Results 7,281-7,300 of 7,314 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Will 181,000 seats be provided this September?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Does Ms Leonard have the exact figure?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Is the figure somewhere above 181,000?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I wish to draw attention to the fact that school transport is being discussed here, and I dare not be in the shoes of the Department officials, because it dominates our world for the number of weeks when people receive or do not receive tickets. There have been 4,500 calls and 21,600 webchats, and it is welcome to have that facility. I would say that there is a lot of frustration in those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I recognise the regional manager in that area too. I flag this area. There are hotspots where these issues arise, largely because of the nature of where people are travelling to school and have done so traditionally for whatever reasons. These would include routes such as from Laytown and Bettystown to Drogheda, north County Meath to O'Carolan college, Moynalty, Skryne, Rathfeigh and Tara...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I do not doubt that. At the same time, it is a four-year review. We are two years into the implementation. I know there was a 2030 target, but at this rate, we are not implementing a fraction of these changes. How long will it take to implement these proposed changes?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Summer Economic Statement (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 124. To ask the Minister for Finance the date his Department plans to publish the summer economic statement; the way in which it plans to account for any announcements regarding EU-US tariffs in its published estimates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38948/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 143. To ask the Minister for Finance to outline plans to reduce the VAT rate in the hospitality sector; the specific proposals being considered presently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38947/25]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 172. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the number and percentage of staff based at the Irish Embassy in Tokyo who are fluent in speaking and writing in Japanese. [38659/25]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 235. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the percentage of the capital and current funding of his Department that has been spent in the first six months of 2025; and if he will provide the same figures for the corresponding period in 2024, in tabular form [38675/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Official Engagements (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 258. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he has spoken to his US counterpart to date in 2025. [38673/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 323. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of Bus Éireann bus mechanics employed at Broadstone Depot; the number of unfilled posts; the length of time posts have been unfilled; plans to fill same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39441/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 324. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of Bus Éireann bus drivers employed at Broadstone Depot; the number of unfilled posts; the length of time posts have been unfilled; plans to fill same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39442/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 325. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if there is any exception to the need for a person to complete a driver theory test when their licence is expired for a decade or more (details supplied); if there is ‘reasonable accommodation’-type support available to complete the driver theory test i.e. for people who are not familiar with technology; and if he will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special schools that have received the first day of CPI training, to date in 2025, in accordance with the ‘Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations’ guidelines published by the Department of Education in December 2024; the number of special schools that have, received the second day of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale for the removal of the ‘direct training model’ delivered by CPI to a ‘train the trainers’ model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38667/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of capital funding her Department provided to a school (details supplied) in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [38668/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 441. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost to increase the number of SNAs to 24,200. [38669/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 442. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school transport applications submitted in County Monaghan from 2022 to 2025, including the number of applications approved during this period, in tabular form. [38670/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (15 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 443. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the capital works projects her Department funded at a school (details supplied) in 2024 and to date in 2025; to list out capital works funding projects applications that are being considered by the Department, as of 4 July 2025. [38671/25]