Results 3,061-3,080 of 3,229 for speaker:Gary Gannon

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Maternity Benefit (7 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: 654. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if maternity leave will be extended for women due to the Covid-19 crisis. [14503/20]

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (Resumed) (7 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank the witnesses. I have three questions or themes the witnesses might speak to or elaborate on. I will ask about morale, resources and guidelines. I am very concerned about morale in the wider school community as it heads back in September. The presentations have rightly pointed out that no teacher has been off for the last six months. In fact, they have been working extremely...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Tourism, Arts and Entertainment Sector (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. I will be bringing Mr. Kelly back in to answer some questions. In the light of his statement to the committee and his comments here, I am interested to note a headline in The Irish Times today, "Open Ireland as soon as possible", above an article outlining what Mr. Kelly intended to tell this committee today. The article indicates that Mr....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Tourism, Arts and Entertainment Sector (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank Mr. Kelly. I suspect the Make a Break for It campaign will be very successful and I hope it is. He touched on the issue of the potential for price gouging and he dismissed it as a factor. However, it is a concern at the moment. What are Fáilte Ireland doing to counter any attempts at price gouging? How can we ensure that prices being charged this year to domestic customers...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Tourism, Arts and Entertainment Sector (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank Mr. Kelly. Ms Licken mentioned in her statement the supports given to artists through the Arts Council bursary. We had great presentations from EPIC and the Event Industry Association of Ireland, EIAI, on Tuesday. How will those industries be supported now by the Department? If the pandemic unemployment payments were to subside in August when events still cannot be held, how can...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I would like a right of reply.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I can represent my constituents in any way that I see fit, be that on Twitter or elsewhere.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: The point was made by SNAs and their representatives in Fórsa that they felt it was somewhat elitist not to include 17,000 of their members in the discussion. I can elevate that how I choose.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: It was my intention to suggest having SNAs appear. The Chairman said that my party has a representative on the committee. I have five minutes to speak whereas members of other parties may speak for twice as long. If my party's contributions to the procedural committee were as valid as those of others, we would probably not have less time than others.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: We would not have ended up in this situation if it was.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: That is twice as much as we have.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: They seem to have a lot more say. I intend to raise the point that SNAs have been excluded.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I appreciate that the decision was not made by the Chairman alone.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I will elevate the point.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: Absolutely.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I intend to raise that point in the next session when representatives of the trade unions are here.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank the witnesses for their valid and worthwhile contributions. Both submissions stated that mental health supports will be needed when schools reopen to deal with the wave of trauma we will experience. They also noted the trauma experienced by secondary school students. That issue must be taken into consideration. Many schools did not have sufficient supports to deal with the level...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: On supports, does Mr. Rolston recommend that a representative of the National Educational Psychological Service be on the ground in schools to deal with the more extreme cases that might emerge or should that be a matter for guidelines? When I raised this point with the previous Minister he told me that if NEPS staff were needed in schools, they would be provided on the ground. Last week, a...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I acknowledge that this has been a very welcome debate, as expected. I do think we are lacking the representatives of the SNAs and school secretaries. The Chairman had a bit of a pop at me in the first session because I highlighted the fact that I felt Fórsa should have been here today. I make a specific request to the Acting Chairman that maybe we can have Fórsa presenting at a...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: Education – Return to School and School Transport (2 Jul 2020)

Gary Gannon: I thank Mr. Boyle. I am sorry for cutting him off but I have one more question. I want to speak about the contradiction in messaging in the last couple of weeks. I almost had a perverse smile last week when the National Transport Authority announced that masks would need to be worn on public transport, as they should be. Then we were told that PPE would not be expected in schools. When...