Results 1,501-1,520 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: That is a fair point.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: It has not been brought to us at the moment. We are discussing-----

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: On the RSS side of things, I would be very interested in the committee's input, and that of Deputy Ó Cuív and the other Deputies, as to how we look at it. We do not have data to hand on family formation pre-2014. My experience of meeting RSS participants is, as the Deputy described, that they tend to be single male farmers. That has been the case 80% of the time when I have met...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I will try to touch on the other points that were made. There is a broad range of people who are on CE schemes at the moment. I take the Deputy's point on that. The broad qualifying criteria for most of them is the jobseeker's allowance. That is where the call is made as to whether someone could theoretically be eligible for employment. It is at that stage the call is made. I would be...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I might address the Chairman's last question first. He made a good point and I would like to see more investment and faster movement on the warm homes scheme in particular. Training is happening on the apprenticeship side in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. I believe there are five ETBs specialising in retrofitting training. Some CE scheme...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The transfer to the new community services programme, CSP, model is in progress. Organisations had a window which closed a week or two ago to apply to transfer to the new model. The new model will be better with regard to how much we contribute to wages. It will be matched in a more tailored way to the needs of specific organisations. There are three strands and three levels. We got an...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2022
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (23 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I agree with the Deputy that it is crucial we support communities that have experienced disadvantage and marginalisation for a long time and too long. The Deputy mentioned the Dublin north inner city model. We are in the process of developing a new policy with the Department of the Taoiseach in this regard to see how we can expand it. That is in the pipeline at the moment but we are not...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. I acknowledge the work of CE supervisors. We have about 1,200 supervisors and assistant supervisors across the country. They are one of the most embedded and connected groups of community workers, broadly speaking, we have across the country. My Department has been engaging with the unions during the year. The supervisor union's representatives have...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for raising the matter as it provides me with the opportunity to give some clarity on the current position relating to post-primary school provision in Clonakilty, County Cork. For school planning purposes, the Department of Education divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a geographical information system to anticipate school place demand....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I accept the Senator's point that many people do not have clarity as to their standing at this time. It is very hard to give clarity until the 15 December deadline has passed. I expect the schools have some of the information he has requested. I will feed back to the Minister that we need to get that information from the schools and give clarity to people as soon as possible. I am hopeful...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education and Training Provision (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senators for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins, who are unable to be here. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is committed to engaging with all Departments and industry representative bodies to support them in their workforce planning needs....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education and Training Provision (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I genuinely believe the Senators have hit on a crucial issue. The Minister, Deputy Harris, is committed and has made clear that planning for current and future public sector skills needs is a priority for his Department. Officials will continue to engage across Departments to progress the important area of workforce planning. I agree with the Senators' point about the HEA. We could all do...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy will be aware that a final settlement was reached with unions at the end of 2021 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 sponsoring organisations. The settlement resolves this long-standing issue through the payment of a once off ex-gratia payment to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (7 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I value the role CE supervisors and assistant supervisors play on over 800 CE schemes in local communities across the country. They support CE participants to get work experience and develop future work opportunities for those who are long term unemployed, while providing essential services to local communities. As the Deputy is aware, CE supervisors and assistant supervisors are not...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of CE supervisor pay. In my answer I will also include assistant supervisors and supervisors of rural social scheme, RSS, and Tús schemes, who we also need to look at. My Department has been in negotiations with unions this year. Unions have gone to the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, to open a conciliation process. The Department of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (8 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I appreciate the Deputy pressing that sense of urgency. There are approximately 1,200 CE supervisors and assistant supervisors around the country. They provide an enormous service to their communities. They open pathways to work for people, provide a social inclusion service locally for people who would not otherwise be looked after and run key local services. We need to look after them....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Dublin Airport Authority (6 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 151. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Dublin Airport Authority have been issued with a warning letter by the planning department of Fingal County Council in relation to many issues being caused to residents (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60607/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (6 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 310. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the planned extension to a school (details supplied) to provide capacity for 1,300 pupils and a four classroom SEN base; the indicative timeline for this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60630/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (6 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 311. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the recommendation from her Department to remove the school site objective on the phase 3 Golden Ridge site in Rush, County Dublin as part of its submission to the draft Fingal County Council Development Plan 2023-2027. [60634/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (6 Dec 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 338, 344 and 383 together. I value the role CE supervisors and assistant supervisors play on over 800 CE schemes in local communities across the country.  They support CE participants to get work experience and develop future work opportunities for those who are long term unemployed, while providing essential services to local...