Results 7,461-7,480 of 7,634 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is about constraints and rationing-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes, the role is much expanded and that is a practical difficulty that I see in many schools, particularly when reviews are under way. I have said it publicly previously that there are major problems with these guidelines. They should be parked and there should be further engagement. We need to have a proper discussion on the actual role of SNAs and rather than rationing and restricting,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I am not sure I will. The bar has been set high. We heard from Fórsa representatives in the previous session about how they were frustrated with how slowly contract negotiations were going. Why are they going slowly? What are the plans to address that? What are the issues that need to be dealt with? We have touched on a number of them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: What timeline might we expect? I appreciate that work is ongoing.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: What will come out of that? Ultimately, it is not-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a major issue and difference in terms of the criteria that apply in the context of sanctioning SNAs for schools and the work they are doing in real terms - a lot of preventative work and supporting children in addition to assisting with primary care needs. There is an indication the Department is open to a wider definition of the role. Is that the case? Specifically related to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Recruitment and Retention of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (24 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I apologise for interrupting but maybe with the time left to me this might be a helpful way to address it. I am making the case that there is an unmet need in schools at present. Ms Corcoran is saying that the Department is looking at an expanded definition of the role of an SNA. Has any analysis been conducted on what the actual workforce should look like in this State if we introduce an...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a group of elderly people outside the Dáil at the minute on hunger strike. They are survivors of institutional abuse and have very modest requests regarding access to a HAA medical card and a pension. These requests were refused by Government during the discussions on the recent legislation. There are concerns for this vulnerable group across the political divide but also by...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 17. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy will next meet. [50084/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (30 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a major issue with the retrofitting schemes that are in place. On the one hand, as the Climate Change Advisory Council states, the funding supports for heat pumps are not sufficient and this lock many people out of access to a heat pump. On the other hand, a heat pump is not a practical or feasible solution for many homes, in particular one-off rural homes. Very many people are...

Situation in Gaza: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: The situation in Gaza is not just a tragedy; it is a moral catastrophe. Over 66,000 Palestinians have been killed, entire districts have been reduced to rubble and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee under relentless bombardment. Starving children are murdered while they wait for food. We have genocide and we have man-made famine. I say "man-made", but they are not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Children and Young People: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I am. I thank the Chair and the witnesses. I have been listening in. I have a question for Mr. McWeeney and for Ms Lynch from the National Parents Council. Picking up on the piece on AI in education, Fionn gave an example in terms of how he uses AI for cramming before exams. There are some concerns with the leaving certificate reform that people will not use it just for studying...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Children and Young People: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I am, and I thank the witnesses. I have been listening in. To pick up on the running issue of regulation and specifically in relation to the recommender algorithms, I will start with CyberSafeKids and then anyone else can come in on it. Does CyberSafeKids have recommendations of specific actions? Does it require legislation? Is it regulation? Can Ireland act on its own or does it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Children and Young People: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I presume these are restrictions that can be made at the flick of a switch, literally, by the social media and tech companies at their end.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and Children and Young People: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: We have looked to Australia. There is an argument against that kind of blunt ban. Are there places that use this more targeted and nuanced approach?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Issues Affecting People with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Discussion (2 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. If I am hearing correctly, we are being told to hurry up with this, make it happen as soon as possible and have something for 2026, at least on an interim basis. We will hear from the SEC in the next session. I do not know if the witnesses have heard from that commission before but it will say that there was a review in 2000, which said it was, to use its language,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Issues Affecting People with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Discussion (2 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Ms Bissett referenced Britain. Are there other examples in lots of different European countries?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Issues Affecting People with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Discussion (2 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Is it fair to say this is a widespread practice internationally?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Issues Affecting People with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Discussion (2 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In terms of the wider review of RACE and Dyslexia Ireland's opportunity for participation, involvement and engagement, what has the experience been like and what does Ms Bissett expect it to be?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Issues Affecting People with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Discussion (2 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Ms Feeney. I am sorry but I had to take a question in the Dáil so I missed some of the start. Does she accept that the decision not to act on the recommendations of the 2009 report has continued to disadvantage children with dyslexia?