Results 321-340 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I agree that providing money quickly through LCDCs is the best way to handle small grants. That is why we are doing this the way we are. Pobal manages a range of funding programmes. If there are particular programmes where accessing funding is a problem, we would like to know. We could bring that information to Pobal. It has a range of approximately 20 funding programmes of various...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I am happy to comment on it, albeit it briefly. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is especially interested in having a network of remote working hubs, particularly along the western side of the country. She sees the value in that. The Western Development Commission will play a role in developing that network. We want to a situation whereby someone could check a phone app to see where he or...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I will take the Deputy's last point first. We are on track to spend our allocation this year. That is good news. Covid-19 has impacted that significantly but we have caught up and are on track. The Deputy made a point about the State-owned buildings that could be used. It is not an unreasonable suggestion. I will impress that point upon the Minister. While the broader remote working...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: ----- the Deputy's suggestion is more than reasonable and I will bring it back again to the Minister. I agree that it is a reasonable suggestion. The Deputy asked about expenditure. As of now, gross departmental expenditure to date is €262 million. Capital expenditure has ramped up significantly over the past number of weeks and expenditure to date is €99.5 million, with a...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: That is correct.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I was not aware of the Pobal office in Clifden. The Department has 80 staff members, basically half the Department, in Ballina. I am open to going to Clifden.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I have to be careful where I stay in Clifden, if I do go that far.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (18 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: That is it.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: 407. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will condemn the reported threats from a person (details supplied) in Belgium to influence and subvert their trial on terrorism charges. [37772/20]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. A number of new conditions were introduced to the CE Scheme in July 2017 to further support progression to employment,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE) is a positive initiative that enables the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their Communities whilst upskilling themselves for employment opportunities. The Scheme can play an important role in breaking the cycle of long-term unemployment for some people and improve their chances of employment. Where a sponsor wishes to apply for funding for a new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: 939. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to resourcing of and responses to treatment for long Covid-19 or patients suffering from significant sequelae subsequent to an initial recovery from Covid-19 in other jurisdictions; his plans in regard to the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38782/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Occupational Therapy (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: 940. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a campaign (details supplied) which seeks to highlight ongoing structural delays in the delivery of assessments for occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and other supports for children with additional needs; his plans to reduce waiting times in these areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38783/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farmers Markets (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: 960. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his attention has been drawn to the recent closure of a market (details supplied); if he has engaged with the licensing body on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37863/20]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and is committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. The Community and Voluntary Sector Covid-19 Stability Fund was intended to be a targeted once-off cash injection for organisations and groups currently delivering...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE) is a positive initiative that enables the long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst up-skilling themselves for employment opportunities that will become available. The CE scheme can play an important role in breaking the cycle of long-term unemployment for some people and improve their chances of employment. The 2020 CE Budget is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together. The Community Employment (CE) Scheme is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. A number of new conditions were introduced to the CE Scheme in July 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (25 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: Employment Programmes such as Community Employment (CE) are labour market programmes that enable long-term unemployed to progress into employment and/or further education and training. Participation limits on these schemes are necessary to allow for the maximum utilisation of places amongst qualifying persons. It is important to note that participation is intended to be for a temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (25 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: Through our ongoing engagement with the Community and Voluntary sector including charities, my Department is keenly aware of the challenges faced by the sector whilst meeting increased demands on many of their services. My Department is providing additional vital supports to rural and community organisations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is supporting the following initiatives: ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East Peace Process (26 Nov 2020)

Joe O'Brien: 258. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the illegal evictions from Sheikh Jarrah in the West Bank; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39389/20]