Results 3,981-4,000 of 9,252 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (11 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I would delete subsection (2A) as well. I thank the Acting Chairman for not listening to me.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (11 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 220. To ask the Minister for Health the plans that exist to enable the State to purchase Covid-19 vaccines in autumn 2021 in order to respond to any variants that may materialise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13696/21]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Vaccination Programme (11 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 236. To ask the Minister for Health if consideration is being given to delaying the roll-out of the second Covid-19 vaccine dose in order to increase the number of persons in the community who will have the protection of one dose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13750/21]

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 — Education (Revised)
Vote 45 — Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister for appearing before the committee. I welcome the Estimates she has put before us. First, I commend her and the other Ministers on getting schools almost fully open again. It has made a huge difference to children that all national schools are now back. Only one third of secondary schools have returned but that has still made a big difference. Hopefully, we will...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 — Education (Revised)
Vote 45 — Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is great. I will also refer to my constituency, about which I have spoken to the Minister previously and of which she is aware. It is an unusual incidence that in Dublin 2, Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Dublin 6W, there is an extraordinarily low level of ASD classrooms within national schools in that area, particularly in Dublin 4, Dublin 6 and Dublin 6W. I previously raised this with the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 — Education (Revised)
Vote 45 — Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I along with other TDs in the constituency visited the Star of the Sea school in Sandymount recently. We also visited Ringsend boys' and girls' national schools. They are both committed to doing this but need the support of the Department to ensure funding is available for the appropriate construction of rooms. I know, in particular,...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 — Education (Revised)
Vote 45 — Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister and Minister of State for attending. I agree with the Minister that students should be commended. I will go further and commiserate with them as well. It has been a fairly awful year for them, particularly for students who started their third level experience in September of last year. The Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State in her...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2021
Vote 26 — Education (Revised)
Vote 45 — Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: We have obviously lost out on many students coming from abroad to study at Irish third level institutions. That opens opportunities for at-home Irish students. Is there much of a gap in funding to third level institutions as a result of the lower number of students coming from abroad to study at third level institutions here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank both witnesses for appearing before the committee. Ms. McDonagh said on a number of occasions the reason for the 88 branches being closed is that the bank was responding to changes in customer preferences, in that they want to do more of their business online. Am I not correct in stating it is also the bank’s preference to see more customers move to doing their banking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am sorry to interrupt Ms McDonagh but while I am not criticising the bank for that also being its preference, I would have thought it is the bank’s preference to try to encourage more people to do their banking online. There is nothing wrong with that. I assume it results in a reduction of costs for the bank. The reason I am asking about this, and I would be interested to get Ms...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is good to hear that because it is a concern of mine and I am sure of other members that the closure of 88 branches may be a precursor to more branches being closed, which is not something any member of this committee would want to see. One of the advantages of having local branches is that local bank managers have a good knowledge of their community and area. That is of much use to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does Ms McDonagh think those mobile transitory individuals would have as much local knowledge as, say, a traditional bank manager who lived in a town and knew the people in the town?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Banking Sector: Engagement with Bank of Ireland (23 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Mr. Kelly for his reply. I urge the bank to try to retain that local knowledge, which is invaluable. Although certain businesses and certain other sections of society may think we can move on from that and that we have expertise that operates centrally, in all walks of life we can see that local knowledge carries huge weight and is more valuable in the long term to banks and other...

Firearms and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 by increasing the maximum sentence that can be imposed for the possession of a knife to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate any person. The purpose of the Bill is to introduce a change to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990. The Ceann Comhairle will be...

Firearms and Offensive Weapons (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Covid-19 Pandemic (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 186. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if an association (details supplied) will be recognised as the representative body for wedding planners in Ireland; and if discussions will take place between him and the association in respect of the recommencement of weddings. [15493/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 924. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if measures can be taken to provide State recognition for end of year exams that will be completed by those schoolchildren who were due to do sit the junior certificate in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15384/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 1109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if further places will be made available for third-level medicine courses for the academic year commencing in September 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14237/21]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Peace Commissioners (24 Mar 2021)

Jim O'Callaghan: 1227. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an updated certificate of a peace commissionership will be provided to a person (details supplied). [14432/21]