Results 2,641-2,660 of 3,222 for speaker:James O'Connor

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Obviously, it must be a very large part of the revenue that the organisation takes in. We have seen from viewership figures that it is one of the areas where RTÉ successfully manages to attract a large viewership of the television audience. Has RTÉ ever considered having a separate sports channel for broadcasting GAA, horse racing, soccer, the IRFU and other sports across male and...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I will perhaps disagree with some of the points there in terms of not having a separate channel as it stands. There is enough sport going on in Ireland and we have a sports-mad culture, therefore this is something that should be considered. RTÉ is in very serious financial circumstances, arguably down to the television licence. On behalf of the taxpayers in the country, one could also...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I apologise for interrupting Ms Forbes but I have a question that must be asked. Has RTÉ come forward with a concrete business plan to the relevant Departments that need to provide it with this additional funding to bring it out of that hole? Is that something the station is proactively doing? The drama, "Normal People", for example, was extremely successful. It was an original drama...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I do not want to be overly negative. I wish to compliment the current affairs aspect of what RTÉ is doing; it is excellent. The public get good value for tax money in that regard, particularly with radio. The figures internationally are very impressive. Coming back to the content creation side of dramas with home-grown talent in Ireland, is Ms Forbes at liberty to divulge how much...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: I am sorry to interrupt Ms Forbes but I am up against the clock. My apologies for being so rude. I am sure she understands. The figures she compared are telling. Some €67 million is being spent on current affairs, while €17 million is being spent on the whole area of production of shows in RTÉ outside that scope.

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: Drama. The sum needs to be drastically increased. Obviously, that will require support from the Government. My view is that increasing that budget significantly, and perhaps even doubling it, would represent a good return for that type of investment. Going back to the success of "Normal People" and other shows, it can be done. In the limited time I have left-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 33: Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
Programme E - Broadcasting (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: -----I wish to make the point that it is worth exploring RTÉ having its own dedicated sports channel and investigating the financial income that could be generated from that. Irish sport needs this. There are so many sporting events that are not covered, particularly across women's sport, but also many other aspects of sport that are not given the coverage they could be given. This...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Reports (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: 110. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of the Report of the Future of Media Commission; her plans to publish this report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2497/22]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Sports Funding (20 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: 117. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide an update on supports to assist organisations in the sports sector to recover and develop post-pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2498/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (19 Jan 2022)

James O'Connor: 1617. To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider including booster vaccination details on EU Digital COVID Certificates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1102/22]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: My question is on the all-important haulage sector in Ireland. What supports are under consideration by the Department? What work is it doing to help the sector to transition to a more carbon-friendly model? This is a huge issue that we must deal with and on which we must work directly with the sector.

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is interesting to hear the initiatives that the Department is bringing forward. There will be many challenges before the haulage sector. Internationally there has been much difficulty in logistics, which is the Minister of State's area of responsibility. We have to be conscious that there is another key demand on the whole industry where...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Haulage Industry (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I want to add my words on the very hard work that has been done throughout the pandemic. That is important to acknowledge. It has been one of the areas that we relied on. New additional pressures have been put on. On emissions, the Minister of State has said that the Department will do more public consultation, which I welcome. It is important that there be a grassroots level...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I confirm that I am within the Leinster House complex. It is important to have the Secretary General in the committee. As part of my contribution I want to acknowledge the enormous work that has been done by many of our healthcare professionals around the country that are under the remit of the work of the Department. That needs to be acknowledged. A number of important issues across...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: We need to explore this further. There needs to be proper analysis done on why young graduates often feel that they need to leave the country. We are seeing in places like Canada and Australia that opportunities are being presented to young graduates who have studied here. The State has gone through the enormous cost of supporting their education and higher education. There is no...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I am sorry; I must interrupt for reasons of time. I am against the clock. Is Mr. Watt in any position to inform us about the healthcare sector in Ireland, particularly the area of nursing? This has been repeatedly brought up to me by many people who are nursing. One would not expect that perhaps two thirds of the way into their careers, many of them are actively considering quitting....

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Mr. Watt should be in a position to give me a commitment on that the next time he appears before us. I ask him to go away and look at that particular issue. One other point of concern is that we have all seen what has happened with the children's hospital. It has been extraordinarily disappointing and frustrating. It has definitely been a turning point for many regarding overruns on...

Public Accounts Committee: 2020 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 38 - Health (16 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I know Mr. Watt has much experience in public expenditure in the area of procurement. I am interested in getting a bit of insight from him on it. It is all well and good to talk about the initial contract being awarded. What safeguards will be placed in the contracts to analyse and go through them in detail whereby, for example, one year into a multi-year build, which many of these types...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: I thank Deputy Lahart for allowing me to have his slot and thank you, Chairman, for your co-operation. This issue needs no introduction. It is extraordinarily serious. Mr. Fitzgerald and the representatives here with him from the HSE are very aware of just how concerned all of us in the constituency of Cork East are by what the HSE is trying to do in Midleton. I wish once again to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Closure of Owenacurra Centre: Engagement with HSE (14 Dec 2021)

James O'Connor: Will Dr. O'Brien run me through the difference between the level of care provided in high-support hostel accommodation compared with the service level received by someone in the Owenacurra centre? Is there round-the-clock supervision, which is the requirement in many cases?