Results 1-20 of 3,310 for speaker:James O'Connor

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: According to the Central Statistics Office there has been a drop-off of almost €50 billion in inbound foreign direct investment value into Ireland. As the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Tánaiste will understand the importance of connectivity for a small island economy. The reality is that the world economy is moving further east all of the time. Only one flight...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Correspondence (9 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 239. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will address the points raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54544/25]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Correspondence (9 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 301. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he could address the concerns raised by hill farmers in correspondence (details supplied) regarding issues with controlled burning during the legal window due to weather conditions along with other matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54545/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Status (9 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 313. To ask the Minister for Health the position regarding an occupational therapy appointment for child (details supplied) whose mother has been waiting an extensive period of time for intervention; if she will outline a timeline for the occupational therapy treatment plan for this child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54523/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I welcome everyone to our tenth meeting. Before we proceed, I have a few housekeeping matters to go through. I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practices of the House as regards references witnesses make to other persons in their evidence. Witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of the presentation they make to the committee. This means...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank Mr. Talbot. I call Ms Mary Rose Burke, chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, to make her opening statement.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I want to welcome the other witnesses. We also have Mr. Shane Hughes, policy and international affairs manager from Chambers Ireland joining its chief executive, and from Dublin Chamber we are joined by Mr. Aebhric McGibney, director of public and international affairs, and Mr. Stephen Browne, head of public affairs. We will move on to members. The first slot is a Sinn Féin slot and we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I hope we will get to a second round. I thank Deputy Conway-Walsh. The next slot is Fianna Fáil and we might go to Deputy Tony McCormack first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank Mr. Talbot very much. We now go to Deputy Lawlor of the Labour Party.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank the witnesses very much. I appreciate that. I thank Deputy Lawlor. Senator Crowe is substituting for Senator McCarthy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: Thank you. We move to Sinn Féin. I call Senator Murphy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank Mr. Talbot very much. We now move on to Deputy Brennan of Fine Gael.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank the witnesses very much. I thank Deputy Brennan for his contribution. We will now go to the next slot, which is also for Fine Gael, and Deputy Clendennen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank Deputy Clendennen. The next time slot is mine. I thank all the witnesses for attending. This is an important part of the committee’s work in relation to competitiveness and other matters. We have just returned from an important visit to Japan. It was just a few days ago, and not much happened in the political scene in our absence. I found it interesting that Japan has some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: A famous saying comes to mind: the only thing that saves us from bureaucracy is its inefficiency. I appreciate the members’ input and thank them very much. My time is up. Last, but certainly not least, is Deputy Albert Dolan of Fianna Fáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: We are going to take a short break before we go to the second round of questions so we can get them done in one block. I thank everyone for their contributions and we will resume here in approximately five minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: We will now move on to the second round of speakers. Fianna Fáil is first in the running order. Does Deputy McCormack have any follow-up questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: I have a supplementary question about our connectivity in general, including the TEN-T routes, etc. There are two things I want to ask. The first is about the runway length at Cork Airport. Cork has a number of the top ten pharmaceutical companies. It has Apple and a very strong university input into the city through Munster Technological University, University College Cork and a number...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: My last question relates to the whole process around spending Government money on capital infrastructure and all of the blockages that were put in place as a consequence. One can look back over the years of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation and the different changes that were made around Government expenditure in general. Where does Ms Burke see an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: Unfortunately, we are getting close as we have to move into private session before 3 p.m. Sorry about that.