Results 2,341-2,360 of 2,964 for speaker:James O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I appreciate that and I can relay the message to Ms W. An important general point is that many employers with operations in rural communities are contacting me. One recent inquiry concerned a large employer at Rathcormac, which employs more than 150 people. I highlighted this case to representatives of NBI before. There is a concern about the prospect of waiting two to three years for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Very good. Concerning the limitations with exchanges, this issue arises in rural areas especially and particularly with families building on greenfield sites. Prior to going into politics, I was not even aware that there was an issue if a farmer's son or daughter, for example, was building a new property and wanted to get a phone line installed. There are areas, though, and Inch happens to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: If it is not doing so, I suppose-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: ComReg has a role here. I did not realise-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Broadband Plan Update: National Broadband Ireland (27 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Okay. That is interesting. We have limited time, so I will summarise my points. This project is important for businesses that are large employers, especially for those rural areas lucky enough to have a company employing more than 100 people. I come from Youghal, where approximately 10,000 to 12,000 people live. We have no private employer with more than 100 employees. Some rural areas...

Youth Mental Health: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: In the very limited time I have, I want to outline some of my own concerns as a young person of 24 years of age. I have discussed this issue with both Ministers of State previously. I have a strong degree of concern about the rapid increase in cocaine consumption in Ireland, and the knock-on impact this is having on the mental health of so many young people. Within this debate there are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I welcome the Minister and his officials. I will surprise him by not being as parochial as I usually am. I have a few national issues to raise. I am worried about NIFTI because I feel it is another fence in a process that could outdo the Grand National when it comes to building infrastructure. I have been through this with the Minister before, particularly at the meeting in October. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I want to stop the Minister. I want to be very focused. I appreciate the European relief funding is being directed towards the metropolitan rail network in Cork. That is €184.7 million, if my memory serves me. I am talking about a multibillion euro investment in a Cork- Belfast line. Joining up the network would involve tunneling under Dublin, the electrification of the entire...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: With the protection of the Chair, I ask the Minister to hang on for a second, please. It is an area we should look at and I say that because of the congestion coming into Dublin. At the moment, for somebody living in Cork who wants to drive to Dublin, and there are thousands of such journeys every day, the rail journey time does not compete with the road journey time. That is also the case...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: How does investing in those cities----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: It is a point that needs to be made. I have limited time, and the Minister knows that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I have interrupted the Minister on this point already. I want to add one sentence.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: When the Minister refers to investing in cities, what does that mean? Does he mean doubling the size of train stations? I cannot see how that relates to a high-speed network between cities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is not what I am saying. I am talking about connecting up-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: If the Minister is trying to tell me that investing in high-speed rail will hurt Tipperary, Limerick, Cork or the rural areas between them that would be serviced by the line, that is outrageous. Come on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Could we not put three stops on a Cork-Dublin line?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is the point you are making.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: We are getting away from ourselves a little bit.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: That is excellent but I-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I am.