Results 1,561-1,580 of 6,386 for speaker:James Lawless

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank the Chairman and the witnesses. I commend the trade union representatives appearing before the committee on their efforts, not just in respect of this issue but on many others down the years. Some may be aware that I used to be a branch secretary for a number of years in a workplace in the Unite trade union, so I support and have sympathy for and an awareness of the work the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I will go straight to questions as we are under some time pressure. I will start with the representatives from the HSA. I thank them for their contributions. Other witnesses spoke at our earlier session about various regulations that could have been put in place but that are not in place. I refer specifically to the categories of notifiable illnesses in this regard. If a worker at a meat...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I am sorry to interrupt but I am conscious that we are short on time. I agree with Dr. McGuinness that the primary legislation, which in this case is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, is paramount. All other regulations, secondary legislation and ministerial orders are delegated legislation. The constitutional power of the Oireachtas is in passing primary legislation and...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: Do they have any difficulties gaining access to workplaces, or is there any protocol or memorandum of understanding that would compromise the performance of their obligations?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I missed the earlier comment to which Dr. McGuinness referred but I imagine it is along the lines of what has been put to me. It has been put to me is that there are a number of agencies, such as subcontractors or delegated agencies, which are conducting inspections on behalf of the HSA and that those agencies or agents do not enjoy the same powers as the HSA and can be turned away. There is...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank the Chairman. I will be as brief as I can. It will not come as a surprise to the representatives of the meat industry who are here today that the three counties lay the blame at its door. The three counties have been locked down for what is seen as lax regulation and practices in the meat plant sector. A number of damning stories have been put out in recent days and weeks and I...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank Mr. Reid personally as I have been following his Twitter during the pandemic and it has been very informative, and I thank all of his team right down to local level. The HSE staff in Kildare I have been dealing with have been very professional and committed. They have made sacrifices themselves and have been very much on top of all this. I represent Kildare, which is in lockdown...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I appreciate the response. It is an issue of the utmost urgency because, as things stand, if a patient presents to KDoc out-of-hours services this evening he or she will be charged. I do not believe that is good enough. The Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, and Mr. Reid also do not believe it is good enough. That dialogue has to take place with KDoc. In fairness to KDoc it has put...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank the witnesses. I also thank Dr. Glynn for the attention he has given to Kildare. We have had a few conference calls in the past few weeks. Of course, Professor Philip Nolan is well known to me as president of the local university. I represent Kildare, which is in its third lockdown, given the initial lockdown, the localised lockdown and now the second localised lockdown. That has...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank the Minister very much for engaging with me and others in County Kildare during the lockdown period. I appreciate that. I will ask a quick question as it is coming to the end of the session. I want to manage expectations. County Kildare is obviously still in lockdown. I discussed earlier with the acting Chief Medical Officer the possibility of the data sets being released in...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

James Lawless: I thank the Minister. That would be such a relief and a reward for the people of Kildare. I appreciate that the public health advice is paramount but any ray of light would be such a relief and a reward to the people who have been compliant and who have done everything asked of them.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (8 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 202. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the supports in place for taxi drivers to allow them to repackage their business model in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic (details supplied); the measures or incentives in place to help them restart; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21555/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Institutions (8 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 847. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Grand Canal innovation district; the status of the project; if he has had engagements with Trinity College Dublin with regard to the status of the district; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21301/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Oireachtas Joint Committee Recommendations (9 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 38. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recommendations of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Business, Enterprise and Innovation report entitled, The Case for Irish Membership of CERN, will be implemented. [22635/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Research and Development (9 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to support the development of new career pathways for early-career researchers. [22634/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Statutory Instruments (10 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 22. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality her responsibilities with regard to the coordination of new public health regulations with the Department of Health. [22854/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 37. To ask the Minister for Health if a review or analysis has taken place of the recent lockdown in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23430/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 82. To ask the Minister for Health if he will ensure more regular publication of localised statistics on Covid-19, especially in view of the significantly differing incidence of the virus within counties. [23431/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (15 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 211. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of passengers boarding at each train station from Dublin to Enfield, County Meath, in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23363/20]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (15 Sep 2020)

James Lawless: 232. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of passengers boarding at each of the individual train stations from Dublin to Newbridge train station, County Kildare, in the past three years in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23938/20]