Results 881-900 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Apprenticeship Programmes (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: This recent data is very concerning. I spoke with an official in the Department this morning and she assured me that those people who are waiting six months and more are going to be prioritised in being moved on to the next phase of their off-site training or block release. It is important to point out that further funding of €17 million has been provided to SOLAS and the HEA to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. Before I address the specific issue raised, I will provide an outline of the extent of the school transport service. The school transport scheme is a significant operation, managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the previous school year, 121,400 children, including 15,500 with special educational needs, were...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: To clarify, 24,000 additional places have been created this year. I will take the issues raised by the Senator in respect of the website back to the Department. I raised with the official today the visibility of the application process for the remote area grant, so that is now on the radar, but I will raise it with the Minister as well. The Senator's suggestion in respect of staging the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: While my Department has been assigned overall policy responsibility for the Charities Regulator, the Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions under Section 14 (3) of the Charities Act 2009. Consequently, it is inappropriate for me, or Department officials, to enter into specific discussions with the Charities Regulator concerning any individual organisation.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (10 Nov 2022)

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....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department has responsibility for the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018 – 2023 that provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. SICAP is managed at a local level by 33 Local Community Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department has responsibility for the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018 – 2023 that provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. SICAP is managed at a local level by 33 Local Community Development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ukraine War (10 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department does not provide any supports to  Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, as referred to in the Deputy's question.  However, my Department has responsibility for the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2018 – 2023 which provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (9 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors sought for several years through their union representatives, SIPTU and Fórsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Work Schemes such as Community Employment (CE) are positive initiatives that enable long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst upskilling themselves for prospective future employment. However, it is important to note that participation on these schemes is intended to be for a temporary fixed-term and the positions offered are not full-time sustainable jobs....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors sought for several years through their union representatives, SIPTU and Fórsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Employment programme is delivered by locally based sponsor organisations across the country. In total, there are over 840 such companies involved in the delivery of the programme. Officials from the Department are currently compiling the list of 840 Community Employment Sponsoring Organisations and will provide it at an early date under separate cover to the Deputy. I trust this...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: Work schemes such as Community Employment (CE) are positive initiatives that enable long-term unemployed to make a contribution to their communities whilst upskilling themselves for prospective future employment. However, it is important to note that participation on these schemes is intended to be for a temporary fixed-term and the positions offered are not full-time sustainable jobs....

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors sought for several years through their union representatives, SIPTU and Forsa, the allocation of Exchequer funding 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...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: We are all very conscious of the important role that Community Employment (CE) and other programmes play in our communities. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities. The programme is...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: We are all very conscious of the important role that Community Employment (CE) and other programmes play in our communities. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are unemployed, schemes such as CE also provide important and, in many cases essential, services to their local communities. The programme is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department introduced a range of supports to help community and voluntary organisations meet the challenges they faced during and after COVID-19. For instance, in 2020, €4.2 million was provided under the COVID-19 Emergency Fundwhich targeted help at groups participating in the Government’s “Community Call” initiative.  The Community Activities...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (8 Nov 2022)

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 currently provides an annual co-funding contribution of €19,033 for each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, €32,000 towards the cost of employing a manager. The CSP...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Dormant Accounts Act provides for a scheme to disburse funds for the purposes of programmes or projects to assist (i) the personal and social development of persons who are economically or socially disadvantaged, (ii) the educational development of persons who are educationally disadvantaged, or (iii) persons with a disability. As such, a scheme to finance the compulsory purchase of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (8 Nov 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Enhancement Programmeprovides vital supports to community groups in disadvantaged areas across Ireland. The programme has provided over €43 million in funding to over 17,000 projects since 2018 with small grants for the improvement of facilities. An iteration of the scheme will run again in 2022. The details of this scheme are currently being developed by officials...