Results 921-940 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (20 Oct 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...

Seanad: Poverty and Social Exclusion: Motion (19 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I sincerely thank Senators Ruane, Higgins, Black and Flynn for creating the opportunity to discuss the reality of poverty. One of the challenges in tackling poverty is that it is simply not spoken about often enough in public and political discourse. I get relatively few parliamentary questions on it though it is one of the Government's most important areas of action. I am genuinely...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (19 Oct 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.   ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Budget 2023 (19 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and the charities sector in meeting the high cost of energy currently and is committed to supporting the sector in meeting these costs. Not-for-profit and voluntary organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector are woven into the fabric of community life across Ireland, but they are vulnerable to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (18 Oct 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.   ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (18 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and the charities sector in meeting the high cost of energy currently and is committed to supporting the sector in meeting these costs. Not-for-profit and voluntary organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector are woven into the fabric of community life across Ireland, but they are vulnerable to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I am very conscious of the important role CE and other schemes play and the Minister and I want to support them as best we can. 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. Given the strong...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. It has been a while since there was an increase in the top-up for CE. While we would all like to have more than €5 going on it that is what we got this year. We all would have preferred more. I disagree vehemently with the assertion that CE is not fit for purpose. It is one of the most impactful and useful schemes for both individuals and communities across...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I will have a go at responding to all that in a single minute. We are being very practical about CE. There was a review published at the end of last year but we are not stopping at that. We are trying to increase the flow in, to retain the people we have and to stop the flow out as well. We have taken policy measures in each of those three areas. As for broadening the pool of people,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Personal Public Service Numbers (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: PPS numbers are issued automatically when a birth is registered or via an application by a person who does not already have a PPS number, such as a new worker arriving into the State. On average, it takes 31 days to issue a PPS number following an application. Some 90% of applications are processed within two months. While the Department is working to reduce processing times, the time to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Personal Public Service Numbers (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I have outlined the reaction of the Department, including increased staffing and overtime hours and moving personnel from other sections. An important message to send out today is that people who are applying should take their time. If they rush the application and get it wrong, that can delay the process significantly. People should take the time to scan the form carefully and fill it out...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 - Our Rural Future, was published in 2021; and represents a new milestone in the approach to rural development in Ireland. The Policy is supported by 150 commitments across Government, which will address the challenges facing communities and deliver new opportunities for people living in rural areas. The policy will help...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 85 together. This Government acknowledges the important role that carers play in society and is fully committed to supporting them in that role. Accordingly, the current State Pension (Contributory) system includes a range of measures including PRSI credits, Homemaking Disregards and HomeCaring Periods to recognise caring periods of up to 20 years...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Social Protection operates a number of employment support schemes for long term unemployed persons which also assist communities across the country in the provision of vital services. Currently, there are some 24,000 participants on the two schemes supporting long term unemployed persons back to work: Community Employment and Tús. We are all very conscious of the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Food Poverty (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020-2025 is a whole of Government strategy that aims to reduce consistent poverty to 2 per cent or less by 2025 and make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. The Roadmap was published in January 2020 and contains seven high level goals, delivered by 66 unique commitments. Commitment 61 has a specific focus on food poverty:...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As Minister with responsibility for social inclusion, I have a strong interest in addressing all forms of poverty and addressing child poverty. I welcome the recent publication of the CSO Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) module on child specific deprivation. It is critical to have accurate and detailed data if we are to better understand and address such issues. The 2021 SILC...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Oct 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 (13 Oct 2022)

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. The programme aims to improve a person’s opportunities to return to the labour market. Generally CE placements, for those up to aged 60, are intended to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Data (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Gini coefficient is a standard measure of income inequality, where a smaller number represents greater income equality. The relevant income data is collected as part of the Survey of Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and can be used to measure income inequality in Ireland both before and after social transfers. The table below uses data from Eurostat, which sets out the Gini...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (13 Oct 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The purpose of the Fuel Allowance payment is to assist households with their energy costs. The allowance represents a contribution towards the energy costs of a household. It is not intended to meet those costs in full. Only one allowance is paid per household. If a participant on a Community Employment (CE) scheme was in receipt of Fuel Allowance prior to going on the scheme, they can...