Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am pleased to states that there are a number of legislative proposals that I intend to progress through the Oireachtas this year:

The Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024is currently before the Oireachtas and is expected to be enacted in the coming weeks. The main purpose of the Bill is to give legislative effect to changes to the social welfare system, which provide that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means for social welfare purposes, and for the discontinuation of the liable relative provisions. This means that my Department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the non-resident parent in these cases. Removing these provisions does not replace or supersede the primary responsibility of parents to maintain their children. These provisions are being implemented on foot of the report of the Child Maintenance Review Group.

The Bill also provides for changes to the supports provided to beneficiaries of temporary protection.

The Bill also brings forward the date of the implementation of the Budget 2024 measure to extend Child Benefit payments to 18 year olds in full-time education or who have a disability. It will now be implemented in May 2024 which is four months earlier than announced on Budget Day.

The Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Billis expected to be published in the coming weeks. Auto-enrolment is a quasi-mandatory pension system where employees, subject to certain parameters, are automatically enrolled into a retirement savings system that will be co-funded by their employer and by the State. The purpose of this measure is to increase pension coverage that will be supplementary to the State Pension.

The Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Billis currently being drafted and is expected to be published in the Spring session. The main purpose of the Bill is the introduction of an online process for registering births and deaths. The addition of the online customer service channel will provide a 24-hour service and give greater flexibility to parents and relatives around the registration of both births and deaths. However, the ability to register a birth or a death in person will continue to be available. The legislation will also ensure a more timely and efficient notification of deaths to the State.

The Social Welfare (Pay-Related Social Insurance and Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit Provisions) Bill is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny and is expected to be published in the Spring session. Pay-related benefit means that the amount of unemployment benefit an eligible person receives is linked to their previous earnings, subject to a maximum payment. The intention is to provide a more effective cushion against the income shock when a person loses their employment. The Bill will also contain provisions to give effect to increases in employers’ and employees’ PRSI rates, on an incremental basis over the next five years, to provide sustainable funding for recently enacted reforms to the pensions system and for Pay-Related Benefit provisions that are contained in this Bill.

I also intend to introduce legislation, as soon as I can, to provide for changes to the Widow’s, Widower’s, and Surviving Civil Partner’s Contributory Pension. In conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, my officials are currently considering the very detailed O'Mearajudgment to determine the appropriate legislative response.