Results 461-480 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (21 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I am aware of the challenges faced by many community centres and community organisations at this time and my Department has put a range of initiatives in place that provides supports to the community sector during the COVID-19 crisis. My Department currently supports over 420 community organisations under the Community Services Programme (CSP) to provide local services through a social...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: There has been some public discussion about the impact of Covid-19 on the most marginalised and socially excluded in society. This has relevance to my remit in overseeing the Government's roadmap for social inclusion. However, this is a global pandemic so one has to acknowledge the global inequalities that the pandemic has brought to light. In some respects the virus does not...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I note the Deputy's point in regard to the three-year rule. The Minister and I met 25 CE sponsors during the week and it is an issue that was raised. In essence, the three-year rule is currently suspended because we are extending contracts. Currently, and up until end of March at least, the rule should not be causing a problem. It is important to say that initially the CE schemes are for...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I recall the CE supervisor scheme that the Deputy is talking about. Many good suggestions were made during that call and we will take them away and consider them. I wish to be clear about one point. We always consider CE schemes as having a dual purpose. It is not only an employment and training opportunity but the schemes exist to provide a local community service as well - I wish to...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: On the CE side of things, there should be no need for schemes to close contracts with participants since level 5 restrictions were introduced in October last year. We are extending those contracts until March at the earliest. It is important to get that message out. I recognise that there are issues with regard to referrals. Intreo offices are only operating at 30% at the moment in...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: On community employment schemes, as the Deputy will know, since level 5 restrictions were introduced in October of last year, contracts have been extended until at least 31 March of this year. We will be monitoring the situation closely. We are open to extending it beyond that. I will also clarify that there is to be no sudden cliff edge when contracts come towards an end. The local...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: On the CE schemes and those people who have hit the three-year limit, the current rules are, generally, that after a one year break they can requalify. Since level 5 restrictions kicked in during October 2020, there has been a stall on the closing of all CE contracts for participants. Currently, that extension is going at least until the end of March and beyond. When the country reopens...

Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: On the first point, we have taken the Deputy's question on board. There is an issue with comparing data that the HSE and Pobal have. We are looking at other data sources also because before jumping into a big piece of research there is quite a lot of information in different Departments and agencies. We are trying to see what we have got before we go on to that stage. As I said in my...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: 130. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has made representations to the Israeli authorities to encourage them to carry out their Covid-19 vaccination programme in a non-discriminatory manner, especially in respect of territory in which the IDF is the occupying power; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4811/21]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: 131. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has received representations from the Palestinian authorities in relation to access to the Covid-19 vaccines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4812/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. The programme helps break the cycle of unemployment and improves a person’s chances of returning to the labour market. Participation on CE is intended to be for a temporary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (28 Jan 2021)

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. The challenges caused by the Covid-19 public health restrictions introduced over the course of last year, including with the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (28 Jan 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE) 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. Throughout the onset of the COVID-19 emergency in March 2020, the subsequent level 5 restrictions introduced in October 2020 and more...

Household Utility Bills Support: Motion [Private Members] (3 Feb 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Deputies for an engaging discussion on the very important issue of fuel poverty. As outlined by my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, we want to ensure that we provide the types of supports which offer help to the people who need it most. We want to avoid the use of untargeted measures which do not sufficiently prioritise and target those most in need...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (3 Feb 2021)

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.  As the Deputy is aware, my Department has continued to provide funding and support for CE schemes since the onset...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2021)

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. The payment rates on CE are related to the underlying value of certain social protection payments plus €22.50 per week....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE) 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. Throughout the onset of the COVID-19 emergency in March 2020, the subsequent level 5 restrictions introduced in October 2020 and more...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (3 Feb 2021)

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. As the Deputy is aware, my Department has continued to provide funding and support for CE schemes since the onset of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (3 Feb 2021)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme, or CSP, supports over 420 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution of €19,033 towards the cost of each full time equivalent position supported, and, where warranted, provides €32,000 in co-funding towards the cost of employing a...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Expenditure (4 Feb 2021)

Joe O'Brien: 66. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has given consideration to requesting a spending review of the Department of Justice citizenship division in view of a recent report (details supplied) that highlighted processing delays for citizenship and naturalisation applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6197/21]