Results 1-20 of 1,305 for in 'Written Answers' speaker:Joe O'Brien

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (23 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Community and Voluntary Social Pillar (‘the C&V Pillar’) is a seventeen-member group representing community and voluntary organisations which contribute to the social dialogue process. Since 2018, the Department of Rural and Community Development has provided funding to the members of the C&V Pillar to engage in dialogue and policy formation. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (17 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last December, I launched the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), with capital funding of €6 million to assist community groups across the country. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most. There was a particular focus on small capital works/improvements, and the purchase 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...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (16 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: I am immensely proud that my Department leads on supporting volunteering and implementing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025. The Strategy was approved by Government and launched in December 2020. It is a whole of government framework to support the voluntary sector. Its purpose is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution volunteers make to Irish society....

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...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Programmes (9 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model, providing a contribution towards the cost of CSP supported staff in organisations. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (9 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model, providing a contribution towards the cost of CSP supported staff in organisations. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (9 Apr 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last year, I was delighted to announce details of successful applicants of the Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme. Funding of €10 million was allocated to assist local community and voluntary groups across the country with a multitude of costs including energy and utility bills, other operating costs, minor upgrade works and small capital purchases....

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Data (9 Apr 2024)

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 under the aegis of my department. It is important...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (21 Mar 2024)

Joe O'Brien: In November 2023, I was delighted to announce funding of €1 million to support Men’s Sheds throughout the country. The initiative will see grants of up to €3,000 provided to over 400 Men’s Sheds nationwide to assist them with running costs such as electricity or insurance bills. The individual grants will be distributed to the Men’s Sheds via its...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (20 Mar 2024)

Joe O'Brien: The Pobal HP Deprivation Index is Ireland's primary social gradient tool, commissioned by Pobal every five years following the completion of the national census. The most recent deprivation index was published in November 2023, using data 2022 census data. The index provides a deprivation score for each of Ireland's 18,919 Small Areas, ranging from Extremely Disadvantaged to Very...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (5 Mar 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last December, I launched the 2024 Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), with capital funding of €6 million to assist community groups across the country. The Local Enhancement Programme is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most and will provide capital supports essential for the many small...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (28 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 430 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 additional staff posts...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model, providing a contribution towards the cost of CSP supported staff in organisations. The programme is administered, on my Department's behalf, by Pobal. The vision of the CSP is to support...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (27 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: My Department of Rural and Community Development's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 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. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector (21 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: In August 2019, the Department of Rural and Community Development launched Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: a five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland. The Strategy set a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to the community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors for the coming decade....

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: Poverty Data (20 Feb 2024)

Joe O'Brien: Last week I led the Irish delegation at the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) review which this report related to. At this review I was able to highlight some areas where we have made significant progress since 2014. This included how the Government is working to make Ireland one of the most socially inclusive countries in the EU. The Roadmap for Social...