Results 7,101-7,120 of 7,192 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is scandalous that, every year, schools are forced to rely on so-called voluntary contributions from parents to plug funding gaps due to the Government's failure to provide proper investment. Parents already pay €54 million in contributions and now, as the funding crisis in schools escalates, it looks like they will be asked to pay even more. The Catholic Primary School Management...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Census of Population (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is really important that when we have CSO information, we use it to plan for services in areas. I look at my own county of Meath, which has the lowest number of mental health beds, the lowest number of GPs and the lowest number of gardaí per population; has some of the largest class sizes in the State; and has the lowest number of playgrounds per population. The issue of GPs has...

Review of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004: Statements (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the review and the review process. I welcome the publication of the report and the comments of the Minister and Minister of State. I have to say the proof of the pudding will be in the eating and I come to this with something of a jaundiced and critical eye. I accept there is evolution in thinking, in processes and in language but it has fundamentally always been obvious what is...

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: What is the order?

Select Committee on Education and Youth: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 26 - Education (Revised) (26 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: While I acknowledge €9 million was spent on phone pouches, I emphasise - and I will be consistent in this regard – that there is a lot of work to be done in the area of digital literacy and tackling social media. All of that does not fall to the Minister. A whole-of-government approach is needed. Some aspects are particularly her responsibility, however. We must look at what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I confirm to the Chair that I am on the Leinster House campus. Following on with a similar theme, in terms of what was said earlier and the statement to the effect that we face two distinct sets of risks that must be balanced simultaneously and not ranked. I am of the view that we have to rank them. There is an idea that there is potential...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Dr. Scanlon and Professor Smeaton. On the education piece, I refer to that comparison with what they are doing in Finland - I take on board the earlier point that that is already outdated - in terms of the potential for Ireland to do better.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I am probably out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I again thank the witnesses. I want to ask about the role of the AI advisory council and where the witnesses would like to see it go. Is it based on a model elsewhere? I have some experience of the Climate Change Advisory Council, as I was on the climate committee in the previous Dáil term. It has a very important advisory role and it has a certain structure and relationship with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Does anyone else want to come in on that? No. Does the advisory council have an input with the Government in terms of the AI Act? It strikes me that it has an important contribution to make in that regard. The sense from this meeting is that different folks are looking at one another wondering who is going to pick up the ball but all wanting to play a positive role. Does the council...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: The advisory council is not a notifiable body or a body that is consulted-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: What might the council have to say on it if it did have that role?

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Provision (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 26. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to ensure affordable housing is delivered in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35256/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 87. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide an update on the homes in County Meath seeking inclusion in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme; the number of properties being assessed; the timeline for a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35374/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 345. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if applications or the possibility to sign a fixed-term contract in a school is possible in the hope that the time-bound provision is open by September 2025 for teachers. [35364/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will increase investment and expand special schools and classes catering for children with mild general learning disabilities. [35423/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 350. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse any decision made to send children with mild general learning disabilities back into mainstream classes-schools. [35424/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the redesignation of special classes, which will place children with mild general learning disabilities back into mainstream classes. [35425/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 377. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills considering the rising population and increasing demand in Dunshaughlin, Ratoath and Ashbourne, the measures she is taking to secure additional ASD classes in schools in these areas. [35714/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (1 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 409. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been a change to the school bus place application process for children with special educational needs; if she will outline the process for September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36147/25]