Results 7,541-7,560 of 7,634 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of full time teaching posts that were vacant in DEIS schools for the terms 2023/2024 and 2024/2025. [54172/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (8 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 224. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of days children in DEIS schools across the State did not have a full time teacher for a certain subject for the terms 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, respectively. [54173/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Funding (8 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 225. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount budgeted for DEIS schools last year but not spent. [54174/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (9 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 26. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí serving in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52991/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: International Protection (9 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 42. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the measures he is taking to reduce the spend on IPAS accommodation made to private landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52992/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (9 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 363. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding available through his Department which could be used to repair, maintain and improve a public playground in urban County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54271/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 7. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness will next meet. [50085/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In the audiovisual room this afternoon, a briefing organised by Deputy Guirke was addressed by Ciaran Staunton and Kelly Fincham on barriers faced by Irish citizens returning from abroad. They raised a range of barriers, such as access to driving licences and planning permission, but the issue I want to raise that relates to the economy and trade is the dearth of teachers, occupational...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 18. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [50086/25]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 23. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [53071/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (16 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. There is some concern that the minimum of 40% on the additional assessment components, AACs, is high and a suggestion that, at that level, there is a greater incentive to cheat. I will put it as bluntly as that. Whose decision was it to set the minimum at 40%, and what is the evidence base for it? What about the suggestions on the impulse to cheat?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (16 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. Kenny for his response. I want to pick up on the AI and AAC piece again with Ms Feeney. I take her point about the Internet and calculators. It feels to me as if generative AI is a different animal. The Internet is like an encyclopaedia, if you like, but generative AI has the ability to synthesise information and to present it. If I tell it to sound like a leaving cert...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (16 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I would make the point to the NCCA that the feedback I am getting from teachers, having attended some of the teacher conferences, is that participants in the SDGs feel like their contribution is not reflected. I know the witnesses have given examples of where the NCCA has listened and responded, but I would suggest it would be a worthwhile exercise to talk to previous and current members of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (16 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: The nature of those things is that they are dynamic and so on. I would encourage that to be an ongoing process. It is in everyone's interest. While we will hear from a number of different stakeholders next week, I have heard clearly from science teachers – I have a background in science myself – about the need to continue a strong output of well-qualified scientists....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Ms Cassidy stated that the guidelines are fully aligned with the EU AI Act and reflect the risk-based classification system. Will she common on that system? Does it take account of information on human rights, data protection and environmental impact? What is the nature of the risk-based framework?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In terms of the role of the guidelines to provide guidance to the public sector, is there a mandatory requirement that everybody should use them? Is there a central repository, for example, of every AI-related project happening in the public sector? Is that what happens on the back of the guidelines?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Discussion (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: One of the areas is enhancing the delivery of public services by improving responsiveness. There are a number of examples in the guidelines, including heart ultrasound scans in St. Vincent's hospital and the use of large language models for taxpayers' queries in Revenue. The Department of justice launched a digital contact centre using chatbots and Copilot. As those projects are put...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered using external training providers to train teachers and school staff in special education schools or settings. [54620/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 413. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will avail of external training providers to use a more targeted approach to train teachers and staff in special education, rather than a one size fits all approach. [54621/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (14 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of the €48 million allocated in Budget 2026 to DEIS plus that is for new measures; the amount which is for existing levels of service; and if this funding is available immediately or from September 2026. [55314/25]