Results 4,801-4,820 of 10,372 for speaker:Niamh Smyth

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Ms Gibney for her detailed presentation. Two members have indicated, Deputy Munster and Senator Byrne. I remind members we are not using a rota for speaking slots this session and they must instead indicate. Members should be mindful this is a shorter session. I will ask them to be as concise in their questions.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I fully agree and do not think that any member would disagree. I thank the Deputy for her line of questioning and the witnesses for responding.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank our guests. I have a question for them myself. The theme of harmful content and hate speech has been something that has reoccurred on numerous occasions with many of our presenters to date. With regard to the objectives and functions and the membership of the new media commission, are the representatives satisfied sufficient oversight, checks and balances exist within the general...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Dr. Michael. That concludes our session today. I thank Ms Gibney and Dr. Michael for being with us. Their statements have been most insightful and helpful. I also thank my colleges for their questions.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: We are now into our second session. Colleagues and our guests are very welcome. We are joined by representatives of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties and Digital Rights Ireland to discuss the general scheme of the online safety and media regulation Bill. I welcome the following witnesses who will be joining us virtually via Microsoft Teams: Mr. Liam Herrick, executive director of the...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Mr. Herrick for that comprehensive opening statement. I ask Dr. McIntyre to address the committee on behalf of Digital Rights Ireland.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Dr. McIntyre. He has put another slant on our thinking in his presentation today. I move to my colleagues. They are limited to three minutes each because it is a shorter session. I call Deputy Munster.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I ask the witness to bring her contribution to a close because we have gone over time. I want to give Dr. McIntyre the opportunity to respond to Senator Byrne.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: What are the witnesses’ thoughts or views on the definition of cyberbullying in the Bill?

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (26 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: That brings the meeting to a natural conclusion. I thank Mr. Herrick, Ms Cronin and Dr. McIntyre for their presentations. The meeting has been most insightful and we had a good opportunity to interrogate those ideas and thoughts. It will certainly assist the committee in our pre-legislative scrutiny as we proceed. I also thank members for their engagement. We will adjourn until 12.30...

International Travel and Aviation: Statements (25 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I welcome the proposals and the action that will happen, we hope, in regard to the new EU digital green certificate. The scheme should be seen in the most positive light. It gives us the opportunity to reopen the country. The Oireachtas tourism committee, of which I am Chairman, has had representatives of the tourism recovery task force, the hospitality sector and the Restaurants...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I raise the backlog in the driver theory test and driving tests, which must be dealt with as a matter of urgency. I appreciate the Government has decided to take a very safe, gradual and phased approach to reopening some driver test centres through the RSA, which commenced on 10 May. That is welcome. However, learner drivers across counties Cavan and Monaghan are becoming increasingly...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (25 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: 163. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting so long for a driver theory test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28177/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: 12. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of applications received for his results based environmental agri pilot programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27011/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Higher Education Institutions (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: 104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress regarding the implementation of the Framework for Consent in Higher Education Institutions: Safe, Respectful, Supportive and Positive: Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26972/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Apprenticeship Programmes (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: 130. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the commitments in the Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 to promote access in apprenticeship for traditionally under-represented groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26971/21]

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: Apologies have been received from Deputies Christopher O'Sullivan and Mattie McGrath, and Senator Hoey. I bid a warm welcome goes to our guests who are with us this afternoon virtually. It is great to have them with us and we are looking forward to the presentations on pre-legislative scrutiny. I will go through some housekeeping first so please bear with me. The format of the meeting...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Mr. Esslemont for sticking so tightly to the time constraints. I do not believe anyone would disagree with the reference in his opening statement to the importance of our native language and its importance in public service broadcasting. Mr. Rory Coveney from RTÉ will now address the committee.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Mr. Coveney. He raised some very interesting points, in terms of the omission of fake news and, of course, the constant erosion of democracy through social media platforms and the inhibitions that remain because of that. I now call on Mr. Peter McCarthy from Virgin Media Ireland to make his presentation to the committee.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (20 May 2021)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Mr. McCarthy. I am sure there are lots of issues he has raised that members will look forward to teasing out a little further. Before that, I call Dr. Mark Carpenter, who is representing Sky Ireland, to make his presentation to the committee.