Results 1,021-1,040 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (14 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My department operates a number of employment support schemes which assist communities across the country in the provision of vital services. Currently, there are some 27,000 participants engaged on the three main schemes: Community Employment, Tús and the Rural Social Scheme. Community Employment is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Food Poverty (14 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 – 2025, which was adopted by Government and published in January 2020, includes a commitment to ‘Develop a comprehensive programme of work to further explore the drivers of food poverty and to identify mitigating actions’ (Commitment 61). The Food Poverty Working Group, which I chair, was established in April 2021 and aims to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (14 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Social Protection provides activation support programmes for long-term unemployed jobseekers and those most distant from the labour market. The aim of the CE and Tús programmes are to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities within their communities. In addition, RSS is an...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (14 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware an Intergovernmental Departmental Review (IDG) Report on employment support schemes recommended that a review be undertaken of the operational responsibility for RSS.  It was also intended that this would include a review of the impact of the six year time limit for participation on the scheme - the so-called six year rule which was introduced in 2017. ...

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

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE) is a labour market activation programme which provides eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in work with organisations in the community and voluntary, not-for-profit sector within their communities on a temporary fixed-term basis. The work undertaken by participants of the programme supports...

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

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking 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...

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

Joe O'Brien: Community Employment (CE)  is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis.  The programme is delivered through independent CE sponsoring authorities who are the legal employers of their CE...

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

Joe O'Brien: My Department meets regularly with  CE, Tús and RSS schemes, sponsors and representatives to discuss and consider ongoing operational issues.  As part of this ongoing consultation and exchange of views, officials from my Department are meeting with Tús and rural social scheme supervisor union representatives today,  Wednesday 13thJuly 2022.  As this meeting is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Authorities (13 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, Public Participation Networks were established following the enactment of the Local Government Reform Act in 2014. Public Participation Networks (PPNs) have been established in all local authority areas. Membership of a PPN is open to all volunteer-led/not-for-profit groups in each local authority area. They bring together volunteer-led groups in each area to...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (12 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy may be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking 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...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (12 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 934. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to a shortage of concerta XL 36mg medication in pharmacies in north County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37612/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (12 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model, by providing an annual 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 contribution is not...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (7 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 227. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expected timeframe for changes to the school transport system to be introduced following the review of the system that is currently underway; if she will consider an entitlement to attend the nearest non-denominational school to be of equal importance to an entitlement to attend the nearest minority religion school; and if she will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department has provided a range of supports which both Men's and Women’s Sheds availed of, depending on the works being completed. For example, last yearthe Community Enhancement Programmeprovided funding of €4.5m for small capital grants to community groups to enhance their facilities and towards the re-opening of facilities. Men's and Women’s sheds along with other...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Chairman and the committee members for the invitation to attend to discuss the general scheme of the charities (amendment) Bill. I appreciate the flexibility they have shown in rescheduling today's session. I thank the Chair for his good wishes. I am joined by officials from my Department, including Bairbre Nic Aongusa, assistant secretary, Kevin Power, assistant principal, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I am aware of the issue of secretaries potentially being trustees as well. We have a bit of work to do on that, but the bottom line is that trustees should not be remunerated for their role as trustees. There are exceptions to that but the regulator will require to be notified and requested for exceptions like that. We have a little bit of work to do around teasing that out but it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2022: Discussion (6 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I have answers on some points but not on others. I take some points on board, such as the point about membership needing to be clarified. On head 7, regarding documents missing, much of the intention is that there are intermediate sanctions that can be used as well. At present, the regulator has very blunt instruments. A lot of the time it is the nuclear option or nothing. Members will...