Results 5,741-5,760 of 10,319 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is the child who is being excluded who is being subjected to discrimination and disadvantage as opposed to some huge advantage being conferred on the child who gets in. Would Dr. Muldoon agree with that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Ms Lynch said that fairness and equity are principles that must be upheld. Is it her view that this specific statutory provision violates those principles?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: In Ms Fanning's last answer to the Chairman, she highlighted a point that is repeatedly made to me in the months of February, March and April by the parents of a first child generally who has not got into a school. It puts huge stress on those parents. Invariably, once September comes, it seems to be sorted out. It seems to put parents through an unnecessary amount of stress. Does Ms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is something that needs addressing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: In regard to the John Stokes case, if this rule is removed tomorrow, admissions to schools will not become this remarkable system of fairness overnight. It is still going to involve choice. On what basis does Dr. Doyle think schools should be required to choose their students? Should it be principally on the basis of locality? As Deputy Conway-Walsh said, I am conscious that in England...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I know Dr. Doyle's views on this specific provision but to what extent should the State be involved by way of legislation in specifying how schools should approach admissions? We have legislation but is Dr. Doyle suggesting that we need to go further?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is the point that was replicated last week. If the provision is removed, there will still be children whose parents went there going to a school. There is nothing wrong with that per se. What is wrong is if there is a statutory provision which excludes certain children because of the connection that another child has.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: This committee is also looking at leaving certificate reform at the same time. There are great criticisms that could be made of the leaving certificate and CAO. If, for example, we had a system whereby 25% of places for medicine were limited to children of doctors, would that not be problematic?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Commemorative Events (3 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yesterday marked the centenary of the publication of James Joyce's Ulysses. It is an event that deserves to be commemorated and recognised by this State. Over the past ten years, we have engaged with a lot of commemoration in terms of the important historic political events we have commemorated, including the commemoration of the Irish involvement in the First World War, the Easter Rising...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Commemorative Events (3 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I am pleased to hear that progress is being made in terms of the commemoration of Ulysses. I welcome the detail contained with the reply. It is fair to say James Joyce had a difficult relationship with Ireland. He probably would be surprised that, in a national Parliament, Members are standing up to commemorate the publication of his great book...

Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I do not think it is possible to overstate the impact and importance universities have had on the course of Irish history. We all know the role that was played by Trinity College over the centuries but there was also the establishment of the Catholic University of Ireland in the 19th century. That became the Royal University of Ireland and subsequently the National University of Ireland,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (2 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the requirement for children to wear masks in school can be lifted in the immediate future in view of the improved public health situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5293/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (2 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 145. To ask the Minister for Health if the requirement for children to wear masks in school can be lifted in the immediate future in view of the improved public health situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5294/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Reviews (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 457. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 will commence; the person or body to which interested parties can make submissions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4286/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 458. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the basis upon which the four autistic spectrum disorder classrooms designated for a new school (details supplied) are all to be based in the junior school rather than split evenly between the junior and senior school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4287/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 647. To ask the Minister for Health if nurses working with a general practitioner practice in the community can be considered for receipt of payment of the bonus for frontline healthcare workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4346/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee. I also thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin for his work on the legislation. There is a rather unusual provision in the legislation. Section 62(7)(e) lists the categorisations or issues a school is not entitled to take into account when admitting a child into school. Section 62(7)(e)(vi) states: "a student’s connection to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does the ACCS believe that this rule is necessary still?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2020: Discussion (1 Feb 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: My own assessment of it from my own constituency, and I say this with all due respect to Deputy Ó Ríordáin, is that I do not believe there is a desire on the part of parents to perpetuate an elitism by getting their child into the school they went to. The issue is that parents want to get their child into what they perceive as the best local school, and it can irritate them if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (27 Jan 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Something we need to look at is the mandatory retirement age. Part of the reason people are leaving the Defence Forces is because they know they will have to retire between the ages of 56 and 60. At that age, many people are just getting into their prime - I think of Deputy Durkan here beside me. Could the Minister imagine if there was a requirement in politics that people had to retire...