Results 201-220 of 2,071 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: With regard to CE, Tús and RSS, but CE and Tús in particular, the job market is in a good place and that means the people who previously were not getting employment and might have looked at CE are looking at employment. That is good, and it is the way we want it to be, but it puts pressure on organisations that are dependent on CE places. At the moment, we have 18,750 people in CE...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Our response at the moment is based on a learning from Covid. During Covid we had these local community response forums and that was the model that we, in a slightly different way, kick-started again at local authority level. We have community response forums that are operating at every local authority level now, initially in response to the Ukraine situation but which are also now working...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I can come in on one of the points on funds that are dedicated to different areas. Each lot area, each area that a local development company looks after, gets a SICAP allocation based on the deprivation index and based on the level of deprivation in that area. I opened a new programme the year before last, the Empowering Communities programme, which is even more focused on those areas that...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Supplementary) (22 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Briefly on the CSP, prior to this year the salary contributions to the 400+ community services programmes were on a flat rate. They all got the same contributions, whether they were one of the projects that had good revenue-generating capacity like the tourism ones that were mentioned, or a community centre in a deprived area. That was not ideal, particularly for the community centres in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (21 Nov 2023)

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. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager. An application window for funding for additional staff...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (21 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention. This is a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies to help those in the greatest need. SICAP aims to address high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted and innovative, locally-led approaches. ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (16 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Community Employment (CE) programme is a community centered labour market initiative established for the purposes of social inclusion and activation, to help long-term unemployed people and other vulnerable groups to enter the workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment. CE projects are sponsored by groups wishing to benefit the local community, namely voluntary and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Our charity sector is an important and valued part of Irish society, playing an integral role in the provision of services to our communities. With over 11,500 charities on the Charities Register, the work of the Charities Regulator is also vitally important. The aim of the charities (amendment) Bill is to improve the ability of the regulator to conduct its statutory functions, providing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I will take the opportunity, and it is very relevant to the Deputy's question, to acknowledge the fact that this is this is Charity Trustees' Week. It is a week of acknowledging and recognising the efforts of over 76,000 volunteers who are trustees of Ireland's 11,500 registered charities. There is an extensive calendar of events this week organised in partnership with Boardmatch Ireland,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I echo the Deputy's sentiments, thanks and acknowledgement of the work of trustees. With this Bill coming forward, we are seeking to create an environment where trustees feel assured as they are carrying our their duties and where people are willing and confident to volunteer to become trustees in the first instance. It will further enhance and empower both existing and potential trustees...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: We are very interested in finding out where these blackspots are. We want everyone who wishes to avail of the senior alert scheme, SAS, to be able to access it. As I said, we will be pushing it out under a new advertising scheme coming out soon. We are also looking at counties with a low uptake as well. It is my understanding that once people have a landline connection they have access to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank both Deputies. We have more than 600 community groups around the country helping us to find people, but we need more. We need everyone to be on board to find people. The key part of this scheme is that it is a connection to people's wider community as well. This is why these community groups are invaluable. I will comment on the availability of the alarm. There are three...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: One is a landline alarm, which is installed when the participant has a standard telephone line. The second option is a broadband alarm, which is installed when the participant has a broadband line. The third alarm is the GSM version, which is installed when the participant does not have a standard telephone or a broadband line. This latter unit works off the mobile phone as well.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: There are different ways of doing it. There really should not be anyone who, as I said earlier, wants to avail of this scheme but is not getting it. It is, by the way, demand-led as well. When the demand is there, we will meet it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Deputy Moynihan for the question. The Department is responsible for the senior alert scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase by a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: In May of this year, together with Government colleagues, I announced €50 million in funding for more than 880 projects under the community recognition fund. The fund recognises the efforts of communities who have gone above and beyond during what has been a very challenging period for our country. It will support towns and villages nationwide that have shown generosity in welcoming...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: There has been a lot going on in supporting communities with new arrivals over the past 18 months. Under my remit, social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, allocations have been increased again. The additional €10 million allocation of last year will be repeated next year. The additional €1 million allocation that volunteer centres got last year will run...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Community Development Projects (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The initial allocation was €50 million, with €30 million for this year and €20 million next year. There is some flexibility, including on timelines. Requests could be made for adaptations of particular proposals. There is a lot that is not yet visible in terms of what the community recognition fund can do. Running into November, we are now at a stage where we hope we...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 639 together. Rethink Ireland (previously Social Innovation Fund Ireland) is a charity created by the Government in 2013. Launched in 2016, Rethink is an organisation set up by the Government to stimulate philanthropy and aid the development of social innovation in Ireland. The organisation has done this by establishing a philanthropic fund of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regulatory Bodies (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. The Charities Regulator is fully independent in the performance of its...