Results 4,661-4,680 of 6,944 for speaker:Michael McNamara

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

Michael McNamara: If Mr. White or any of the other witnesses wish to provide further answers to Deputy Kenny, I ask that they do so in writing. I call Deputy Shanahan and he has five minutes.

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

Michael McNamara: I ask Mr. White and the other witnesses who have any further reply for Deputy Shanahan to provide that to him in writing.

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

Michael McNamara: If witnesses go over three minutes they should provide an additional responses in writing.

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

Michael McNamara: Deputy O’Sullivan is speaking for ten minutes as there is no other Fianna Fáil speaker. Is that correct?

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

Michael McNamara: Deputy Colm Burke has ten minutes.

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

Michael McNamara: I ask Mr. Byrne to conclude and if he has any additional points he can put them in writing.

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

Michael McNamara: I thank Mr. Clerkin for coming in. In his opening presentation, he referred to the need to balance the safety of those who work in the school environment and the right to education of children. Does he think that balance has been properly struck up to now in this debate in considering the issue of reopening schools?

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

Michael McNamara: I get all of that but there have been many studies. McKinsey released a report, which referred to the capacity this had to widen achievement gaps in the United States in particular. There was a real risk of immigrant communities, vulnerable communities and Hispanic and black communities falling further behind in achievement in the US. We have immigrant communities, new Irish communities...

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

Michael McNamara: The American Academy of Paediatrics recently produced a report, stating: This, in turn, places children and adolescents at considerable risk of morbidity and, in some cases, mortality. Beyond the educational impact and social impact of school closures, there has been substantial impact on food security and physical activity for children and families. That is a report based on the...

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

Michael McNamara: Turning to children with special education needs, one of the main steps that is taken by the State to provide for their needs is the provision of special needs assistants. The State has struggled historically to provide sufficient SNAs and to sufficiently incentivise people to become SNAs. Notwithstanding the fact that we are facing a return to school now, they will not be able to distance...

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

Michael McNamara: It has been a while since I went to primary school. I was an only child, so I learned to socialise there. Patterns have changed considerably since Mr. Clerkin or I was in primary school. Children are typically dropped off earlier and stay much later in primary schools in after-hours homework clubs, etc., because of changing work patterns in society. What is going to happen with early...

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

Michael McNamara: That is fine, but is Mr. Clerkin confident that breakfast clubs, homework clubs, etc., will be able to continue in September?

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

Michael McNamara: Is Mr. Clerkin confident that he will be able to? I do not wish to land all the responsibility for that matter on him. This is a much broader issue, but is he confident that it will-----

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

Michael McNamara: What is the role of the Department of Education and Skills?

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

Michael McNamara: Is it coming in behind the IPPN now on these issues of drop-off, homework clubs, etc.?

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

Michael McNamara: It is four months now since the schools closed and they will reopen in six weeks. Time is ticking. This is not a criticism of Mr. Clerkin, because it is not the IPPN's sole responsibility in any way. Many parents, however, are worried about what the situation will be like at the end of August when their children return to school and whether they will then be able to return to the...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Business of Special Committee (2 Jul 2020)

Michael McNamara: We have been notified that Deputies Sorca Clarke, Steven Matthews, Gary Gannon, Cormac Devlin, Kathleen Funchion, Gino Kenny, John Lahart, Paul Murphy, Darren O'Rourke, Pádraig O'Sullivan, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Richard Boyd Barrett and Niamh Smyth will substitute for their party colleagues today. I also congratulate Deputies Colm Brophy, Mary Butler and Ossian Smyth on their...

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

Michael McNamara: I welcome our witnesses from the arts, entertainment and tourism sectors. I apologise for being out of breath. From the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht we have Ms Katherine Licken, Secretary General; Mr Conor Falvey, assistant secretary; Dr. Aodhán Mac Cormaic, director of Irish; and Ms Tania Banotti, director of the Creative Ireland programme. From Fáilte...

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

Michael McNamara: I ask Ms Licken to conclude if possible.

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

Michael McNamara: I thank Ms Licken. I ask Mr. Kelly to limit his statement to five minutes as his submission has already been circulated.