Results 4,061-4,080 of 6,802 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: This week the World Meteorological Organization warned there is a 50-50 chance we will breach 1.5°C at least once in the next five years. The alarm bells cannot ring any louder. The energy transition to renewables is the foundation on which everything will be built. The renewables industry is also ringing the alarm bells. It also states there is a 50-50 chance we will reach our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the witnesses for being present and apologise for missing their opening statements. I was caught in the Chamber but I have read through them. I echo what Deputy Carey said in commending the witnesses on what they have established. We had hearings here a number of months ago when we were hearing, mainly privately, the deep concerns that were held by volunteers and former volunteers...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: That is fine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: From what I am hearing and on the basis of some of the earlier comments, I was also thinking about an issue in the context of something I watched on television earlier this week regarding an organisation that has lost a significant amount of management expertise in recent years. I refer to the issue of autonomy and respect. That is something that is coming through. In any of these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Chair and I thank the witnesses for attending today. I do not know if they heard the previous session, which we had earlier-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: We had another session, which I think was in November, although time passes quickly-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: -----with management. This is a continuation of that. The members will have heard some of the concerns in terms of representation and the code of conduct and whether it is fit for purpose or needs to be updated and amended. There is also the issue of its practical implementation. There was a clear sense that in certain circumstances, it was being implemented too rigorously or vigorously...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Are they just a draft or have they been agreed?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Are these new procedures?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Was Mr. Murray involved in developing them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Does Mr. Murray believe that reflects CUAG’s contribution in drawing them up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: It is not a case that management came with a fait accompli.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There was some criticism of CUAG, although that may be the wrong word, that it was not representative because it contained only OICs. Is it the case it is no longer only OICs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: I appreciate that. In fairness, we are trying to play a helpful role and people have come here in good faith. I do not think any of it is intended to be personal or anything else. I acknowledge that given the nature of the discussion that can be difficult, but that is certainly not the approach we are taking.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Yes, I was just trying to pick up on that. Mr. Murray stated there are six OICs and six non-OICs, which, obviously, is an even mix. Is there a standard process for electing them, and if so, is it new or is it a continuation of what was previously the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: What has been CUAG's engagement with volunteers throughout the country and with management? Some of what we are hearing is that it was not a two-way process and much of it was top-down, with a very strict adherence to the code of conduct. I guess across different areas there will be different experiences, depending on local dynamics. Does that reflect Mr. Murray's experience or was there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is the question of the volunteer representative association. How can its concerns be accommodated? Those representatives were before us and the committee will act on a number of their requests. Is there room for improvement in engagement with them, including by the witnesses, management or the Department and Minister? Is there a culture of openness within the Coast Guard for that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: Is there a basis in anything Mr. Murray has heard from the volunteers' representative association? My sense is there has been movement recently. He mentioned the Mulvey report but I am not sure it is a coincidence that these events are happening at the same time. Is there a path forward and what sort of avenue is there for aligning those issues and having them addressed? It seems CUAG has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a new and independent path. Volunteers may have said in the past they have nowhere to turn but now they have an independent human resources outlet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Coast Guard: Discussion (11 May 2022)

Darren O'Rourke: The independent human resources facility is new.