Results 3,281-3,300 of 3,338 for speaker:James O'Connor

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.

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 sincerely thank the witnesses for coming in to discuss these issues today. It is nice to see there is almost full attendance at the committee. Given the gravity and importance of the work all the witnesses do, I appreciate their time and input, as do other members. I hope the witnesses and their members find this was a fruitful engagement with the Oireachtas. That brings the public...

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 go into private session. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Security (7 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 45. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the Department or entity responsible for the deployment of counter unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities to protect State infrastructure; and the work that has been done to ensure we have the capabilities to counter such threats [53600/25]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (7 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 61. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the counter unmanned aerial vehicle capabilities the Defence Forces currently possess; if he will outline, in monetary value, the capital terms that have been invested by his Department in these capabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53601/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (7 Oct 2025)

James O'Connor: 116. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 181 of 18 September 2025, if there are any further plans to open a driving test centre in the rest of Munster; the waiting times for a driving test for the rest of Munster; how this statistic compares to the rest of the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53701/25]