Results 3,961-3,980 of 9,147 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I do not have a firm view on the following. Does the Secretary General think that advice given by civil servants to a Minister should be subject to questioning or public scrutiny if it does come into the public domain?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: That does not necessarily mean that civil servants will not find themselves in the centre of a discussion. If one looks at how political controversy can develop, people can gain access to advice, through the freedom of information process, that gets into the public domain, the Minister then says, "I am following the advice that I was given", the advice is then questioned and at that stage...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: How much in the public eye does the Secretary General think a civil servant should be? I am conscious that if we were having this discussion here, and we probably would not have this discussion here 40 or 50 years ago, but 40 or 50 years ago I would have thought that very few senior civil servants would have been publicly well known whereas now quite a few of them are. How much in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: It seems to be the case that Secretaries General and civil servants are coming more into the public domain. Even if one looks over at what is happening in the United Kingdom now there seems to be an acceptance that when a new political regime comes in that they may want to change civil servants. Fortunately, that is something that we have not really had in Ireland as of yet. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does Mr. Moloney agree that if civil servants changed with political direction, it would necessarily mean that they would be seen as more politically associated?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924: Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (12 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: Aside from the disciplinary responsibilities, I have noticed that a lot of civil servants come before Oireachtas committees now. I suppose that is a different form of accountability that civil servants have now that probably would not have been as frequent 30 or 40 years ago. Would it?

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 217. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the areas in which the funding that was allocated in Budget 2023 for BusConnects and MetroLink will be spent on. [49473/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 591. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who applied for or expressed an interest in joining An Garda Síochána in 2022. [49759/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 592. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of persons who applied for or expressed an interest in joining An Garda Síochána in 2021. [49761/22]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Measures (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 593. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality when the Bill to outlaw grooming children into crime that was announced in January 2021 will be introduced in the Houses of the Oireachtas.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49762/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 660. To ask the Minister for Health the steps that are being taken by his Department to address the disparity in funding for trainee psychologists in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49683/22]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Mental Health Services (11 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 675. To ask the Minister for Health if he will provide details of the funding that is available within his Department for charitable organisations that provide support for persons suffering from mental health illnesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49826/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 74. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the projects to be financed by the increased defence capital allocation announced in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48994/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: The budget last week was a very good one, from the Minister's Department's point of view. I commend the Minister and the Government on increasing funding for the Department. As has been mentioned previously by both Deputies Richmond and Griffin, one of the most positive aspects of that was the increase in capital funding by €35 million, bringing the total capital fund up to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Minister for his answer. I am pleased to hear that there is to be significant investment in capital projects for the Naval Service. As the Minister is aware and as commentary has indicated, it has always been viewed a bit as the Cinderella of the Defence Forces. I like the fact that the Minister may be coming as the Prince Charming to give more money to the Naval Service. ...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister is echoing the point, in many respects, that was made by the Commission on the Defence Forces in its recent report. It noted that the Naval Service currently does not have the capabilities required to closely monitor activity below the waves. Obviously, that report came out before what appears to have been a malicious attack on the Nord Stream pipelines. We need to be vigilant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 39. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on whether that the Russian Federation should be designated a terrorist state; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48891/22]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 67. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if any new sanctions are being imposed on the Russian Federation in the wake of its latest illegal actions in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48892/22]

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Oct 2022)

Jim O'Callaghan: 78. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence if there will be a strengthening of Ireland's maritime defences in view of recent events in the Baltic sea; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48993/22]