Results 2,081-2,100 of 2,988 for speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 24 - Justice
Vote 21 - Prisons (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: I compliment the witnesses on the fact that they are taking this quite seriously and that work has been done. Obviously, they understand the fact that it is an emotive topic.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 24 - Justice
Vote 21 - Prisons (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: In particular, when it happens in Dublin it impacts across the country, given the centralisation of the hospital facilities there. That is good to hear. I will move to a slightly more controversial matter. As part of our briefing and with regard to the State Claims Agency, there are approximately 2,400 claims outstanding in respect court cases being brought against the Irish Prison...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 24 - Justice
Vote 21 - Prisons (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: It is good to at least have certainty in regard to where all of that is going but €15 million is a very large amount of money and I have to say this cannot be accepted.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 24 - Justice
Vote 21 - Prisons (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: Thank you. I want to make one final point. The pandemic obviously brought about an enormous change in the requirements of policing in Ireland and the work the Department had to do in order to adjust to facilitate that. One observation is that I felt there was a significant rise in the level of substance use by younger members of society in Ireland, which is extraordinarily concerning to...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: 21. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department will consider a new tax incentive for start-up businesses in rural towns that are hosting refugees in order to increase employment and job opportunities in those areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21467/22]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: National Development Plan (28 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: 109. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding funding certainty for capital projects in the national development plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21469/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: That is interesting. I am 24 years old and many of my friends and colleagues are going into the working world for the first time after completing higher education. One thing that many have really missed out on, particularly at the very outset of their career, has been that introduction into the workspace. They were not able to have induction sessions with their employers throughout Covid...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: Another interesting issue identified by Ms Mangan in her opening statement relates to the legislation that has been proposed. She referred to the eligibility criteria and the provision on requests for remote working being submitted after 26 weeks. I ask her to elaborate on that. I think it is quite a sensible provision although obviously it is not applicable in all walks of life. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: I thank Ms Mangan for the information, which is very helpful. I hope the irony is not lost on the witnesses that I am in my office and I should have come downstairs to the committee room. This has been a really interesting conversation and the debate is certainly not going away. I thank the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Right to Request Remote Work Bill 2022: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: It has been really interesting to hear everybody's contributions and the submissions of our guests today. Remote working is very much part and parcel of modern-day life. It was a growing trend anyway but obviously it was increased incredibly by the onset of Covid-19. While there are so many different benefits to it from a work-life balance point of view, especially for young parents who...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the officials who have come before the committee and thank them for their ongoing engagement over the past two years since the general election. The bypass issue was a bit of hot topic for me. To start out on a positive note, it is good to see the progress that has been made on Dunkettle and on the Macroom-Ballyvourney bypass. It is transformative for connectivity in the south...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: Is it the case that construction-related inflation has caused issues for those projects or is it just the lack of provision in the budget?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: Here is the killer question. What is the figure the Department will need to carry out those works? For all of us here, they are all of concern. I will be parochial and refer to my constituency. Ms Brogan has referred to one project from Carrigtwohill to Midleton. What can the committee do to assist the Department in getting a full understanding of the finance it will need to carry out...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: The work undertaken by TII is quite positive. Mr. Peter Walsh and I have had our issues, a lot of them in the public domain, in these Houses in particular. TII has had very few issues with cost overruns. The projects undertaken have come in on budget. From the committee's point of view, today is really a listening exercise to hear from the Department what we can do to help to attract the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: When it comes to the securing of funds, the Department of Transport presents its plans to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it has to consider what finances are available.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Reform of Public Works Contracts for the Construction of Transport Infrastructure: Discussion (27 Apr 2022)

James O'Connor: Has the Department a percentile in terms of how many of its projects are secured over the next four and five years? What can it complete? That is a fair question that can be answered. What can the Department undertake in the next four or five years in its existing plan without funding certainty becoming an issue? Ms Brogan has listed the six schemes that are not problematic, but what new...