Results 541-560 of 2,988 for speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: The 9,000 were not all in receipt of the payment. Some were seeking it but were ineligible.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection
Chapter 9 - Regularity of Social Welfare Payments
Chapter 10 - Management of Social Welfare Appeals
Chapter 11 - Controls Over the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (9 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: That is interesting. We in politics have a habit of bashing civil servants on many issues but it has to be acknowledged that the Department has done a considerable amount of work to help many people who were badly in need during the pandemic. It has not been easy and there were many teething issues as well as problems that we still have to overcome. Generally speaking, the Department has...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: My question is on the all-important haulage sector in Ireland. What supports are under consideration by the Department? What work is it doing to help the sector to transition to a more carbon-friendly model? This is a huge issue that we must deal with and on which we must work directly with the sector.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is interesting to hear the initiatives that the Department is bringing forward. There will be many challenges before the haulage sector. Internationally there has been much difficulty in logistics, which is the Minister of State's area of responsibility. We have to be conscious that there is another key demand on the whole industry where...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I want to add my words on the very hard work that has been done throughout the pandemic. That is important to acknowledge. It has been one of the areas that we relied on. New additional pressures have been put on. On emissions, the Minister of State has said that the Department will do more public consultation, which I welcome. It is important that there be a grassroots level...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I confirm that I am within the Leinster House complex. It is important to have the Secretary General in the committee. As part of my contribution I want to acknowledge the enormous work that has been done by many of our healthcare professionals around the country that are under the remit of the work of the Department. That needs to be acknowledged. A number of important issues across...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: We need to explore this further. There needs to be proper analysis done on why young graduates often feel that they need to leave the country. We are seeing in places like Canada and Australia that opportunities are being presented to young graduates who have studied here. The State has gone through the enormous cost of supporting their education and higher education. There is no...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I am sorry; I must interrupt for reasons of time. I am against the clock. Is Mr. Watt in any position to inform us about the healthcare sector in Ireland, particularly the area of nursing? This has been repeatedly brought up to me by many people who are nursing. One would not expect that perhaps two thirds of the way into their careers, many of them are actively considering quitting....

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Mr. Watt should be in a position to give me a commitment on that the next time he appears before us. I ask him to go away and look at that particular issue. One other point of concern is that we have all seen what has happened with the children's hospital. It has been extraordinarily disappointing and frustrating. It has definitely been a turning point for many regarding overruns on...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I know Mr. Watt has much experience in public expenditure in the area of procurement. I am interested in getting a bit of insight from him on it. It is all well and good to talk about the initial contract being awarded. What safeguards will be placed in the contracts to analyse and go through them in detail whereby, for example, one year into a multi-year build, which many of these types...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid Testing for International Travel into and out of Ireland: Discussion (8 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank the witnesses for coming to the meeting today. I acknowledge Mr. Towey for being here. For aviation and the Department of Transport, it has been extraordinarily difficult to deal with these restrictions. I wish to get an understanding from all of the officials on this Covid testing regime that came in. How did this come about? Was it a case that NPHET was in contact with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid Testing for International Travel into and out of Ireland: Discussion (8 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Does the Department have a position on how much of an impact this is having? Is it seen as something that is constraining aviation or causing unnecessary issues? Another matter I want to understand is why there was a delay. Many people went to the expense of having to purchase the tests required before arrival, whether PCR or professionally administered antigen tests, a few days before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid Testing for International Travel into and out of Ireland: Discussion (8 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I must interrupt as although I know it is not a nice question to answer. I am speaking specifically about those who got caught in that three-day delay. Will Mr. Towey explain what happened? I have limited time so I would appreciate it if he could focus on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid Testing for International Travel into and out of Ireland: Discussion (8 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I have some critical feedback. I have complimented some of the work done but this needs to be said if anything happens in the future and we need to strengthen pre-arrival requirements in testing for any new variant or whatever. Leaving it so close to midnight for the airlines to be informed was not productive and it left quite an expense on many people and particularly consumers. That was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank Deputy Lahart for allowing me to have his slot and thank you, Chairman, for your co-operation. This issue needs no introduction. It is extraordinarily serious. Mr. Fitzgerald and the representatives here with him from the HSE are very aware of just how concerned all of us in the constituency of Cork East are by what the HSE is trying to do in Midleton. I wish once again to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Will Dr. O'Brien run me through the difference between the level of care provided in high-support hostel accommodation compared with the service level received by someone in the Owenacurra centre? Is there round-the-clock supervision, which is the requirement in many cases?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Where are those hostels?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I wish to ask about an issue that has been well discussed but must be raised again, that being, the HSE's position on the Owenacurra site. We heard at the Oireachtas forum that the HSE was willing to utilise the site for future mental health services. Six months on, surely someone at this meeting will clarify whether rebuilding a fit-for-purpose Owenacurra Centre with full-time residential...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Mr. Kane is telling me the HSE cannot rebuild on the existing site because of its current constraints.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: That is ridiculous.