Results 1,941-1,960 of 5,587 for speaker:Kevin Humphreys

Other Questions: Disability Support Services (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank Deputy O'Dea for recognising the significant progress in reducing the live register. He is quite correct. The unemployment rate was at 15%, and heading for 500,000, but more than 100,000 net new jobs have been created in the economy since February 2012 and we have seen the unemployment rate drop into single figures. In the disability sector, the unemployment rate is far too high....

Other Questions: Disability Support Services (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I would very much welcome it, if the Deputy wishes.

Other Questions: Disability Support Services (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I thank the Deputy for bringing that to my attention. I have not looked at that recently but I certainly will do so. I am quite happy to debate the 100,000 net new jobs that have been created since February 2012. When that target was announced, I remember Members on the Opposition benches stating it was overly ambitious, it would not be delivered and we would be looking at 2017. The...

Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Deputy Broughan needs to go back and check his figures. Rent supplement plays a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 68,000 people at an annual cost of €298 million. Over 5,600 claims have been awarded in 2015, of which almost 1,600 are in Dublin. In response to the current market difficulties, the Department has implemented...

Other Questions: Disability Support Services (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government recognises the importance of increasing participation in employment for persons with a disability. The Department provides a wide range of work-related supports, which in 2015 will cost approximately €37 million, solely for persons with a disability. A person with a disability is at all times free to avail of the Intreo service on a voluntary basis. A complete range...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: JobsPlus was designed to provide a direct monthly financial incentive to employers who recruit long-term unemployed employees from the live register. At the end of May 2015, the Department had made year to date payments of €8.25 million to almost 3,600 employers in respect of 4,900 employees. Two levels of payment are provided - €7,500 or €10,000 over two years –...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement plays a vital role in supporting 68,000 families and individuals at a cost of €298 million. Over 5,600 claims have been awarded in 2015, of which almost 1,600 are in Dublin. The Department’s recent review of rent limits points out that the main cause of difficulty for persons renting and seeking to rent is the reduced availability of affordable private rented...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 68,000 people this year at a cost of €298 million. Over 5,600 claims have been awarded in 2015, of which almost 1,600 are in Dublin. The Department carried out a review of the maximum rent limits which found that increasing rent limits could potentially add...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Administration (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 68,000 people this year at a cost of €298 million. Over 5,600 claims have been awarded in 2015, of which almost 1,600 are in Dublin. As outlined in the report referred to by the Deputy, the main cause of rising rents is a lack of supply in the market and the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: School Meals Programme (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations and benefits over 207,000 children. Despite pressure on the social protection budget, the Government allocated an additional €2 million for the programme in 2015, providing a total allocation of €39 million. The scheme provides support to disadvantaged...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Data (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: There are approximately 68,000 rent supplement recipients for which Government has provided over €298 million for the scheme in 2015. The Department does not maintain statistics in relation to tenancies terminated where rent arrears of at least 28 days existed. However, I fully acknowledge the difficulties that people are experiencing, including rent supplement recipients, in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Rent supplement continues to play a vital role in housing families and individuals, with the scheme supporting approximately 68,000 people this year at a cost of €298 million. Over 5,600 claims have been awarded in 2015. Rent supplement is a demand-led scheme and the Government will continue to ensure that the necessary resources for the scheme are in place. In response to the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The number of persons employed on a Community Employment (CE) Scheme as of end June in 2012, 2013, 2014 and at 22 June 2015 and the annual budget for each of those years are as follows: Period Employees Annual CE Budget 22 June 2015 24,330 2015: €373.3m End June 2014 24,553 2014: €357.5m End June 2013 22,515 2013: €351.5m End June 2012 22,948 2012: €335.2mThe...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: There are currently 41 Community Employment schemes in Dublin 8, 10, & 12. The table following contains the information that the Deputy has requested. Sponsor Location Participants Annual Contract Value MERCHANT QUAY PROJECT 4 MERCHANTS QUAY, DUBLIN 8 88 €1,329,081.40 NCBI CHARITY SHOPS C/O 73 THOMAS STREET, DUBLIN 8 25 €373,352.08 IRISH AMATEUR BOXING ASS....

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Places (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: According to the JobsIreland website (where all Community Employment (CE) vacancies are advertised), there are currently 884 CE posts vacant on Monday 22 June 2015. This number is a snapshot in time and will change from day to day as places are filled and new vacancies arise as participants exit the programme.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: The Government's primary strategy to tackle youth unemployment is through policies to create the environment for a strong economic recovery by promoting competitiveness and productivity. However, the Government recognises that as the recovery takes hold, there is a need for additional measures to ensure that as many as possible of the jobs created are taken up by unemployed jobseekers and,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Youth Unemployment Measures (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Under the Government's policies to support the young unemployed, our first intervention is to provide case officer support to help newly unemployed young people find and secure sustainable jobs. Accordingly operating processes are being refined in each of our regions to prioritise the early engagement of young people through Intreo to ensure that all young people receive expert advice and...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Welfare Services (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: Following the transfer of the Community Welfare Service (CWS) from the Health Service Executive to the Department in 2011, the Department has re-engineered its business model to support the provision of integrated services across all business streams involved in the delivery of localised services. As part of this strategy, the Department is engaged in the delivery of integrated Intreo...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Rent Supplement Scheme Expenditure (24 Jun 2015)

Kevin Humphreys: I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together. The rent supplement scheme provides support to eligible people living in private rented accommodation whose means are insufficient to meet their accommodation costs and who do not have accommodation available to them from any other source. There are approximately 68,000 rent supplement recipients for which the Government has provided...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Employment Support Services (24 Jun 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 Q1 2015 the annual increase in employment was 41,300 (+2.2%). The long-term unemployment rate peaked at...