Department has been tick-tacking with them. An offer has been made to them. I hope that can be finalised soon and...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I hope it will happen relatively quickly. I have to bring a proposal to Government and get it agreed there. As I said, it has to be looked at carefully. We always make sure when we are changing things that there are no unintended consequences. As I said, I hope to bring it to Government shortly and I would hope that in the new year we will be able to make an announcement.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for her questions and will try to answer as many of them as I can. Regarding exceptional and urgent needs payments, there was €3.7 million of an underspend due to a lower number of one-off payments than was provided for in the Revised Estimate and this resulted in a saving of €19.8 million. We estimate allocations when putting the budget together but there...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I am sorry; I forgot. I have the details of that. As the Deputy will be aware, in 2020, we established a child maintenance review group to examine certain issues with child maintenance. I know that she has an interest in this, as do I. The group is chaired by the former Circuit Court judge, Catherine Murphy. The terms of reference are to consider and make recommendations on the current...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I will answer the question about the over-65s first. I take the point the Deputy makes. As she will know, the over-65s payment is a new payment and was introduced to deal with a specific problem. As we know, people found that their contracts terminated at age 65 and they were going onto jobseekers' payments. We changed that such that they can now apply for the benefit payment for...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: On the CE schemes, in exceptional circumstances we allow participants to stay on. However, there is a balance. We do not want people to be permanently on CE schemes, starting off at a young age and spending all their time on it when we would want them to try and get back into the workforce. For older people on the CE schemes, we are looking at reducing the age from 62 to 60. That would be...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: That €30 million is for those specific changes there, but I will come back to the Deputy with more.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Many noughts.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Yes.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I agree with the Deputy and I will work with him on this because he made valid points and he has been keen to pursue it since he was a Minister in this Department. We are in a better position now to look at these things. I take his point on the joint savings. It is not a case of what is yours is mine and what is mine is my own. It is a case of sharing. I will look at it and engage...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I thank the Chairman. I get regular reports on the timelines of appeals. The timeline has been coming down. I will bring through provisions, as part of the Social Welfare Bill, to appoint a deputy appeals officer to assist. In the way the legislation was set up, only one person could do this work. I am hoping to change that. I will bring it through with the Social Welfare Bill so that I...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Sorry, Chairman. We are not discouraging people; we are telling people to try to reduce their social contacts. We are asking them to be aware and exercise self-responsibility. I know that there have been some cancellations, but generally, there is no reason it is unsafe for people to eat in restaurants if they abide by the guidelines, be careful and are aware.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (1 Dec 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I know the Deputy has raised this with me on many occasions. I take the point he makes and I have a good long report here on some questions he raised with me. I will come back to him on those. I just did not get a chance to go through them in detail yet. If the means test were changed across the board, it would have a huge impact.

Employment Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Sinn Féin Deputies are doing a disservice to those 480 people who get up every day, go to work every day and do their best to help people across this country. The evidence from the OECD report clearly shows that individuals who were supported by JobPath were more likely to enter employment, remain in employment for longer and have higher earnings from employment. I encourage the Sinn...

Employment Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: My priority is about delivering the best possible employment service for the people who need our help and ensuring we do so on a sound legal basis. I think it is important in the context or this motion to note two important facts that are central to an informed and accurate discussion. First, LES and job club services are not delivered directly by the State. The decision to establish LES...

Employment Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (30 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: I welcome the opportunity to address the House. I fully recognise the hard work, professionalism and commitment of all those working on the front line in providing employment services and supports to people who are out of work. I know very well the good work that the LES does in my home county of Monaghan. The services throughout the country provide valuable support and assistance to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (30 Nov 2021)

Heather Humphreys: Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) contributions paid by employees, employers, self-employed people and voluntary contributors is income to the Social Insurance Fund. Therefore, any increase in the rates of social insurance contribution, including those paid by employers, would increase the annual income of the Fund. The Fund operates on a pay-as-you-go basis with the Exchequer acting as...