Results 7,621-7,634 of 7,634 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 183. To ask the Minister for Health the number of public orthodontists which are available for County Meath; and the measures she is taking to increase this number. [57500/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 184. To ask the Minister for Health if the public orthodontist in County Meath only caters to persons on the list from 2021 for braces; and the year she would expect a person to receive braces if they joined the list in 2025. [57501/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses. I will pick up on Deputy Mythen's last point. Will the witnesses articulate what a robust framework would look like and how it would operate? We heard from the Department last week. It has developed guidelines and the witnesses have articulated some concerns in that regard. We also know that AI is being used. There are individual projects and pilots. Do the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for that. It is important that we hear what has been said there about the need to move these things on and the need for greater engagement and clarity. Are there good international examples from counterparts which are further down the road? Where might the Department and the Government look to? Perhaps everyone is in the same position.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: That is helpful. I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank all of the witnesses. We had officials from the Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, and the State Examinations Commission in last week. A number of the issues the witnesses present have raised, including the non-working of the SDGs, the 40% and AI, have been raised with the Department and the various stakeholders. I do not know whether the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank Mr. Jones. Could Mr. Gillespie and Mr. Christie state where we should go from here?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: My first question is for Mr. Gillespie, Mr. Jones and Mr. Christie, if they could give it a minute each. They have set out where we are and what their proposals are but they might also paint a picture of what happens if we continue along the existing trajectory. What specifically needs to happen to get us on the right track in addressing the concerns they have, perhaps around engagement and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Best wishes to Ms Considine in her new role. I want to raise the Navan rail line. In January 2024, in the previous transport committee, we heard from Irish Rail that the plan was that the project would move to route selection and project design. This would be completed by the end of 2025 and the application for the railway order would be submitted in 2026. The latest responses I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: That is disappointing. In January 2024, 21 months ago, we were told that the railway order would be submitted in the calendar year 2026 and that is now potentially a year delayed, so that is disappointing. I ask that whatever time can be taken off those timelines will be taken off them. On the issue of advancing the project when the railway order is in place, we know that caps on funding...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: What is the indicative timeline for the Navan rail project at this stage?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I would just re-emphasise that point. Our concern in the county is that, first, there will be delay in securing the railway order but then when it is secured, that there could be downtime of a couple of years. We have the experience of downtime of decades because there was a railway order in place before for this project and then it fell off the priority list. We need to maintain momentum...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Thank you.