Results 2,121-2,140 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 19: In page 37, line 19, to delete “(7)” and substitute “(6)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 20: In page 38, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(b) the circumstances in which a charitable organisation (other than a charitable organisation referred to in section 88C(6)) may make an appointment having regard to the requirements of different charitable organisations,” Amendment No. 20 allows for ministerial regulations to...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 21: In page 38, line 9, to delete “(b)” and substitute “(c)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 22: In page 38, line 11, to delete “(c)” and substitute “(d)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 23: In page 38, line 16, to delete “(d)” and substitute “(e)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 24: In page 38, line 17, to delete “paragraph (c)” and substitute “paragraph (d)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 25: In page 38, line 18, to delete “(e)” and substitute “(f)”.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 26: In page 39, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Amendment of Schedule 1 to Principal Act 38. Schedule 1 to the Principal Act is amended— (a) by the insertion, in paragraph 2, of the following subparagraph after subparagraph (3): “(3A) Where the office of the chairperson is vacant, an interim chairperson may be appointed...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I take the opportunity to record my thanks to the members of the committee, the Charities Regulator and, indeed, all the stakeholders who have engaged with me and my officials, and have made very valuable submissions and observations as part of this wider deliberative process. I look forward to Report Stage.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (22 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move amendment No. 13: In page 35, line 32, to delete “or charter”. Following the publication of the Bill, it was brought to my attention that the inclusion of organisations established by charter in the definition of "public bodies" was inadvertently capturing organisations that do not have the requisite financial oversight by the relevant Departments and the Office of...

Ireland's Recognition of the State of Palestine: Statements (28 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: It is a very significant and important day when a state formally recognises another. It did not really hit home for me how significant this was until I saw the Palestinian national flag flying on my way into Leinster House today. More than four years ago, when my party was negotiating for a commitment to recognise the State of Palestine in the programme for Government, we never thought it...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. Matters related to foster care, including any criteria relating to work, are the responsibility of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and of Tusla. The State contributory pension is funded from the Social Insurance Fund through the contributions paid by workers. The payment rate reflects the number of social...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. I should have opened by acknowledging the work that foster carers do in Ireland. There is an exceptionally high rate of foster caring for children who need care in Ireland and we must ensure that maintains. In fact, we need to grow it, which we can do by further supporting foster carers. It is important to say that the foster care allowance is payable by Tusla to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Pensions (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I am coming at this question from the point of view of my role in the Department of Social Protection and my knowledge of the foster caring side of matters is being added in, to be honest. It might be appropriate to send the question to the other Department to get more detail. The Deputy mentioned children over 12 and a disability requirement. I do not think the situation is that rigid....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I acknowledge the important role community employment schemes play in providing valuable opportunities to participants and in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country. I can confirm that in March the OECD published an impact evaluation of Ireland's active labour market programmes for long-term unemployed people finding positive labour market impacts...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Deputy Stanton. From my point of view I see the benefit of community employment as threefold. It supports many very important community services. As I have said, and as the OECD has said, it helps bridge the gap between the labour market and people who have found it difficult to break into it. It also has a very important social inclusion aspect for many individuals who access it....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputies. It is important to say that this year is 30 years since CE was first started. The impact it has had on Ireland over those 30 years has been extraordinary. They are often very low profile but there are 800 CE schemes around the country. We have some of the best community people working on them and they are doing some extraordinary things for people who need a hand up....

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: If the Deputy does not want there to be tripe and rubbish, why does he not stop talking tripe and rubbish?

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004, while existing participants have their annual contracts renewed until they reach age 66, State...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Measures (11 Jun 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I have one piece of legislation that is being prioritised prior to the Summer recess, the Charities Amendment Bill, 2023. The Charities Amendment Bill 2023 revises and updates existing charity legislation, and is a key step that needs to be implemented in order to allow for the appropriate regulation, particularly financial regulation, of the sector. The Bill’s aim is to improve the...