Results 1,321-1,340 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I am sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As a basic principle, what we are trying to do here is ensure charities are more transparent and accountable in how they use their money. Let us see where we can take that principle with respect to the issue the Chairman is describing. We can see if furthering that principle and getting it ingrained a bit more, either legislatively or in guidelines, is something that will help a situation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I can see how the name, label or logo of a charity on any product would make people more amenable to handing their money over on it. If there is not 100% truth and honesty about what is going on there, then that is something we are interested in and the regulator would be interested in. Whether it is guidance, legislation or policy I am not sure but let us look at that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: To add, there was some concern around the terminology in the general scheme around a "significant event". We have a little bit of work to do to put a bit of focus on that. We will be looking at the legislation in Scotland as well and how it elaborates on that term a little more as well. I am aware there are some who are a little concerned about the use of that phrase but we have a bit to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Yes, we will take on board. I do not think there will be huge desire to go trawling back through thousands of charities' actions in the past but there is a gap between what comes to the attention of the regulator and what does not. There are significant events that do not come to the regulator's attention that we would like to. It is not every little thing that happens but serious events....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: It strikes me that is a different area of law. That would be my first reaction, in that this is putting down a company's good name.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: On the malicious intent question, it depends. What can be construed as malicious intent can sometimes be a real concern as well. If there is a real concern it can be reported to the regulator. I am a bit cautious about that and what might really be behind it. It could be malicious intent but it could also be a real concern. It is important that if there are real concerns they are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the regulator is independent I am always careful about getting involved with applications for charitable status. I need to keep a bit of distance in that regard. The regulator has some discretion to waive certain requirements in exceptional circumstances. It is the regulator's decision as to when and how some requirements might be waived. This is as much as I would say on it for now....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My understanding is that one cannot do that. I will let my officials correct me, but unless one has the full status then one cannot do that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Correct me if I am wrong, but the intention is that UK-based charities would have a similar status and standing as EU-based charities. At the moment we are just in a little bit of flux and the regulator is using her discretion to get over that period. We will nail that down, hopefully, in this Bill.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: To be honest there is no one particular aspect but in general we very much welcome input and we will be listening carefully to what people are saying. I have not had the chance to go through everything that has been submitted to date. I have read some of it. We will look at everything that is proposed to us. That is for sure. There is, however, no one area that comes to mind on which we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: We need to put such provisions into the Bill as soon as we can because there is a bit of ambiguity there. At the moment, the regulator is using that clause I mentioned earlier about using her discretion. The regulator is using her discretion to retain some charities on the register. We need to deal with this aspect in the Bill in a clearer way.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Public Participation Networks (PPNs) were established to provide representation for the community sector in Local Authority policymaking structures, giving local volunteers a greater say in local government decisions which affect their own communities. PPNs are not grant-awarding bodies and are not permitted to give direct grants to community groups. They receive funding from the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme. The current iteration began on 1 January 2018 and will run until the end of 2023. My officials have begun the process of developing a new iteration of SICAP which will begin in 2024. The programme provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (14 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme. The current iteration began on 1 January 2018 and will run until the end of 2023. My Department has committed over €250 million funding to the six year national programme. The funding for SICAP is subject to the annual budgetary estimates process. It should be...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I am acutely aware of the increase in the cost of living and rising costs in recent months, especially increasing energy prices. Given this, the supports provided by the Department to assist communities are more important than ever. The Department was allocated €378 million for 2022, which will enable continued delivery of a wide range of measures to support communities and address...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. That case was made when I was in Galway and Ballinasloe last week. Galway Rural Development made the case very well. I also had a good meeting in the Connacht Hotel with a group of 60-plus community employment supervisors. They certainly made the case around costs and made some good suggestions about what we could do in terms of materials grants as well. That is not a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (15 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I agree with the sentiment. It is a good opportunity for me to mention another avenue in respect of cost issues such as lighting and heating, namely, the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. On energy generation projects, the climate action plan sets a clear goal for renewable energy delivered through local community-based projects. These projects will be delivered through the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Sep 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department continuously engages with the community and voluntary sector including through the Cross Sectoral Group (CSG) and in implementing ‘Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities’, the five-year strategy to support the C&V sector. My Department also delivers a wide range of supports to eligible community and voluntary organisations throughout the country....