Results 6,661-6,680 of 9,387 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit Issues (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 174. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his assessment of the likely impact of new United Kingdom import controls; the action by his Department in relation to this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3352/24]

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the committee. I also welcome the fact that the net funding being sought for the finance group of Votes is 3% less than last year. That deserves to be noted, commented upon and commended. I know Rosslare is the reason for it but, nonetheless, it is not always the case that Votes have to inexorably increase all the time. The Minister mentioned,...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: Regarding Vote 8, Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General, we sometimes do not give credit for efficiency and good value for money within the public sector. The C and AG’s office audits, reviews and supervises financial transactions with a value of over €300 billion per year, and does so with funding of €11 million per year. Is the Minister satisfied with the work...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am just conscious that if we did not have this constitutional officeholder and the consequent office, and if we had to ask the private sector to carry out the financial audit that it covers, I think the Minister would agree with me that we would be paying multiples per year to many very large accountancy firms in the city and elsewhere.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: In terms of the Revenue Commissioners, the Minister will be aware that there is a debate at present about the funding of public sector broadcasting in Ireland. One of the issues that is repeatedly referred to is that maybe we should hand over collection of the licence fee, or whatever fee will be charged for national broadcasting, to the Revenue Commissioners. What is the Minister's own...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is ultimately a political decision to be made. There is no secret opposition from the Revenue to being asked to do something which, obviously, becomes Government policy in the future.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am conscious that the Minister is ministerially responsible for the Revenue Commissioners, but he is not operationally responsible. Is there any understanding of how the Revenue is doing and continuing to manage the EU external borders? The Minister stated in his opening statement that they are continuing to do that. How demanding is it? How challenging is it? I do not know if anyone...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 7 - Office of the Minister for Finance (Revised)
Vote 8 - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Revised)
Vote 9 - Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revised)
Vote 10 - Tax Appeals Commission (Revised) (24 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: Okay. I thank the Minister.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the Minister and her officials and thank them for coming before the committee. Obviously, we are supportive of the Revised Estimates. In particular, I welcome the fact that €5 million will be allocated as part of the Covid-related allocation and spent on counselling services for students in primary schools. Does the Department have a view on the long-term impact of the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I suppose that we will have an inquiry regarding the response to Covid at some stage. I hope it will not turn into a witch-hunt or trying to blame people for making decisions, because it was an extremely difficult time. Everyone recognises that no matter what decisions were made, there were going to be downsides to them. Yet, one of the issues that I would hope that any future inquiry...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: On science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, grants, I recently visited a great school in my constituency, namely, Scoil Chaitríona on Baggot Street, which is a DEIS school. I spoke with the excellent principal there about many issues. One of the things she said was that the school missed out on a STEM grant while many schools in the more affluent areas of the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (31 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister.

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Schemes (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 137. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment whether the legislation providing for the Government electricity credit can be amended so that persons who have been refused the benefit of the scheme because a property into which they recently moved was unoccupied between July 2022 and June 2023 can be covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3646/24]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 273. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills rt will be provided to pupils (details supplied) in view of the fact that they are entitled to school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3932/24]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Facilities (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 303. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht what steps her Department is taking to ensure similar access to sporting facilities for men and women. [4198/24]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 304. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update in relation to the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. [4199/24]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 305. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update in relation to the joint Ireland and UK bid to host UEFA EURO 2028. [4200/24]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Events (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 306. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht what steps her Department is taking to develop a strategy to identify the type of major sporting events Ireland can and should bid for. [4201/24]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Policies (30 Jan 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: 307. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an outline of measures taken by her Department and its relevant agencies to tackle violence, racism, discrimination and other forms of abuse in sport. [4202/24]