Results 2,001-2,020 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: International Protection (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Department has made significant investment in staff, technology and re-engineering processes at the IPO and that investment is delivering. Over the course of the past year, we tripled the number of monthly decisions for processing times for applicants from safe countries, reduced under ten weeks, with numbers arriving from them dropping considerably, too. To my own knowledge, when...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Health Promotion (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for raising this genuinely very important issue. The Government is committed to supporting positive ageing across the life course, as well as ensuring that older people can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This commitment is enshrined in the national positive ageing strategy, which provides a blueprint for promoting...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Health Promotion (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I acknowledge that tremendous work is being done across the country to ensure communities are fully inclusive of our older citizens. The older people’s councils that have been established in every local authority by Age Friendly Ireland to ensure that older people have a voice in local decision-making, the Senior Citizens Parliament and the national network of Active Retirement...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: In general on job activation schemes, CE, Tús and RSS but CE and Tús in particular, we have upscaled the numbers in the Department who are working on getting referrals in to sponsor organisations as well. The last two months have seen relatively good statistics around the numbers. Most of last year we were staying steady in the numbers of referrals. That is creeping up in the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The majority have been decided. There are three that are still in the tender process and that is ongoing. There are certainly ones in Galway that I know of and in Meath as well.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I think there are two in Galway and one in Meath but I am open to correction on that.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: There has been a rolling of the current contracts to make sure there is no gap. It involves Meath, Mayo islands, Galway east, Galway west and Galway islands so we have a bit to work through there but no area is left without SICAP in the interim.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot say too much about an ongoing issue.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (13 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: 269. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the review she ordered on the guidance document that relates to how to facilitate the use of the spaces and facilities for the wider community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6095/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important...

Seanad: Special Measures in the Public Interest (Derrybrien Wind Farm) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Senators McDowell and Boyhan for their work on drafting this Bill and for their opening remarks. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the Derrybrien wind farm. Derrybrien wind farm has had a long and difficult history. It is owned by Gort Windfarms Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ESB. Gort Windfarms commenced construction of the wind farm in June 2003....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Tús scheme provides work placements for a twelve-month period for those who are fully unemployed and on the live register for a year or more. This initiative helps break the cycle of long-term unemployment by providing a work routine and valuable work experience. My Department is very conscious of the important role that the Tús scheme plays and is committed to supporting the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Poverty Data (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last week I led the Irish delegation at the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) review which this report related to. At this review I was able to highlight some areas where we have made significant progress since 2014. This included how the Government is working to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. The Roadmap for Social...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim to reduce consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, delivered by 81 unique commitments (originally 69 commitments). Implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Disputes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed. I would like to acknowledge the important role that CE and Tús supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (21 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: In August 2019, the Department of Rural and Community Development launched Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: a five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland. The Strategy set a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to the community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors for the coming decade....