Results 121-140 of 190 for speaker:Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin

Select Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 45 - Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Revised) (9 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I know it is very early stages for the Wexford campus of the South East Technological University, which the Minister was dealing with recently anyway. Does he have any details of plans for proper, State-funded accommodation on that campus? It is early stages but these things have to be planned long in advance. That will be key.

Endometriosis Care in Ireland: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Cuirim fáilte roimh mhná na hÉireann atá thuas san Áiléar Poiblí anocht. Tá céad míle fáilte rompu. Like most men, I knew very little about the silent problem of endometriosis until we held a meeting in Arklow recently for the Wicklow-Wexford constituency. It certainly was an eye-opener for me. I am sure it would be for most men, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I thank Ms Nugent, Mr. McCaffrey and Mr. Lemass for those reports and the extra detail. I welcome the few points made in relation to the extra investment, though it is somewhat modest concerning the number of beds. The rent-a-room relief scheme is a very good, sensible model that ticks many boxes for many things apart from more affordable accommodation. My preference would be for a major...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I am sorry for interrupting, but can Mr. Lemass see the big problem there could be if a private university got a vastly higher level of fees? If students from India or wherever are being charged a great amount of fees, there will obviously be a far greater incentive for that institution to go further down that route. It is more profitable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: In terms of accommodation, if there was a far greater increase in demand versus supply, does Mr. Lemass recognise that the natural law of economics would mean the cost would go up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Modern building technologies can be used for very rapid builds. Are they being considered? There are quick ways of building units and there are slow ways of doing it. If you have to do it in an emergency, building technology is very good at the moment. On IPAS accommodation, there have been a lot of reports over the past few years. It is a divisive issue with rampant speculation. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: How many student accommodation units remain in the system?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: How many student accommodation units will remain in IPAS after those have been returned? I think it was originally 5,000 that were moved.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I thank Mr. Lemass.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I thank our witnesses for their presentations. It is such a different landscape since I was in college from 1987 to 1990. It was easy then to come by accommodation even though it was not of great standard. I refer to the cost of it now. We had broken windows and it was a competition in the morning to see who would be able to hold out the longest without getting out of bed to turn off the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Do the witnesses disagree with the strategy of those who believe in the privatised model and want a further 10%? Do they think that is wise in the present situation? Realistically, the accommodation will not be provided. It is going to make a really bad situation much worse for everyone. Do they question the wisdom of that approach?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (17 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Spot on. That is it. They are not getting properly funded so they are going to be taking the low-hanging fruit. This is the easy option but by doing that, they are actually making a dreadful situation ten times worse. If they aim for the 10% increase by 2030, God only knows what the repercussions are going to be. It is going to be disastrous for everyone.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 407. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the new taskforce for school transport will examine investing in the purchase of an adequate number of school buses; if training will be provided for bus drivers for the school transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47032/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 874. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to engage with Bus Éireann over the lack of school buses, on approved bus routes from Ferns to Bunclody County Wexford, which are leaving children with no way to get to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45952/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 968. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of bus drivers who work under the Bus Éireann scheme who have reached the age of 70 years and have had to retire due to Bus Éireann's policy; the data for the academic school years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46585/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 969. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of bus drivers who will have to retire for the academic school year 2026-27, 2027-28, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46586/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 970. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason companies are withdrawing their contracts with Bus Éireann under the school transport scheme; the number that have withdrawn in the academic school years of 2023/2024, 2024/2025, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46587/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 971. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of companies that applied for the school transport scheme for the 2025-26 academic school year, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46588/25]

School Transport: Statements (23 Sep 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: In my 34 years as a primary school teacher, and having been on three secondary school boards, this is probably the worst year I can recall in terms of school transport chaos. My office is inundated with messages and calls, mostly in relation to transport for children with special needs. I could give numerous examples such as the 15 children who are today without a school bus place for...