Results 1,641-1,660 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the work of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, in seeking to provide rent certainty. That will help to stem the number of people in rental accommodation. At least, they will have rent certainty for the next two years. Fortunately, the measure will prevent people from becoming homeless. We all rightly...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 114, 152, 153, 171 and 172 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme currently supporting approximately 63,000 people at a cost of over €298 million in 2015. Properties are being secured under the scheme with over 17,200 rent supplement tenancies in payment awarded this year. Rent supplement...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Funding (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Support to community organisations for the provision of meals is available from a range of sources. Funds for meals-on-wheels type operations are generally a matter for the Health Service Executive. The Department of Social Protection can support such operations under a number of its work placements schemes, including Community Employment, Tús, the Rural Social Scheme and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Death Certificates (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 was enacted on 4 December 2014. The Act contains a wide range of provisions which are being commenced on a step by step basis. Section 13 of the Act provides for the creation of a record of deaths of Irish citizens who die while abroad. The provisions of the Act will be put into operation on the basis of an implementation plan involving both...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy has raised a number of issues relating to Community Employment (CE) in this Question and the responses are set out below. (i) Persons under 25 years - relaxing CE eligibility The general minimum age criterion of 25 for CE has been set to ensure that, in the first instance, younger jobseekers engage with the range of Further Education and Training (FET) provision already in place...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Data (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 190 together. The supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) scheme provides a "safety net" within the overall social welfare system and provides assistance to eligible people in the State whose means are insufficient to meet their needs and those of their dependants. The main purpose of the scheme is to provide immediate and flexible assistance for those...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Initiatives (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government’s primary strategy to reduce long-term unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. Economic recovery will underpin jobs growth. This strategy has been succeeding; in the year up to Q2 2015 the annual increase in employment was 57,100 (+3.0%). The long-term unemployment rate...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Internship Scheme Administration (17 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: JobBridge, The National Internship Scheme, was introduced in July 2011 in response to the unprecedented collapse in the economy - particularly the sharp increase in unemployment. The primary aim of the scheme is to give unemployed people the opportunity to secure work experience and prove their competence to prospective employers. To date, JobBridge has attracted the voluntary participation...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rural Social Scheme Administration (12 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: As the Deputy is aware, the rural social scheme (RSS) provides income support for farmers and those engaged in fishing who have an entitlement to specified social welfare payments due to the low level of income from their primary occupation. The scheme is delivered by 35 local development companies and by Údarás na Gaelachta, known collectively as implementing bodies. Participants...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (12 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rule 1(4), of Part 4 of Schedule 3 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 provides that the supplementary welfare allowance (SWA) means test includes the value of all income and the value of all property, of which the person has directly or indirectly deprived himself or herself, in order to qual­ify for the receipt of SWA. In the case referred to in the earlier Parliamentary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (12 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Community Employment financial information requested by the Deputy is set out below. Allowances* Supervision 2015 YTD Budget YTD Actual YTD Budget YTD Actual January 28,925,637 28,738,676 4,425,662 5,155,722 February 52,269,721 50,668,029 8,851,323 9,342,468 March 74,586,429 74,433,133 13,323,031 13,677,786 April 102,484,689 102,607,744 18,912,666 18,863,180...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for her remarks on the work that Mr. Liam Daly and his team are doing locally. I also acknowledge the work of Unite and the Labour Relations Commission. In addition, I know Deputy Conway has constantly raised this issue, if not daily then certainly weekly in recent years. The mediated agreement for the former Waterford Crystal workers, which covers 1,774 scheme...

Topical Issue Debate: Pension Provisions (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department and local officials have worked tirelessly on this matter. We are in constant contact and are having discussions to ensure these payments are made as quickly, efficiently and sustainably as possible. I would love to be able to tell Deputy Conway that it will be next week or next month, and so would all my departmental officials. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, however,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 1:In page 3, line 10, to delete “Social Welfare Act 2015.” and substitute “Social Welfare and Pensions Act 2015.” These amendments will allow the holder of the office of Financial Services Ombudsman to also hold the office of Pensions Ombudsman. They will also ensure that where the office of Pensions Ombudsman is held by the Financial...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Minister for Finance must bring forward legislation to allow for the merger of the offices of Pensions Ombudsman and Financial Services Ombudsman. Therefore, I do not have a definite date because it is not a matter within the control of the Department of Social Protection. That said, I hope it will happen as soon as possible.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Yes.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: It will be a separate office until the amalgamation happens because within the legislation there is a prohibition on the Pensions Ombudsman holding another job. When enacted, the Bill will improve services for the customer because there will be a one-stop-shop to deal with related concerns. It is enabling legislation to ensure that when the Department of Finance amalgamates the two offices,...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government has approved the heads of the Bill. The proposed amendments amount to a bridging measure to allow the holder of the office of Financial Services Ombudsman to hold the office of Pensions Ombudsman pending the passing of the legislation providing for the formal merger of these two offices. I fully accept what Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh said about opening up the Bill to deal...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 2:In page 3, line 11, to delete “read together as one.” and substitute “construed together as one Act.”. This is a minor technical change to provide for the amendment of the Social Welfare Acts and the amendments contained in Part 2 of the Bill to be construed together as one.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Social Protection: Social Welfare Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Nov 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 3:In page 3, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following:“(3) The Pensions Acts 1990 to 2014 and Part 3shall be construed together as one Act and may be cited together as the Pensions Acts 1990 to 2015. (4) Part 3shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister for Social Protection may appoint by order or orders either generally or with...