Results 1,201-1,220 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Income Inequality (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 117 and 145 together. The Survey on Income and Living Conditions contains the official poverty data for Ireland. The most recent survey results (SILC 2021) were published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 6 May 2022. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020–2025 is the national strategy for poverty reduction and social inclusion. The ambitious...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pay (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department operates a range of employment support schemes, each with differing characteristics and roles in the overall support offering to unemployed and under employed customers. For example, community employment (CE) is aimed at supporting long term unemployed to upskill and transition into employment or training, whereas the RSS scheme supports under employed farmers or...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Survey on Income and Living Conditions contains the official poverty data for Ireland. The most recent survey results (SILC 2021) were published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 6 May 2022. Government welcomes the progress made towards meeting the ambitious Roadmap for Social Inclusion targets, which includes reduction in the percentage of the population in consistent...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative providing part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishermen/women in receipt of certain social welfare payments, and underemployed in their primary occupation, within their local area in community and voluntary organisations. The RSS scheme plays an important role in rural communities, with participants having the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative which commenced in 2004 to provide part-time employment opportunities for farmers or fishermen and women who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. The work undertaken by participants is primarily to support local service provision via community, voluntary and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

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. During the COVID pandemic the Minister for Social Protection and I extended CE participants contracts on a number of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Tús is a work initiative that commenced operation in 2011 as a response to high levels of unemployment at that time. The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support initiative that provides part-time employment opportunities in the community and voluntary organisations for farmers or fisherman and woman who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments and who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware, following complex and detailed discussions between the Department of Social Protection and unions representing CE supervisors and a subsequent ballot of union members, an agreement was reached with both Fórsa and Siptu late in 2021 that resolved issues arising from a 2008 Labour Court recommendation on CE supervisor pensions. Both Minister Humphreys and I were...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Central Statistics Office (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Survey on Income and Living Conditions contains the official poverty data for Ireland. The most recent survey results (SILC 2021) were published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 6 May 2022. The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020–2025 is the national strategy for poverty reduction and social inclusion. The ambitious headline target is to reduce the percentage of the...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Family Resource Centres (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 541. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of and annual budget for family resource centres nationally; the location of each in tabular form; the future plans for the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24180/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (17 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 557. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will consider a change in the rules of the national childcare scheme so that parents can receive a subsidy based on the hours they are paying for rather than the hours that their children are physically present in the childcare setting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24804/22]

Just Transition: Statements (18 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on just transition. It is an area I have a deep interest in. My ministerial responsibilities span two Departments to play a key role in ensuring a just transition. There is significant overlap and opportunity in what we need to do to decarbonise our society and make it fairer, more just and more equal. Current cost-of-living issues highlight...

National Parks and Wildlife Service Strategic Plan: Statements (Resumed) (19 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, on progressing this hugely important piece of work, which was a key commitment for the Green Party in the programme for Government. Our biodiversity and natural world have not been valued and protected in Ireland in the way they should have been in the past. The Government has changed that and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (19 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The European Union has activated the Temporary Protection Directive, as an emergency provision in response to the War in Ukraine. The Directive allows Ukrainian citizens and others fleeing Ukraine to move through the EU and receive supports. The Directive also allows people to access employment supports and the right to work in this country on the same basis as EU citizens. This includes the...

Journalists in Conflicts across the World: Statements (24 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Ireland has responded in an open and generous way to the people fleeing the war in Ukraine. In three months, the State has provided accommodation to 23,000 people fleeing the war. Private citizens have accommodated thousands more, and communities across the country have stepped up to the plate in welcoming Ukrainians and helping them to settle in. We would not have had this response were...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Qualifications Recognition (25 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I, too, welcome our guests from Ardgillan Community College. I thank the Senator for raising this matter. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, and his Department are committed to providing every support possible for Ukrainian citizens who are seeking the recognition of their qualifications in Ireland, be it to further their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Qualifications Recognition (25 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for his contribution on this issue. As I said, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is committed to providing every support possible for Ukrainian citizens who are seeking the recognition of their qualifications in Ireland, be it to further their education, to pursue employment opportunities or to practise a profession that is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Conservation (25 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this important topic. I will begin by outlining recent price developments and the Government response and then I will discuss smart metering, EV policy and the Government's Reduce Your Use campaign. The most immediate factor affecting electricity prices in Ireland is the continuing upward trend in international gas prices, where we are a price taker. Gas...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Conservation (25 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and for introducing increased urgency into our challenge. The Government accepts that consumers are currently facing volatility in energy prices due to a particular spike in international gas prices. It has taken action to address this by using the tax and social welfare system. This includes measures such as the fuel allowance increase,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Heritage Sites (25 May 2022)

Joe O'Brien: On behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Naughton, I welcome the opportunity to update the House on this topic. As Members may be aware, Shannon Group informed the Department in summer 2020 that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive and radical adjustment to its structure to secure the long-term future of the business and its employees. A number of...