Results 61-80 of 7,549 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 17. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [50084/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a major issue with the retrofitting schemes that are in place. On the one hand, as the Climate Change Advisory Council states, the funding supports for heat pumps are not sufficient and this lock many people out of access to a heat pump. On the other hand, a heat pump is not a practical or feasible solution for many homes, in particular one-off rural homes. Very many people are...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a group of elderly people outside the Dáil at the minute on hunger strike. They are survivors of institutional abuse and have very modest requests regarding access to a HAA medical card and a pension. These requests were refused by Government during the discussions on the recent legislation. There are concerns for this vulnerable group across the political divide but also by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Older People: Discussion (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. I would like to ask each of them for their perspective on what good, ongoing engagement with this sector would look like. There has been mention of co-design and ensuring the voice of older people is heard. We are at a fairly nascent stage of the development of this technology as well as of the wider governance structures in this State. Do the witnesses have a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 135. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he is aware of service challenges on Bus Éireann routes serving Ashbourne and Ratoath in County Meath; his plans to address these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51160/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Traffic Management (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 168. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an assessment has been conducted on whether traffic flow can be improved within existing constraints on the N2 between Kilmoon Cross and Rath roundabout, as an alternative to waiting years for a motorway extension to be built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51161/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 312. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to ensure recent changes to the Leap Card scheme eligibility criteria does not exclude students studying English. [52145/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 313. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to ensure that international students are given access to the student (young adult) Leap Card following recent changes to the scheme. [52146/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 409. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that a fashion competition (details supplied) is now charging schools a fee of €1,000 euro to enter, despite this being free in previous years, due to insufficient Government funding; and the measures she is taking to ensure that schools are not faced with this fee for the coming year, ensuring that costs will not be a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 409. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that a fashion competition (details supplied) is now charging schools a fee of €1,000 euro to enter, despite this being free in previous years, due to insufficient Government funding; and the measures she is taking to ensure that schools are not faced with this fee for the coming year, ensuring that costs will not be a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 474. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the construction of a new school building (details supplied), and when it is expected to be completed and opened to students. [51622/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 475. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the construction or opening of a new school building (details supplied) is delayed, the measures that will be put in place for children enrolled in that class to ensure that they are provided with an appropriate education. [51623/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 492. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the SNA Workforce Plan; the date on which it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51808/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 518. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school bus escorts hours are being reduced across the State, and if so, the reason. [52096/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 519. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is her view that bus escorts should not be paid until the moment a child first steps on the bus, which fails to account for work done by bus escorts before and after children get on and off the school bus. [52097/25]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Payments (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 597. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection why school bus escorts who have to sign on during school holidays have faced delays of up to five weeks to receive their payment; and the measures he is taking to ensure this does not occur again at future holiday periods. [52078/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 958. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that Youthreach have had their budget cut by 30 percent (details supplied) affecting their ability to provide an education and support to 50 students, counselling services have been reduced from four days to one day every second week which is having a negative effect on young people availing of the service' mental health; if he...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 959. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the Youthreach facilities that have faced funding cuts by ETBs and the measures being taken to ensure that teachers and staff do not have an increased workload due to a lack of supports. [51198/25]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (25 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I have the guidelines in my hand. They need to be withdrawn, because what the Minister of State has said and what we heard at the committee yesterday from the Department are directly contradicted by what is in the guidelines. The guidelines give rise to real concern because they state: NCSE reviews are conducted on a whole school needs-based analysis, To be clear, this can include...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (25 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There are widespread concerns in relation to this new set of guidelines for the review of SNA allocations, specifically, the narrowed criteria and rigid timelines. The application window now for school-led reviews is limited for a six-week period from 15 September to 24 October and excludes mid-year needs, and there is the issue of unification and redeployment risks. SNA allocations are now...