Results 101-120 of 2,058 for speaker:Joe O'Brien

Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (25 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank all the Deputies who contributed to the debate. I appreciate the broad support for the Bill. I will use my time to address some of the issues raised. Reference was made to crowd funding platforms, including GoFundMe. Crowd funding tends to occur where a person or group seeks donations for an individual or a specific cause, such as seeking funds to pay for treatment for someone...

Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (25 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2023 before the House. The passing of this Bill is an essential step to enhance and strengthen the existing framework for regulating charities in Ireland. The charity sector plays a crucial role in connecting the wider public with opportunities to support and...

Conflict in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I welcome the opportunity to speak in support of the motion. I was glad to cede the time given for the planned charities Bill, which will instead be taken on Thursday. The Irish public has watched with increasing horror the events of the past 100 days unfold. International human rights law is very important, but we do not need to be versed in it to see that what has been visited on the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (23 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Senator for raising this matter. I will give an initial response and then follow up with further information in my second reply. The community recognition fund is managed by the Department of Rural and Community Development and delivered locally by each of the local authorities around the country. The €50 million fund was introduced this time last year and I was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Community Development Projects (23 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: To clarify, the Government is looking at how we can further support impacted towns and villages across a range of different public services. I look forward to seeing the proposals that emerge on that in the coming weeks. For now, specifically in relation to community recognition, the focus is very much on getting the approved projects delivered on the ground. These projects can only make a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (17 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: 511. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the plan to build a permanent extension at a school (details supplied) in light of the initial design difficulties that have resulted in significant delays. [56816/23]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pay (17 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 890, 898 and 938 together. My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed persons and low income farmers/fishers. I would like to acknowledge the important role that Tús and RSS supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Since early 2022, Ireland has provided accommodation to more than 99,000 people, between those fleeing Ukraine and international protection applicants. This includes more than 73,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection and more than 25,000 international protection applicants currently in IPAS accommodation. Prior to the war in Ukraine, there were 8,300 applicants for international...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I do not have enough time to list all the things we are doing, but we have a range of funds, including local funds and national funds. For example, the grants under the national integration fund and the asylum migration fund will be announced in the first quarter of next year. There are many other important initiatives. Each local authority has a local economic and community plan. They...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: International Protection (14 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I am happy to take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of partnership companies. They are probably one of our key partners on the ground that are facilitating integration, particularly through the social inclusion and community activation programme. We have an additional €10 million allocation for work with Ukrainians and international protection applicants that we secured last...

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

Joe O'Brien: The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has a geographical focus for grant applications, as I outlined. I am also a Minister of State in the Department of Rural and Community Development, which provides social inclusion and community activation programme allocations and allocations to volunteer centres. Going into 2024, we are specifically looking at the...

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

Joe O'Brien: As I mentioned, there are checks and balances. There is independent oversight of the grant process. The Deputy’s figures are based on the number of requests for funding. There is another cut-off point in terms of viable projects as well. Sometimes we get requests for funding where the projects do not add up in terms of what has been put forward. That is where the independent set...

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

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for the question. My Department administers a number of funding programmes addressing integration in communities on the basis of annual or multi-annual open calls for funding. The Department will also offer several funding calls of a similar nature in 2024. Each of these funding calls is run in a transparent and competitive manner, with applicants given detailed...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Disputes (13 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed persons and low income farmers/fishers. I would like to acknowledge the important role that Tús and RSS supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Disputes (12 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I propose to take Questions Nos. 485, 493, 496, 501 and 511 together. My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, Rural Social Scheme (RSS) and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed persons and low income farmers/fishers. I would like to acknowledge the important role that Tús and RSS supervisors play in providing valuable...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Strategies (12 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: The national drug strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, sets out government policy on drug and alcohol use for the period 2017 to 2025. The strategy provides an integrated health-led approach to drug and alcohol use, focused on reducing the harms for individuals, families and communities and promoting rehabilitation and recovery. The vision of Reducing Harm, Supporting...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: Skerries Community College was approved for a project to cater for a school with 1,300 students and four classes for students with special education needs. The project was devolved for delivery to the ETB. Significant technical challenges for the delivery of the project on the current site were identified. The Department met with the ETB in August in order to assist the ETB progress the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Flood Risk Management (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I certainly will do so. The Deputy has made some very clear points and suggestions, which I will convey to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. I will read out the information I have on the Shannon Callows as it may be of interest and use to the Deputy. I understand a tender will issue in January for an ecological consultant to carry out a high-level environmental study. The study...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As her question was framed in a general way, I will begin with some general points and I can provide more specifics in my follow-up response. On behalf of the Minister for Education, I will outline the position with regard to primary and post-primary school places in north County Dublin for September 2024 and onwards. I assure the Deputy that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Facilities (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: I will not go through the answer again. There is obviously significant construction planned for the school, including special needs education rooms. I do not understand the situation described by the Deputy, nor can I can pretend to. There may be reasons for it. There may be particularities around the site or the school that I am not aware of. However, I commit to raising the matter...