Results 4,421-4,440 of 5,902 for speaker:James Lawless

Financial Challenges Facing RTÉ and its Revised Strategy 2020-2024: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I have to start by stating public service broadcasting is a public good that deserves to be publicly funded and protected in the same manner as schools, hospitals, railways, roads and other public services are. RTÉ, however, is not a public good in its own right. The need for public service broadcasting can be and is met in multiple ways, through multiple channels and media. As my...

Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (13 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I want to speak to the topic of migration and specifically to refugee status and asylum seekers. I have some limited knowledge and experience of this area. I never purport to step in the shoes of anyone who finds themselves in the most unfortunate situation, but I have had the privilege of meeting many such people. I have met them on their home turf in that I had the opportunity to visit...

Social Welfare (No. 2) Bill 2019: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I have been in both at times. As Fianna Fáil is aware of the existential threats of Brexit to the economy and the nation, we are facilitating the passage of the Bill and related legislation. We have stood up to that challenge and provided stability and for continuity at a time when it is needed, which is in start contrast to our counterparts in neighbouring jurisdictions, including...

Consumer Insurance Contracts Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (13 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I support these amendments. I also support the Bill. I welcome the rebalancing from the insurer to the consumer, which is line with consumer law as it has evolved in the last couple of decades. The privity of contract provisions are welcomed also as they bring us into line with the UK jurisdiction in terms of some recent developments there. The disclosure requirements in terms of what is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of Employment Permits (Consolidation and Amendment) Bill: Discussion (13 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I thank the officials for presenting. The proposed measures and changes seem very sensible. I have a specific question which I think comes in under the 50:50 rule and labour market needs test. It is a scenario that I encountered when meeting businesses, some of which were considering repatriating or moving significant numbers of staff to Ireland, some in a Brexit scenario and some that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (12 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: 181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the shortage of school places for children diagnosed with ASD in north County Kildare; his plans to expand the number of places available at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46317/19]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I am under pressure for time because of another commitment and I appreciate the Chairman allowing me to contribute at this point. I thank the EPA for coming before the committee and I thank Dr. Ryan and his colleagues for their presentation. Dr. Ryan mentioned a particular issue that arose in the programme, which was responded to in detail, but I will raise another issue while I have the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Illegal Dumping: Discussion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: Does the EPA does have an ongoing role in monitoring or regulating that facility or similar facilities?

Report on the Arts: Motion (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I am grateful for the opportunity to share a few brief thoughts on this report in this debate. I welcome the report and it is important that focus is placed on the arts and the supports that are required in terms of funding, Government structures and regulatory frameworks and how they all might work together to support everything from our small town or village festivals right through to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 1: The Evidence (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I thank the witnesses for their contributions and attendance. I have two questions which I will tie together and try to keep as brief as possible. The first relates to an incident from social media yesterday. As we know, the British general election is under way and we miss the presence of our British colleagues, with the exception of Lord Puttnam who is with us. The official Twitter...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 1: The Evidence (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: One of the weaknesses where the platforms get around existing obligations and we need to legislate for new obligations is the platform-publisher chestnut. They say they are just a dumb terminal displaying binary code which is throwing up content and that in that way they are just a carrier. To my mind, the companies are curating content and selling advertisements based on personalised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I will share time with Deputy Eamon Ryan. Staying with Facebook and to follow up on the previous speaker's contribution, was the Libra cryptocurrency an attempt to circumvent the issues we just talked about in terms of currencies from multiple jurisdictions coming in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: I refer to the Libra cryptocurrency that Facebook was rolling out. Was that an attempt to in some way address some of the issues around rubles and many other currencies being used in multiple jurisdictions? Was the Libra currency geared towards circumventing some of the traceability and auditing issues Dr. Bickert has just been talking about with the previous speaker?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: If I understand the position correctly, Libra may assist in concealing some of the issues that have just been discussed. I will move on. Is it the case that, essentially, the only way for political messages to get across on Facebook is by advertising? The algorithms were changed about two years ago because there was a growth of negative news or, to an extent, spam on Facebook. My...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: Two allegations have been made against Facebook. One is that it promotes addictive behaviours in order to keep users on the platform. The second is that it has exploited its dominant position in some ways. An example that brings those two behaviours together is Facebook's advocacy for video content in recent years. I am told that the statistics for video content supplied by Facebook...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: Dr. Bickert might come back to me on that. I have a final question. What percentage of Facebook's moderation team globally is made up of company employees and what percentage is made up of outside contractors?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: Approximately.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: They are not subject to the same conditions. I have met some of them in Ireland and elsewhere, and I have read the stories. They are certainly not subject to the same conditions. There have been many stories about the harshness, the pay inequality, the difficult conditions they work in and the psychological trauma and mental health issues that have arisen afterwards. They may be subject...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: My next question is to Google and I am going to keep it tight.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Session 2: Industry Perspective (7 Nov 2019)

James Lawless: Yes. I understand that Google is a search engine and it performs as a directory but I also understand that any content, illegal or otherwise can be retrieved by the search engine because Google's view is that it is a directory. I was perturbed by this when I met Google recently, that it applies to disturbing content, freedom of speech, violent and pornographic content and illegal content....