Results 1,341-1,360 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputies' message is clear and straightforward. I will convey it to the relevant Ministers. So far this year, to the end of last month almost 325,000 passengers used the airport. This is an 80% reduction on the same period in 2019, when approximately 1.7 million passengers used the airport. While passenger numbers remain suppressed, it is welcome to see that passenger numbers for last...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rural Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The LEADER programme has been in operation in Ireland for 30 years. To mark this anniversary, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, recently launched the national rural network networks booklet of LEADER case studies. Case studies are excellent examples of the impactful and innovative initiatives that the LEADER programme has...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Aviation Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank both Deputies for their questions on this matter. Regarding the review carried out by NewERA, this is a requirement under the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. Within the first six months of each financial year, commercial State bodies, including the Shannon Group, are required to submit to their relevant Ministers a draft annual rolling five-year business and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Zone Management (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The relevant legislation that allows for the removal of abandoned vessels in Irish waters such as that referred to by the Deputy is the Merchant Shipping (Salvage and Wreck) Act 1993. This Act gives effect to the International Convention on Salvage of 1989, to which Ireland is a signatory state. Section 40 of the Act provides that the Minister...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Coastal Zone Management (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the points he has raised. While the legislation in question that deals with salvage and wreck matters outlines roles and responsibilities for an appropriate authority, it does not specify provisions in relation to the costs associated with the removal of a wreck or the sale of that wreck. It is not possible when the owners of the vessel cannot be located, as has...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, CE supervisors and CE assistant supervisors have been seeking 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 sponsors. This...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy will be aware, 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 sponsors. This...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP)was first launched by my Department in 2018. It provides small grants to community organisations with a focus on those organisations in disadvantaged areas. The funding is provided to each Local Authority area and is distributed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) in that area on the basis of local need. Since 2018 the CEP has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tionscadail Fhorbartha Pobail (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I láthair na huaire, tugann an Clár Seirbhísí Pobail (CSP), á riaradh ag Pobal thar ceann mo Roinnse, tacaíocht do bhreis agus 420 eagraíocht phobail chun seirbhísí áitiúla a chur ar fáil trí mhúnla fiontraíochta sóisialta. Chun bheith incháilithe, ní mór d’eagraíochtaí a bheith...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Employment Drug Rehabilitation Projects (14 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I have been made aware of the issue raised by the Deputy. There is unfortunately a growing trend in the community of an increased drug culture among those most marginalised that has seen many young people become involved in drug use, drug dealing and negative life choices. While recognising that a multi-faceted approach is required to address these issues, my Department is playing its part by...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: In November a new €9m Community Activities Fund, was launched by my Department under the Community Enhancement Programmeand this fund continues into 2022 to support community groups impacted by COVID-19. This fund will support local community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running/operating costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (9 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Since the launch of the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025 in December 2020, there has been significant progress in implementing the 56 actions across the five strategic objectives. An Implementation Group was established in March 2021, this group includes key Government Departments, State Agencies and other vital stakeholders in the voluntary sector and from the sectors necessary...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Through the Covid-19 stability fund, my Department supported a total of 840 organisations in 2020 and 2021 with total funding of approximately €48 million. That fund is now closed and there are no plans at present for further rounds of the stability fund. The innovate together fund was launched in May 2020 and was administered by Rethink Ireland. This consisted of a €5...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I do not want to stray out of my departmental remit. I will only say yes, we are looking at community employment. On the Deputy’s initial question, the stability fund was our main response to community and voluntary sector for larger groups. A large number of groups were covered under that. The community services support fund was targeted particularly at groups funded under that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I will first pick up on Deputy Burke’s point. I think he was talking about a local development company, Avondhu Duhallow, which is in a different realm again. Its funding stayed solid in terms of the programmes it rolls out for Government, be it SICAP or LEADER or whatnot. I am not sure how the local authorities might support it in different ways. On the stability fund,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: To pick up on Deputy Burke's point, there certainly is a constant flow of feedback. Regarding the community activities fund and the community enhancement programme, decisions in terms of local allocations are made by the local community development committees, LCDCs, in a bottom-up approach. The main feedback we get is that the schemes are very popular and are, in fact, oversubscribed,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The new capital fund will open up that dialogue. One of the advantages of opening a specifically identified and named fund for community centres is that the process of dealing with applications will give us a good sense of the need that exists. It will enhance the conversation with local authorities because we will not always be saying, "Yes, here is your money", especially if the local...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 59 and 68 together, for which I thank Deputies Colm Burke, Higgins and O'Dowd. I acknowledge the importance of community centres. They are the cornerstone of community life in many places around the country. My Department has a number of schemes that communities can avail of for the upkeep, enhancement or establishment of community centres. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: On the final point raised by the Deputy, the broadband officer in the local authority is the person to chase up on that issue. I would like to reference some allocations in the Deputy's area under the community activities fund. A €9 million fund was announced recently, applications for which are open until February but the spending must be done by August next year. Cork City Council...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (7 Dec 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Deputy is probably aware that in my own council area Fingal County Council got an allocation of €301,000 from the community activities fund. That needs to be allocated before the end of February but it can be spent until the end of August next year. That is a substantial amount. It is in the area of small grants but they have an impact as well. The criteria for the new...