Results 1,441-1,460 of 2,335 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Deputy Canney for the invitation and I take the other Deputies' points as well. We support the national men's sheds organisation through the scheme to support national organisations, SSNO, and applications for that will be opening either late this year or early next year. That is just a point of information that may be useful. On the question of sustainability, and I recall...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. My Department has a number of schemes that local groups can avail of to support the establishment of community centres. Funding may be available through the LEADER transitional programme, which is delivered through local action groups, LAGs, in each of the 28 LEADER subregional areas around the country. Interested applicants should, in the first...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question. The emergence of the women's sheds groups in recent years has been a positive development for communities throughout the country. My Department supports sheds through many funding programmes that are open to a variety of groups and organisations. These include the community enhancement programme, CEP, the social inclusion and community activation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: In response to the previous question, I cannot give the Deputy an estimate on that. We run the programme every year, at the very least. I fully agree that women's sheds should have parity of esteem. I visited an excellent women's shed in Wexford recently. The sheds make a great contribution in giving people an opportunity to come together, which is particularly important in rural...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. I can confirm that the Department of Rural and Community Development has had no involvement in the establishment of a domestic violence refuge in Carlow. I understand that, in the main, domestic violence issues are a matter for the Minister for Justice and are legislated for in the Domestic Violence Act 2018. My Department's mission is to promote rural...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge his point. Since 2018, some 1,138 individuals have been supported through SICAP in Carlow. The supports offered vary in accordance with the individual's circumstances. Examples of such supports are personal development, lifelong learning courses, health and well-being assistance and other labour market supports. In 2019, Carlow County Development...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy. I refer to some useful points from the budget, particularly in regard to the Department of Justice. A funding package will be provided to extend legal aid for victims of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Expenditure on victim supports for people who have suffered domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is also set to increase by €5 million, bringing...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Charities Regulator, under the aegis of my Department, is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland's charities. It is important to note that the regulator is fully independent in the performance of its statutory functions, including investigations into the activities and conduct of charities. All registered...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: It is difficult for me to comment on individual cases, particularly because they are under the purview of the Charities Regulator, but I will try to provide some reassurance. With over 11,000 charities on the register, the work of the regulator is vitally important. All registered charities in Ireland and their trustees are subject to the provisions of the 2009 Act, which sets out...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: Again it is difficult for me to comment without knowing the details of the case but I fully back the Deputy's sentiments on the need for people to have trust in charities. The regulator was established in 2014 and it has been growing its capacity ever since. This will be the first year it will have a full staff complement so it is moving in the right direction. That said, we are proposing...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's mission is “To promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland". A key part of achieving this mission is ensuring that those most in need are able to access services and supports and that we deliver outcomes that positively impact the quality of life of those living and working in our communities....

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

Joe O'Brien: Under the National Development Plan, the Department of Rural and Community Development will see an increase in its overall funding. Some of this increase will be used to establish a new funding scheme for community centres. This is consistent with the Programme for Government commitment to establishing a small capital grants scheme for the maintenance, improvement and upkeep of community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. I understand that in the past the CLÁR Programme was used to top-up other funding programmes, including the Sports Capital Programme. However, since it was relaunched in 2016, the programme provides funding, in its own right,...

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

Joe O'Brien: My Department delivers a range of supports to community groups including Men's Sheds, some of which are administered by Pobal. The eligibility criteria differ depending on the specific programme and work being completed. For example, the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP)provides small capital grants to community groups, including Men's Sheds. In the past, a ring-fenced fund was provided...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The 2022 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan is currently in preparation. Departments are currently concluding the estimates process and the Action Plan will be finalised following the Budget. It is envisaged that the 2022 Action Plan will be published in November 2021. The 2021 Dormant Account Action Plan approved funding of up to €51 million across 10 departments supporting 46...

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

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting rural and urban communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration. My Department is providing SICAPfunding in excess of €220 million over six years (2018-2023). This year over €39 million...

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

Joe O'Brien: The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) was first launched by my Department in 2018. The Programme provides funding to community groups and organisations across Ireland, with a focus on areas of disadvantage. Funding is provided to each Local Authority area, and the programme is administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) on the basis of local need. In May this...

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

Joe O'Brien: My Department provides a range of employment support schemes including Community Employment (CE). These supports are specifically targeted at those people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more. The aim of CE is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing valuable work experience opportunities. CE also provides training supports for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies (14 Oct 2021)

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) works closely with the Irish Local Development Network (ILDN), the representative body for Ireland’s Local Development Companies (LDCs). The LDCs are a key delivery partner for government across a range of schemes and programmes. In the case of DRCD, they deliver SICAP and are implementing partners for the LEADER programme. To...

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

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting rural and urban communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration. My Department is providing SICAPfunding in excess of €220 million over six years (2018-2023). This year over €39 million...