Results 1-20 of 437 for long speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Support Services (25 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004, while existing participants have their annual contracts renewed until they reach 66 years of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Departmental Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware Job Initiative (JI) is an employment support scheme which was designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities. Recruitment onto the scheme ceased from November 2004, while existing participants have their annual contracts renewed until they reach 66 years of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (11 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...based on an understanding of current or future healthcare service needs in the relevant area. The Minister for Health and his Department welcome the proposals from some local authorities to take up long-term leases on vacant and disused HSE-owned properties which have been identified as being surplus to healthcare needs. The Department continues to engage with other pivotal...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (11 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...stalled PCC projects and it is welcome news that updated submissions for Ennistymon primary care centre will be sought in Q2 of this year. Receipt of those updated submissions will allow this long-awaited development to move forward. I cannot give the Senator any more details on when the next steps will follow. The best I have today is that submissions will be accepted in Q2 this year.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Leave (11 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...it can be taken, an employee who is a relevant parent in respect of a child under the age of 12 is entitled to 26 weeks' unpaid parental leave for each child. Where a child has a disability or long-term illness, the entitlement can continue until the child is 16. A "relevant parent" is a parent, an adoptive parent, or a person acting in loco parentis. The Work Life Balance and...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Schemes (9 Apr 2024)

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: Community Employment Schemes (9 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: As the Deputy is aware the Community Employment Scheme (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people and other disadvantaged persons with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. CE projects are in diverse areas and include the development, regeneration and enhancement of...

Seanad: Special Measures in the Public Interest (Derrybrien Wind Farm) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...McDowell and Boyhan for their work on drafting this Bill and for their opening remarks. I welcome the opportunity to address the House on the Derrybrien wind farm. Derrybrien wind farm has had a long and difficult history. It is owned by Gort Windfarms Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the ESB. Gort Windfarms commenced construction of the wind farm in June 2003. However, work was...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The aim of the Community Employment (CE) programme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people by providing work experience and training opportunities for them within their local communities on a temporary fixed term basis. In addition to providing valuable occupational experience and training as a stepping-stone to employment for people who are...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Tús scheme provides work placements for a twelve-month period for those who are fully unemployed and on the live register for a year or more. This initiative helps break the cycle of long-term unemployment by providing a work routine and valuable work experience. My Department is very conscious of the important role that the Tús scheme plays and is committed to supporting the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Industrial Disputes (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department operates a number of employment support schemes; including Tús, and Community Employment (CE), for long term unemployed. I would like to acknowledge the important role that CE and Tús supervisors play in providing valuable opportunities to participants in supporting the delivery of key services to local communities across the country. It should be noted that...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 37 - Social Protection (Revised) (7 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...people, and got them on the phone to encourage them towards schemes. They are very labour intensive but they tend to be quite successful in getting people in. We are proactive in pursuing people who have been very long-term unemployed as well. There are options there for them. They have not been forgotten; that is the message. There is proactive activity going on in relation to them.

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Health Promotion (1 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: .... The Government is committed to supporting positive ageing across the life course, as well as ensuring that older people can continue to live independently in their homes and communities for as long as possible. This commitment is enshrined in the national positive ageing strategy, which provides a blueprint for promoting older people’s engagement in economic, social, cultural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (30 Jan 2024)

Joe O'Brien: ...such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme and the Community Services Programme are helping to tackle social exclusion and support thriving communities. In addition to our long standing funding supports, over the course of 2022/2023, my Department has introduced a number of new schemes to meet the emerging needs of communities. These include the Community Centre...

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

Joe O'Brien: ...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...

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: ...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 opportunities to...

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

Joe O'Brien: ...is expected to be completed shortly. My understanding is that that will be in quarter 1 of next year. The Department will continue to engage with the ETB regarding both the school's immediate and long-term accommodation needs, including with a view to facilitating the future provision of special classes at the school. In relation to the particular issue of the 53 people on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (7 Dec 2023)

Joe O'Brien: ...of the primary means of addressing the projected shortfalls in social insurance income. This approach was agreed as an alternative to increasing the State pension age. In recognition of the long-term sustainability challenges facing the Social Insurance Fund, in budget 2024 the Government agreed to incrementally increase all PRSI rates on employer, employee and self-employed by 0.4...