Results 261-280 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Participation Networks (9 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Public Participation Networks (PPNs) were established under the Local Government Reform Act of 2014. They provide representation for the community sector in local policymaking, giving local groups a greater say in local government decisions which affect their communities. Membership of a PPN is open to all volunteer-led/not-for-profit groups in a local authority area, and almost 20,000 groups...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (9 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The first National Volunteering Strategy was published in December 2020. The strategy, produced in collaboration with the community and voluntary and business sectors, provides a vision and road map for both volunteers and those organisations who benefit from the work of volunteers. The Strategy comprises five high level objectives, with 56 associated actions, and outlines a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (8 May 2024)

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. The Charities Regulator is under the aegis of my department. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (2 May 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department of Rural and Community Development's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (30 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department administers a number of funding streams addressing integration by way of annual and multi-annual grants. I have been working to maximise these funds to support excellent work and proposed work across communities in every corner of Ireland, to help migrants to settle in. Despite recent negative events, this remains the more dominant response of Irish communities to new...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (30 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy makes a number of good points. With smaller funds, such as the community integration fund, we keep the administration level down as much as possible because we want local groups like that to be able to apply for it, so we do our best to keep it as simple as possible. However, with higher amounts of money, when you are talking about hundreds of thousands of euro, a higher level of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (30 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: We are investing in infrastructure but in people as well. I want to acknowledge the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman’s contribution in this area too. We are developing, under his guidance, local authority integration teams. This bulks up the capacity of local authorities across the country to have a very particular focus on migrant integration. My understanding is that 75% of those...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (30 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme, which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the Scheme towards the purchase, by a registered community-based organisation,...

Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputies who contributed to the discussion this afternoon. I appreciate the support of Deputies across the board for progressing the measures contained in this Bill, which will have a positive impact on the interactions that citizens have with the State civil registration service and will greatly assist in the modernisation of the service. The introduction of online registration...

Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Referral to Select Committee (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)(a) and 181(1).

Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to have the opportunity to introduce this important Bill, which will improve and update our civil registration legislation and, in particular, allow parents and bereaved families the opportunity to register a birth, death or stillborn online, update the criteria for stillbirths and provide timely notification of deaths to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Food Poverty (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Minister Humphreys was very pleased to recently announce the extension of the Hot School Meals programme meaning that an additional 900 schools and 150,000 children are now eligible for hot meals. This means that there are now over 2,000 Primary Schools and 316,000 children able to benefit from Hot School Meals, having started in 2019 with a small pilot of 30 schools. The Department has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004, while existing participants have their annual contracts renewed until they reach 66 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 430 community-based organisations, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager. An application window for funding additional staff...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (23 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Community and Voluntary Social Pillar (‘the C&V Pillar’) is a seventeen-member group representing community and voluntary organisations which contribute to the social dialogue process. Since 2018, the Department of Rural and Community Development has provided funding to the members of the C&V Pillar to engage in dialogue and policy formation. The...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I had been hoping the Cathaoirleach was not going to call me because I have not really gathered my thoughts, but I just wanted to come in. I am only getting the tail end of the input. I apologise that I could not be here earlier. I want to say "Well done" to the Cathaoirleach, Senator Flynn, for organising this. It is good to see. I will listen back to many of the inputs today as well....

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I might catch a little of that as well. I might be able to say a little bit more then. It is good to see everyone here. I recognise a couple of faces and I will hang around for a bit in case anybody wants to chat.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last December, I launched the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), with capital funding of €6 million to assist community groups across the country. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most. There was a particular focus on small capital works/improvements, and the purchase of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004, while existing participants have their annual contracts renewed until they reach 66 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I am immensely proud that my Department leads on supporting volunteering and implementing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025. The Strategy was approved by Government and launched in December 2020. It is a whole of government framework to support the voluntary sector. Its purpose is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution volunteers make to Irish society....