Results 32,241-32,260 of 32,583 for speaker:Richard Bruton

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: I would like to go into a little more detail on what Deputy Stanton discussed, specifically the conflict between our ambitions in digital and our ambitions on climate. At EU level, a distinction is drawn between the emissions trading system and where national targets must be met. However, our climate Act has merged those two elements so we do not draw a distinction. The data centres are in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: I am on the climate committee at which the conversation frequently revolves around how we would meet our targets if only farmers would do X and the data centres would be constrained. That is the narrative, and it is as simple as that. We have hitched our wagon to these two sectors, but we have not evolved a long-term vision for them that is compatible with our climate ambitions. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: The bigger question is do we need to be scared of AI? How is Ms Carberry's Department involved in the risk assessment the platforms are supposed to do of risks to things like human rights, democracy, mental health or whatever? Where are we on, as Ms Carberry said, making sure it is safe? What is the official role of the Department? It seems to me the EU model puts the responsibility on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: It seems to me the technology is moving at 100 mph and all that work Ms Carberry is describing is moving at 20 mph, or am I wrong?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: In terms of the risk assessment to protect citizens, what are the domains of that? A lot of us are concerned about the impact on mental health and on younger people. A lot of us, certainly in politics, feel deliberative democracy is under threat from these instantaneous conclusions that people can reach in this very mobile world. What are the actual dimensions where risk assessment needs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: Does life fit into those neat bundles? Things that might upset a person's mental health might not be in the health sector. While this may be too profound, I wonder if this can be managed by saying health and anything which concerns medical records and so on is high risk. The risk under the well-being head could come from quite a range. It seems to me this risk assessment approach is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: National Strategic Roadmap for the Digital Decade: Discussion (26 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: It probably goes well beyond the remit of this committee and I do not wish to hold it up. Someone suggested to us there should be a committee of the Oireachtas looking solely at digital technology and its impact because it is such a complex area. I will leave it for the time being. I thank the witness.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (27 Jun 2024)

Richard Bruton: 39. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the initiatives within the European Union to achieve a ceasefire, humanitarian aid and a lasting settlement in the Israeli/Palestine conflict; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27586/24]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: Yes. I absolutely agree with this statement from the building council that we cannot tackle the three environmental crises we are facing without transitioning to a more circular construction industry. What I am hearing from the CIF, however, is that, like the Kerryman, "I would not start from here." That seems to be the dilemma we are trying to reconcile here. The first question I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: Is there a number we could track to know-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: We do not have that sort of stuff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: Is it difficult to turn a three-bedroom house into a duplex with a downstairs unit and a two-storey overhead? It strikes me that this is very difficult to do in Ireland.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy as it relates to Construction Sector: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: Will the Irish Green Building Council look at this? It is a very practical way of starting to get better occupancy of our existing buildings, if that could be done relatively easy. It is very standard. The appearance of a street would not dramatically change because it would be duplex. Perhaps the next time the witnesses are here they will have done an evaluation of whether all the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 94. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline the training provided to members of the Defence Forces to respond to future environmental disasters such as flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28237/24]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 178. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is aware of schemes in the UK and Canada to allow individuals to accumulate small sums each year into personal funds which grow tax-free; if the tax strategy group has assessed changes in certain rules on such funds in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27924/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to indicate the distribution of the current primary schools and pupil numbers across the different patronage bodies; and the extent to which there has been a growth in non-denominational and multi-denominational schools over the past decade. [28299/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Patronage (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of transfers of patronage which have been completed over the past decade from denominational patronage to other forms of patronage. [28300/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the evolution of the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level and at secondary level since 1990. [28301/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to indicate the evolution of DEIS schools since 1990 at primary and at secondary level, identifying the number of schools and of pupils at each point after a new intake was adopted, and the additional concessions to selected schools offered to the different category of participating schools. [28302/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (2 Jul 2024)

Richard Bruton: 239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures used to assess the impact of DEIS status on the experience and the outcomes for pupils involved relative to schools without that status; and to outline how the gap on these indicators has evolved over time.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28304/24]