Results 1,881-1,900 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move amendment No. 9:In page 8, line 40, to delete "subsection (1)(b) of that section" and substitute "section 91(1)(b) of that Act".

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I will answer the Deputy when I reply.

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Two years is adequate. The numbers we are dealing with, as the Deputy pointed out, are such that we may not even see a case in the 16 to 18 age group in that period. Two years is an adequate period to have a look at it. In response to Deputy O'Dea, once the review has commenced, a report needs to be made to both Houses within 12 months, which is an important element. A review is adequate....

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I take on board the point made by Deputy Coppinger. She wants us to reflect on the area of education. We are very anxious and concerned that transgender children in schools are protected and respected. This is a major concern for parents and is one about which my colleague the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is also concerned. I have met many parents on this...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Before dealing with this group of amendments, I take the opportunity to compliment Deputies Willie O'Dea, Aengus Ó Snodaigh and Joan Collins on their contributions on Committee Stage of the Bill. I acknowledge that these amendments were put forward in a spirit of co-operation. Our engagement with groups like TENI and BeLonG To and the opportunity we had to meet with young people and...

Gender Recognition Bill 2014 [Seanad]: Order for Report Stage (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now".

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits Reviews (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The client has been in continuous receipt of a Diet Supplement payment on a monthly basis since September 2012. Her payments are made by cheque at end of each month, the last being issued on 29th June 2015. Her case has been reviewed recently, there is no change to her entitlement and the next payment is due to issue on 27th July 2015.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Exceptional Needs Payment Applications (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: A decision has been made on the exceptional needs payment application and has been forwarded to the person concerned.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations which benefits over 205,000 children. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the school meals programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million. The Department is currently...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to plays a vital role in supporting approximately 67,000 families and individuals at a cost of €298 million. Over 10,000 new tenancies have been processed since the start of the year, indicating that significant numbers of people are being accommodated under the scheme. I welcome the valuable inputs and proposals provided by the various groups which...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Operation (9 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that CE supervisors are the employees of private companies. In the circumstances, it is not possible for the State to take over responsibility for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where those companies are reliant on State funding. This position was confirmed by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (D/PER) to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (8 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Department funds and operates a number of scheme and programmes in partnership with community groups to support a) activation services to the longer term unemployed, b) income supports, and c) the delivery of local services of a social inclusion nature. The schemes and programmes are set out in the following table. Given the nature of the schemes, the level of resources available vary...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Funding (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Deputy will be aware that the individuals concerned are the employees of private companies. In the circumstances, it is not possible for the State to take over responsibility for funding pension arrangements for employees of private companies, even where those companies are reliant on State funding. This position was confirmed by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform to...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to Education Allowance Expenditure (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 and 95 together. Officials in this Department are currently collating the statistics requested by the Deputy and examining the reason for the higher estimate provided in May 2015. Officials will revert directly to the Deputy when this information is available.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The following are Community Employment schemes that commenced for the first time since 2011. Projects that are currently in progress show the current numbers on the scheme as at 1July 2015 and the expenditure to date in the contract. Sponsor Contract Start Date Contract Finish Date Address Current Supervisors Current participants Actual Cost to Date € Ballyfermot Partnership Co....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Job Creation (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 to 71, inclusive, together. The First Steps programme is specifically targeted at those 18-24 year olds on the Live Register who are most distant from the labour market. The aim of the programme is to provide this cohort of young people with a work placement experience, where they gain the opportunity to learn and develop basic work and social skills...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Eligibility (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The evaluation of the pilot programme to which the Deputy refers is currently being reviewed by Departmental officials. Eligibility criteria in general for the Community Employment (CE) scheme are kept under review to meet Government priorities. The Ballymun Youth Guarantee Pilot Scheme allowed for the temporary relaxation of the age criteria for jobseekers clients, 18 years of age or...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance Scheme Eligibility (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The back to school clothing and footwear allowance (BSCFA) scheme provides a once-off payment to eligible families to assist with the extra costs when children start school each autumn. The allowance is payable in respect of eligible children between the ages of 4 and 17 (and between the ages of 18 and 22 where the child is in full-time second level education), in respect of whom a...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (7 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The additional cost to the Department of introducing 4,000 additional Community Employment (CE) places in 2016 is estimated to be approximately €14m. This amount reflects the additional cost of €20 per week paid to participants over and above what they would receive while in receipt of a social welfare payment, in addition to supervisory costs, materials and training costs...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (2 Jul 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 38 and 57 together. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 67,000 people at a total cost of €298 million. Over 10,000 new tenancies have been processed since the start of the year, showing that landlords are accommodating persons under the scheme. Under the legislative...