Results 981-1,000 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: 206. To ask the Minister for Finance if consideration has been given to delaying the planned reduction in the employment wage subsidy scheme rates in December in view of a decline in hospitality bookings due to the increase in Covid-19 cases and the clear need to reduce social contacts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60178/21]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors. This claim...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Government are aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and are committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. To that end, Government and my Department introduced a number of supports to assist sectors in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 and social restrictions...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: In November a new €9m Community Activities Fund, was launched by my Department under the Community Enhancement Programmeand this fund continues into 2022 to support community groups impacted by COVID-19. This fund will support local community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running/operating costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Since the launch of the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025 in December 2020, there has been significant progress in implementing the 56 actions across the five strategic objectives. An Implementation Group was established in March 2021, this group includes key Government Departments, State Agencies and other vital stakeholders in the voluntary sector and from the sectors necessary...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors. This...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP)was first launched by my Department in 2018. It provides small grants to community organisations with a focus on those organisations in disadvantaged areas. The funding is provided to each Local Authority area and is distributed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) in that area on the basis of local need. Since 2018 the CEP has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tionscadail Fhorbartha Pobail (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I láthair na huaire, tugann an Clár Seirbhísí Pobail (CSP), á riaradh ag Pobal thar ceann mo Roinnse, tacaíocht do bhreis agus 420 eagraíocht phobail chun seirbhísí áitiúla a chur ar fáil trí mhúnla fiontraíochta sóisialta. Chun bheith incháilithe, ní mór d’eagraíochtaí a bheith...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I have been made aware of the issue raised by the Deputy. There is unfortunately a growing trend in the community of an increased drug culture among those most marginalised that has seen many young people become involved in drug use, drug dealing and negative life choices. While recognising that a multi-faceted approach is required to address these issues, my Department is playing its part by...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking for several years, through their union representatives, SIPTU and Fórsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme for CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors who are employed by CE scheme sponsors. This...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Zone Management (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The relevant legislation that allows for the removal of abandoned vessels in Irish waters such as that referred to by the Deputy is the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act 1993. This Act gives effect to the International Convention on Salvage of 1989, to which Ireland is a signatory state. Section 40 of the Act provides that the Minister...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Zone Management (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the points he has raised. While the legislation in question that deals with salvage and wreck matters outlines roles and responsibilities for an appropriate authority, it does not specify provisions in relation to the costs associated with the removal of a wreck or the sale of that wreck. It is not possible when the owners of the vessel cannot be located, as has...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank both Deputies for their questions on this matter. Regarding the review carried out by NewERA, this is a requirement under the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. Within the first six months of each financial year, commercial State bodies, including the Shannon Group, are required to submit to their relevant Ministers a draft annual rolling five-year business and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputies' message is clear and straightforward. I will convey it to the relevant Ministers. So far this year, to the end of last month almost 325,000 passengers used the airport. This is an 80% reduction on the same period in 2019, when approximately 1.7 million passengers used the airport. While passenger numbers remain suppressed, it is welcome to see that passenger numbers for last...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rural Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The LEADER programme has been in operation in Ireland for 30 years. To mark this anniversary, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, recently launched the national rural network networks booklet of LEADER case studies. Case studies are excellent examples of the impactful and innovative initiatives that the LEADER programme has...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rural Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue here today. The LEADER programme has been a very successful initiative for 30 years in Ireland. I am in no doubt that there is real value in the continued support for bottom-up locally-led initiatives that address the needs of communities all across the country and this is the hallmark of the LEADER approach. In fact, this direct link to local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (20 Jan 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 254, 256 and 258 together. As the Deputies are aware, 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.   During the COVID pandemic...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (20 Jan 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 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 to improve their prospect of returning to employment.  Generally,  up to a certain age,  participants contracts on CE...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (19 Jan 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 927 to 932, inclusive, and 993 to 1005, inclusive, together. As Minister of State with responsibility for social inclusion, I oversee the implementation of the Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025, the national strategy for poverty reduction and improved social inclusion.  The Roadmap aims to reduce the percentage of the population in consistent poverty...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (19 Jan 2022)

Joe O'Brien: RSS (Rural Social Scheme) is delivered by a network of 36 local development companies and Údarás na Gaeltachta, known collectively as implementing bodies (IBs). The IB delivering the RSS in County Clare is the Clare Local Development Company. RSS is an income support scheme that provides part-time employment opportunities for farmers and fishermen and...