Results 381-400 of 6,816 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Is it correct to say they are separate things? One is a process failure. If the controls and the process run well but the sample is empty, for example, will it return an "insufficient sample" result?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: My follow-up question is about the sample integrity in the swab. How long is a sample viable? I am mindful that some people are getting swabs taken and maybe have to wait for a couple of days before the sample is analysed. Do we know how long the samples are viable?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Will Dr. McConkey estimate for how many days the sample would be viable and its integrity maintained in the swab?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: We have had much discussion on the testing strategy. Talk has shifted from 100,000 tests a week, the criteria were extended too much and the focus shifted from certain risk groups to others. For example, last week we took focus away from meat plants to test my two and a half year old who was very low risk . If the witnesses were to design a testing strategy for Ireland, what would it look...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Will Dr. Ryan also comment on the testing strategy and refer to the Government's plan for living with Covid and its commitment to recruit medical scientists, contact tracers and people for taking swabs? Is it sufficient or comprehensive enough?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Strategic Options for Government Plan to Eliminate Community Transmission (23 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: What would airport testing look like?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 1. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to the funding shortfall at Meath Local Link, which has led to school bus transport from Ratoath to Navan being cancelled; and his plans to address the matter. [25882/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Children in Skreen have attended school in Navan for generations and they have been accommodated under the school transport scheme for years. Similar to many others around the country, they found their own solutions when they were left out of that scheme, such is its exclusionary nature. Families managed to work with Flexibus and TFI Local Link Louth, Meath, Fingal to get a bus on the road...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: The Government tells us all eligible children will be accommodated. That is a careful use of words, which hides the fact that thousands of children who would have been accommodated in previous years have been excluded from school transport scheme this year. Covid-19 is a factor, but the Government's complete failure to plan, prepare and deliver is a larger one. The Health Protection...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: School Transport (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Replies I received from the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Norma Foley, confirmed that as of last Thursday, 97,644 tickets had been issued for primary and secondary school transport, not including transport for students with special educational needs. The comparable figure this time last year was 103,764. That is a difference of 6,120 children. That is a lot of children who have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 3. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the measures he is taking to protect and ensure the future viability of the taxi industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25995/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: It should not escape the attention of the Minister that 40% of the Priority Questions that have been tabled are on the issue of taxis. Rather than having a repeat of his exchange with Deputy Boyd Barrett, I ask the Minister to focus on the financial package for taxi drivers for which he is advocating as the Minister with responsibility for the sector.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am glad the Minister mentioned the enterprise support grant. Taxi drivers are reporting that it can take up to 11 weeks for applications to be processed and in that time they are supposed to be back at work and earning. They do not have the reserves to get back to work. That delay needs to be addressed. I will give an example of an application under the credit guarantee scheme in my...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the Minister's statement that he will engage with taxi drivers. They have clearly set out their asks and they want the Minister, who is their Minister at the Cabinet table, to articulate their position on expanding the Covid pandemic unemployment payment and also the step-down payment. The Minister needs to hear that loudly and clearly from this side of the House and from taxi...

EU-UK Negotiations on Brexit: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I would like to raise the issue of connectivity. Yesterday, I raised the aviation sector with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. There are very particular challenges there, as the Minister will be well aware. This morning, we heard from Mr. Eugene Drennan, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Healthcare Policy (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I will address this matter in the context of maternity services and appointments. Speaking on my own behalf, I am very happy to say my wife is 40 weeks pregnant plus one week and her due date was yesterday. We have lived with these restrictions in place at the Rotunda hospital just like everybody else. We would rather if it was different. I am grateful that the pregnancy is progressing...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 20. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the review of transport strategy for the greater Dublin area. [25881/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 37. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his views on whether the reinstatement of the Dublin-Navan rail line would help reduce car emissions by taking thousands of cars off the road every day; his further views on this vital public transport project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16066/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 42. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of the Navan rail line. [25879/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Electric Vehicles (24 Sep 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: 45. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the status of plans for the electrification of the bus and rail fleet. [25880/20]