Results 221-240 of 2,071 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cross-Border Co-operation (14 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The PEACEPLUS Programme 2021-2027, with a value of over €1.145m, is a new North South cooperation programme, which will have a lasting impact on peace and prosperity in the region, succeeding both of the current (2014-20) PEACE IV and INTERREG VA Programmes. The core programme area includes Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland, namely Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan,...

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. While my Department has been assigned responsibility for the Charities...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Welfare Services (9 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. The CSP contribution per full-time equivalent position is not aligned with the minimum wage and does not meet the full salary cost of supported posts. It is an annual contribution that must be co-funded by the organisations...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Welfare Services (9 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. A Call for Proposals in respect of specific...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Discrimination (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I do not have the specifics on that. I will bring it back to the Minister to follow up on that as well. I indicated in my initial contribution that mandatory training was part of what was required in the HSE. I have an additional interest here. I am responsible for the national action plan against racism, so I will be delving into that a little bit further to see how thorough that is and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Discrimination (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: -----to diversity are the ones who go to it. Therefore, when it is not mandatory, it is a problem. When it is stated as mandatory, I would like to see how comprehensive that is. I am committing to the Deputy that I will find out more about that. Of course, training does not solve it either. Racism is deeper than that for many people. We have much work to do in that regard. With...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Discrimination (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Yes.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Workplace Discrimination (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I agree with that and with Deputy Barry's sentiments on how crucial migrant nurses are not only to our hospital system but also to our care system, more broadly speaking. Before I read my answer, which is important, I want to say I heard the media report this morning and it stopped me in my tracks. The small clip I heard was shocking, and I have since read the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Deputy Harkin for raising this matter as it provides me with an opportunity to clarify the position on the Department of Education's planning for school accommodation for children with special educational needs, specifically in regard to the application for additional accommodation made by Sooey National School, County Sligo. The Deputy may be aware that Sooey National School is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: As I have outlined, the Department has been engaging with this school regarding its application for additional accommodation. While the provision of a general purpose room is outside the scope of the additional school accommodation scheme, the Department has liaised with the school regarding the potential provision of accommodation for children with special educational needs. As Deputy...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Employment Rights (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The misclassification of a worker as being self-employed when his or her terms and conditions mean he or she is in reality an employee is a matter of real concern. There is no single clear legal definition of the terms "employed" or "self-employed" in Irish or EU law. To determine a person's employment status, both the written or oral contract and the reality behind the contract must be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Employment Rights (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The Supreme Court judgment in this case, the Revenue Commissioners v. Karshan Midlands Limited, regarding Domino's Pizza delivery drivers is an important decision and one which the Government welcomes. This is a complex area of employment law where the classification of some employment relationships is not easily deduced. Indeed, this judgment...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Communications (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Department is currently dealing with the unprecedented challenge of accommodating people fleeing war in Ukraine and seeking international protection in Ireland from countries across the world. Our communities and neighbourhoods have responded with a generosity of spirit, as Deputy Dillon has said, in keeping with both our international reputation and our obligation to recognise the human...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Communications (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I want to acknowledge the co-operation of local authorities, local development companies, Deputies and Senators of these Houses and local councillors who have helped us to bring communities on board. It is a function of the community engagement team to do exactly what Deputy Dillon has described, namely, to talk to the relevant Government Departments. We have contact points in all of the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Communications (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: This is a timely opportunity to mention the fact that the Department has allocated additional resources to every local authority to recruit local authority integration teams. They are all at different stages of the recruitment process. Some have finished while others are yet to start. It will lead to up to four additional staff per local authority to assist and grow into this new place....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Risk Management (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for raising this important matter. On my behalf and that of the Government, I express sympathy to the people of north Louth, including the Cooley Peninsula, who had their houses and businesses flooded last week. The Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael McGrath, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Risk Management (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The flooding events in north Louth and the Cooley peninsula last week as a result of heavy rainfall on saturated ground show the importance of the OPW's planned programme to manage Ireland's flood risk. The completion of 53 flood relief schemes is already protecting 12,000 properties from flooding and avoiding damages of some €2 billion. The 2018 OPW risk management plans were...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for this opportunity to speak to the House on the important topic of HRT provision for women in menopause. The Department of Health and the Minister, Deputy Donnelly, are committed to improving women's health. Since the establishment of the women's health task force in 2019, they have listened to what women want from the health service and have taken a number of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank Senator Fitzpatrick. Considerable progress has been made in menopause care at primary and specialist care level. Six specialist menopause clinics are now open for women who have complex experiences of menopause. A quick reference guide for menopause was launched to support GPs and practice nurses in diagnostics and treatment at primary care level. A national menopause awareness...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (7 Nov 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, would like to thank the Senator for providing me with the opportunity to provide her with an update on the Drimnagh primary care centre, PCC, at Curlew Road, as well as an update on the HSE-owned site on Davitt Road in Drimnagh. The central objective of the programme for Government is to deliver increased levels of integrated healthcare with service...