Results 1,061-1,080 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

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

Joe O'Brien: Correct me if I am wrong, but the intention is that UK-based charities would have a similar status and standing as EU-based charities. At the moment we are just in a little bit of flux and the regulator is using her discretion to get over that period. We will nail that down, hopefully, in this Bill.

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

Joe O'Brien: To be honest there is no one particular aspect but in general we very much welcome input and we will be listening carefully to what people are saying. I have not had the chance to go through everything that has been submitted to date. I have read some of it. We will look at everything that is proposed to us. That is for sure. There is, however, no one area that comes to mind on which we...

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

Joe O'Brien: We need to put such provisions into the Bill as soon as we can because there is a bit of ambiguity there. At the moment, the regulator is using that clause I mentioned earlier about using her discretion. The regulator is using her discretion to retain some charities on the register. We need to deal with this aspect in the Bill in a clearer way.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Policies (5 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Roadmap for Social Inclusion 2020 - 2025 is a whole of Government strategy that aims to reduce poverty and make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU.  The Roadmap aims to reduce the number of people in consistent poverty in Ireland to 2% or less and to position Ireland within the top five countries in the EU under a number of leading social inclusion...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Ukraine War (5 Jul 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I recently announced additional funding of €10.5 million for the community response to support people arriving from Ukraine. Some €5 million in funding is being provided to the Local Development Companies through the SICAP Programme. Additionally, €500,000 is being allocated to support our volunteer centres, which have been dealing with a huge demand for services...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Budget Process (5 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 (30 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the eligibility criteria for the post-primary school transport scheme can be amended to allow children to attend their nearest non-denominational school due to religious ethos on the same basis as those attending a minority religious school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34999/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (28 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 755. To ask the Minister for Health the status of talks between the HSE and an organisation (details supplied) in relation to the life-changing cystic fibrosis drug therapy kaftrio to make this drug therapy available to 35 children with cystic fibrosis aged between six and eleven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33672/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (28 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP), currently supports over 420 community organisations to provide employment opportunities and the delivery of a diverse range of local services, through a social enterprise model.  The CSP contribution is not aligned to the minimum wage and does not meet the full salary cost of supported posts, rather it is a fixed annual...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Immigration Support Services (28 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: My Department is currently providing a range of supports to assist organisations with the challenges arising from the arrival of those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I have been advised that the service in question is housed within a facility that is currently supported under my Department's  Community Services Programme (CSP). ...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Cycling Policy (23 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 348. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has any concerns regarding the proposal in the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan to facilitate improved walking and cycling access to schools (details supplied) from Waterside along the reservation indicated in the Plan. [33390/22]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (22 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 13. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of NCT appointments for residents of north county Dublin, with some reporting that no appointments are available until November 2022; if his Department has plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33023/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (22 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 183. To ask the Minister for Health his plans to recruit additional neurology nurse specialists for a hospital (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33029/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (21 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department anticipates that the improved walking and cycling access to schools (details supplied) from Waterside along the reservation indicated in the Greater Dublin Area Cycle Network Plan will be available for students to use from the opening of the schools. [32547/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (21 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 607 and 614 together. As the Deputy will be aware, Community Employment (CE) supervisors and CE assistant supervisors sought, through their union representatives, the allocation of Exchequer funding to implement a 2008 Labour Court recommendation relating to the provision of a pension scheme. At the outset, I wish to acknowledge the valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (21 Jun 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. I should mention, at the outset, that Minister Humphreys and...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (16 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 160. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the number of public buildings in the State which have solar panels, heat pumps or mini-turbines installed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31465/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Equipment (16 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: 385. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in the State which have solar panels, heat pumps or mini-turbines installed. [31466/22]

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (16 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The €9m Community Activities Fund was launched in November 2021 to support community groups impacted by COVID-19. This Fund was allocated under the Department’s Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). The fund was to support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Equality Issues (15 Jun 2022)

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Rural and Community Development is committed to supporting empowered, inclusive and resilient communities and a key action is to support the enhancement of community facilities particularly in disadvantaged areas. A €15m fund was recently announced so that groups can apply for funding to make improvements to their facilities. Details of how to apply are available on...