Results 1,781-1,800 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. The aim of community employment is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their communities. In addition, it helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. We have to be careful if we are going to categorise a whole group of people as likely not able or eligible to go back into the mainstream workforce. We would have to be very careful if we were to do that, notwithstanding that there will be some cases, no doubt the Deputy has seen some himself, where that would be very difficult for an individual. A key strand of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy will be aware that, particularly over the last 18 months, that we have been highly responsive and adaptive to the needs of organisations who depend on CE and to the reality of the labour market itself. We have adapted and changed the eligibility for CE a number of times. We would like to see a little bit more evidence in terms of the definability and scale of the group as well...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Employment Schemes (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: No, I take the Deputy's point but we are talking about potentially changing the eligibility for a whole scheme, where there are 18,000 people involved as well. We have to take policy changes with due consideration.

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. Matters relating to foster caring are the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and of Tusla. This Government acknowledges the important role played by carers, including foster carers, and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current contributory State...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I reiterate and back up what has been said about the important role played by foster carers, and also the difficult job they have at times, often with challenging young people. I have some familiarity with the system. A lot of what is being spoken about will go to the main Department with primary responsibility for foster carers' support. It is important to reiterate that between child...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: There is a lot happening in the pensions place in terms of auto-enrolment. There are a lot of big projects going on too. We are looking at legislation for that, and it could be next year before we see a lot of the big changes. That is a broad response to the specific question asked by the Deputy. Between child benefit, the homemakers scheme, the home caring periods and this new measure, I...

Ceisteanna Eile (Atógáil) - Other Questions (Resumed): State Pensions (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy got an extra shot at it there, but the point is well made. I absolutely take the point.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (6 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Bodies (11 Jul 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. My Department has been assigned responsibility for the Charities Regulator. It...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies (20 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) our country’s primary social inclusion programme, aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting disadvantaged communities and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (20 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme that aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting disadvantaged communities and individuals. I believe SICAP is a hugely important programme and was delighted to secure a 10% increase for SICAP for 2022, the largest increase since...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (20 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: In August 2019, the Department of Rural and Community Development launched Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: a five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland. The Strategy sets a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors for the coming decade. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Strategies (20 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Rural and Community Development is committed to supporting empowered, inclusive and resilient communities. Details on the measures undertaken and delivered by my Department to implement specific actions points, referred to by the deputy, of the action plan to support the National LGBTI+ Inclusion Strategy 2019-2021 are outlined below:Since 2019, my Department has provided...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government's five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, was published in 2019. This is a whole-of-government strategy led by my Department, which is implemented collaboratively with the sector through the cross sector group on local and community development. This strategy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I am well aware of the issues with section 39 and other organisations whose main funding relationship is with other Government agencies and Departments. I would encourage both parties back to the table at the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. I certainly have a role in government in terms of explaining and pushing the value of community and voluntary organisations with other Departments....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I appreciate the Deputy’s advocacy for those who need those services, which are invaluable. It has been made clear to me the practical difficulties that the pay differential is creating. I think they should be paid more and, within government, we believe they should be paid more. We have gone through the WRC process to land on an agreed figure. We are at an impasse at the moment,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. The underlying basis for all funding delivered through my Department's community development programmes is to enable communities themselves to identify and address their needs in this context. The Social Inclusion and Community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), overseen by my Department, is our country’s primary social inclusion programme which aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Clár Forbartha Áitiúil (26 Sep 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Tacaíonn Clár um Sheirbhísí don Phobal (CSP) mo Roinne le breis agus 420 eagraíocht phobalbhunaithe, chun seirbhísí áitiúla a sholáthar trí mhúnla fiontair shóisialta. Soláthraíonn CSP ranníocaíocht chómhaoinithe bhliantúil i dtreo gach post coibhéis lánaimseartha (CL) a fhaigheann...