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

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Strategies (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy with the ambitious aim to reduce consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less and to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive member states in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, delivered by 81 unique commitments (originally 69 commitments). Implementation of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Disputes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed. I would like to acknowledge the important role that CE and Tús supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country. It should be noted that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Reviews (13 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: 269. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the review she ordered on the guidance document that relates to how to facilitate the use of the spaces and facilities for the wider community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6095/24]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 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: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 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: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (13 Feb 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...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: In general on job activation schemes, CE, Tús and RSS but CE and Tús in particular, we have upscaled the numbers in the Department who are working on getting referrals in to sponsor organisations as well. The last two months have seen relatively good statistics around the numbers. Most of last year we were staying steady in the numbers of referrals. That is creeping up in the...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The majority have been decided. There are three that are still in the tender process and that is ongoing. There are certainly ones in Galway that I know of and in Meath as well.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I think there are two in Galway and one in Meath but I am open to correction on that.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: There has been a rolling of the current contracts to make sure there is no gap. It involves Meath, Mayo islands, Galway east, Galway west and Galway islands so we have a bit to work through there but no area is left without SICAP in the interim.

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy will appreciate that I cannot say too much about an ongoing issue.

Report of Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands: Motion (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the committee for its leadership on this. I agree with Deputy O'Rourke's point that other committees need to follow suit. It is not really an option for them; they need to do it. It is part of their job. I therefore appeal to all the other committees to do a similar analysis and a similar report and have a debate similar to that which we are having today. Again, I acknowledge the...

Report of Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands: Motion (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. I thank the Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands for its report on the progress being made on the SDGs. Achievement of the SDGs is essential if we are to ensure a sustainable future for all. They address the global and local challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Before I address the specific issues raised by the Deputy, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport system. The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils, travelling on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I hope the situation for those young people in Pallaskenry will be resolved soon. It is clear the Department is engaging with them. I agree on the need for an integrated system and with the point the Deputy made about school buses doing their drop and then doing a return journey without passengers. That is certainly not efficient, in a variety of ways. Other Departments are also...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity, on behalf of the Department of Education, to outline to the Dáil the current position in relation to the large-scale capital building projects for Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole, and the Clondalkin schools campus. The projects are included in the Department's construction programme which will be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Under Project Ireland 2040, the Department of Education is investing well in excess of €5 billion over the period 2021-25 to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost 1 million students and over 100,000 staff who learn and work in our schools every day. The Department of Education has a strong track record of delivery of school building...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I am happy to do that. I have only updates on two schools in my information here.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Post Office Network (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and Minister of State, Deputy Chambers. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and, as such, day-to-day operational matters, including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network, are matters for the board and...