Results 2,161-2,180 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Written Answers — Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment: Economic Policy (15 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 42. To ask the Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Employment the current economic situation and risks of further insolvencies in view of the circumstances surrounding closure of a company (details supplied); his views on the recommendations of the Duffy Cahill report; and his plans for the implementation of the recommendations of the report. [25975/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the educational provision available for a person (details supplied); and her plans to make additional specialist placements available at the person's school. [30825/20]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: That is to be welcomed. We do not need to fall out over words such as "investigation", "inquiry" and "review" but I would be interested in knowing who the Minister intends to charge with responsibility for overseeing the independent review. I am sure she will agree me that if the students of 2021 have to face the same type of system, which we all hope will not happen although we do not know...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am happy to welcome that and we are happy to work with the Minister. She inherited this situation. She has had successes. Opening up the schools has been a success. To a large degree, yesterday was a successful day for the Minister. On the staffing schedule the Minister announced yesterday, involving a reduction in the pupil–teacher ratio to 25:1, which is welcome, will the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 2. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will constitute an independent inquiry into the 2020 leaving certificate which would examine the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the exam, the design and implementation of the calculated grades system, the ensuing errors and omissions and the knock-on effect on the CAO process; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Examinations (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Minister said that while not her fault directly, the 2020 leaving certificate was a difficult process for all involved, not least for the students. Will the Minister facilitate an independent investigation into the entire 2020 leaving certificate, which would examine the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the written exam, the design and implementation of the calculated grades...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Textbooks (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for the expansion of the free book scheme beyond the 102 schools selected; the progress of the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30274/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 54. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the campaign to give school secretaries the same entitlements and protections as their public sector colleagues. [30273/20]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Staff (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the lack of accreditation to students for the SNA national training course being recommended to SNAs and schools by her Department and the concern of SNAs that accreditation should reflect the complexities of some of the responsibilities of the role and the course; and if she will make a statement on the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (14 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider an elongated school break at Christmas 2020 to alleviate the pressure of Covid-19 on schools and pupils. [30272/20]

Trade Union Representation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (8 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: It is refreshing that a number of Private Members' Bills and motions dealing with the issues we are discussing this evening have been put forward by Opposition parties and groups, including the Social Democrats, Sinn Féin, Solidarity-People Before Profit and the Labour Party. I have made a number of speeches on these issues in the House in recent months. That is to be welcomed. As...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (8 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 230. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by Venezuelan citizens, such as a person (details supplied), who have been unable to apply for renewal of their Venezuelan passports due to the closure of the Venezuelan consulate and as a result are unable to renew visas such as a skill stamp 4 visa; if her attention...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Minister and Minister of State for their presentations. I hope to speak on a number of issues, some of which are areas of agreement while others are potentially areas of disagreement. I will start with areas of agreement. I was impressed with the Minister's presentation on the issues of literacy and apprenticeships. Statistics on the levels of education among prisoners, for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I appreciate the Minister’s comments there. On the leaving certificate, I am glad the Minister acknowledged that not everybody in the Opposition or across society was advocating for the scrapping of the written leaving certificate examinations because the Labour Party was not. We are advocating for independent investigation into what happened this year in order that it cannot be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Will there be a recommendation going to all higher education institutions that they should move online this semester? Second, a cohort of students is moving into student accommodation because they have attendance requirements for their courses and do not have sufficient broadband at home. Will the Minister give some guidance or give us some comfort that he will be giving guidance to higher...

Brexit and Business: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Tánaiste and thank him for his speech. The Labour Party has always been pro-business and pro-Europe on the basis of what business and Europe can do for ordinary people, including workers. I am sure the Tánaiste shares my party's concern over potential export losses to the tune of €18 billion in respect of the UK land bridge. Eighteen billion euro is 40% of...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council Meetings (7 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Taoiseach shared his assessment of Brexit developments with EU leaders last week. Next week's budget is being prepared on a no-deal basis. Will the Taoiseach share with us the key outcome of that meeting and his discussions with Ursula von der Leyen? Was there any agreement on taking action against Belarus? It appears to us in the Labour Party that the European Union has been very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Staff (7 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: With regard to special advisers and the special relationship between the three political leaders at the heart of government, all three individuals knew about the upcoming issue in the leaving certificate a week before it was announced by the Minister for Education and Skills. This information was not shared with the Cabinet. I am quite sure the special advisers attached to the Taoiseach's...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (7 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Taoiseach will know that before the pandemic hit, 72% of artists in Ireland were earning less than the national minimum wage. Yesterday the Government agreed that the national minimum wage should increase by a mere 10 cent. On Monday in a very high-profile decision, the Government decided not to accept NPHET recommendations. The Tánaiste said that they had not been thought...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (7 Oct 2020)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: 111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the junior certificate core subjects of Irish, English and maths were given equally weighting during the process of calculating the estimated grades for the leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28959/20]