Results 1-20 of 1,260 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (20 Feb 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle agus guím comhghairdeas air freisin as a bheith tofa. Táim an-sásta an deis seo a ghlacadh tacú le hainmniúchán an Teachta Mary Lou McDonald mar Thaoiseach. Is mór an onóir agus an phribhléid dom é sin a dhéanamh. I am very happy to support the nomination of Deputy Mary Lou McDonald to...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (16 Apr 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I wish to ask about the Be On Call For Ireland initiative. This is a great initiative. It has really tapped into the national mood and the number of respondents was fantastic. It has been reported as 72,000. It has also been reported today that out of 14,000 candidates deemed satisfactory, that is, 14,000 qualified and registered nurses, doctors, staff who can work in medical...

Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (6 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I very much welcome the opportunity to speak. I am sharing time with Teachta Cullinane and Teachta Daly - five minutes each. When we heard on the news over the weekend that tourism was among the sectors worst hit by the Covid-19 job losses, it came as confirmation for most of us rather than a surprise. The sector is crucial. In many areas it is the beating heart of local economies but,...

Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (13 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am sharing time with Deputies Cronin and Wynne. We will respectively take seven minutes, four minutes and four minutes. If the Minister does not mind, I will ask some questions and request a response, and we might go back and forth. My first question concerns the Covid-19 checks and the controls at our ports and airports, particularly the latter. We know that our airports have never...

Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (13 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes.

Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (13 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I have not said that.

Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (13 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister. I am satisfied with that answer. I want to raise the issue of traffic guarantees and how they might be affected at this time during the Covid-19 crisis. Has the Minister any information about the liability that the taxpayer is now coming under as a result of traffic guarantees on public private partnership projects, given the fact that traffic volumes have nose dived?...

Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (13 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for his answer and ask him if he could forward a written response.

Covid-19 (Children and Youth Affairs): Statements (20 May 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Covid-19 public health advice is deliberately intended to restrict the movement of people and to get them to stay at home or as close to home as possible. While this public health advice has a significant impact on us all, it has a very profound impact on children at risk. I refer to children who live in homes that are not safe havens or sanctuaries; unfortunately for some children, home is...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I will take seven minutes and Deputies Quinlivan and Wynne will take four minutes each. I welcome the announcement of the establishment of a task force for aviation recovery. It is very much needed and I ask that it be established and get through its work as quickly as possible. I recommend and encourage the Minister to include the unions representing workers, including Fórsa, SIPTU...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: It was stated at the committee yesterday that the advice from NPHET was not adhered to or was not taken on board at that time anyway. We were also told yesterday the Minister for Health is currently examining the possibility of a mandatory 14-day period of self-isolation. This is causing considerable confusion. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport referred to the industry as...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Is the Minister indicating that we will move to a stage when the 14-day period of self-isolation will be mandatory? Is that something the Government is planning to implement?

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: Okay. I thank the Minister. One of the public criticisms of the 14-day period of self-isolation is that somebody can come out of the airport and hop onto a bus to their final destination with the possible transmission of infection. It is exacerbated by the lack of face coverings on public transport. Anybody using public transport will be aware of that. Yesterday at the Covid-19...

Covid-19 (Transport, Tourism and Sport): Statements (3 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: The Minister made one whistle-stop visit there in three years.

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I am sharing time with Deputies Wynne and Ó Broin. I welcome the opportunity to address this important issue. Transport will be central to our moving towards a low-carbon economy. Over the past 30 years, the transport sector showed the greatest overall increase in greenhouse gas emissions at 137%, with road transport increasing by 143%. In 2018, transport was responsible for 20%...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development: Statements (Resumed) (10 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: As I do not want to eat into my colleagues' time, I would appreciate it if the Minister could send me a written response on the Navan rail service.

Covid-19 (Sport): Statements (11 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I will take seven minutes and the other Deputies will take four minutes each.

Covid-19 (Sport): Statements (11 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: We will see how we get on. I have a couple of questions for the Minister and will afford him the opportunity to answer. I commend all the sporting organisations, as I am sure everybody does, on their efforts during the Covid-19 crisis. They really have been the backbone of the community responses. I thank them for their sacrifice. This goes from kids missing out on a kick about to the...

Covid-19 (Sport): Statements (11 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister and Minister of State. I have a question on gyms and swimming pools. Many avid sports people are keen to get back to the gym or swimming pool and their routine of exercise. Under the original roadmap, swimming pools were set to open in phase 4 while gyms were scheduled to reopen in phase 5. Will the Minister provide an update on this plan under the reconfigured...

Covid-19 (Sport): Statements (11 Jun 2020)

Darren O'Rourke: My final comment will be to echo the sentiments expressed publicly and in this Chamber in the past 24 hours in regard to the boxing community. I am a member of a boxing club and I am very proud of the contribution boxing has made in communities across Ireland. I am very proud of our amateur and professional boxers who have done so well on the world stage, in the Olympic Games and in world...