Results 5,761-5,780 of 7,823 for speaker:Jim Daly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: I welcome Dr. Sara Dockrell, assistant professor in Trinity College Dublin and chartered physiotherapist, Mr. Paul Beddy, director of the National Parents Council Post-Primary, and Ms Áine Lynch, chief executive officer of the National Parents Council Primary, to the meeting of the joint committee. I thank the three witnesses for taking the time to attend and bring us their expertise on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the three witnesses for their presentations, which were very informative, succinct and certainly give us a lot of food for thought. I am very interested in some of the comments made in that it is clearly the number one issue for parents that are making contact with Mr. Beddy. It is an issue, considering the number of students and parents at any one time. I have often heard people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: That comment strikes me as a another glaring example of where an education ombudsman could have a role but that is for another day. The former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, is smiling at me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Does the Deputy have a question as there are many members indicating?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: They are interesting points. What are delegations' views if we were to legislate to deal with the issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Perhaps we should have invited Mr. Michael O'Leary as a witness. It would not take him long to find a way to reduce the weight of schoolbags. He has a proven track record in that regard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Very good, Deputy. We are taking it a step further and straying into the remit of the Committee on Education and Skills. I call Deputy Neville to be followed by Deputy Funchion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Deputy Lisa Chambers wanted to ask a further question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: I have a few brief questions. I was going to ask the witnesses the same question Deputy Chambers posed. In the next contributions as they sum up they might advise the direction they would take on this issue. We as a committee will have to make our call on what we will do afterwards, but what would the witnesses suggest we should do to progress this issue? They will have noted the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: The remit of the Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs would be narrower in that we would not look at the value of the textbook as an educational method. That would be a matter for the Joint Committee on Education and Skills. Our concern is really with the health of children's backs. However, I take Ms Lynch's points.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: That is absolutely accepted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Weight of Schoolbags: Discussion (25 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: I thank the witnesses for sharing their expertise with us. The committee will examine the issue further and as a courtesy we will update the witnesses on the outcome of our deliberations in due course. We may require further assistance from the witnesses present. We look forward to that if it arises.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: 63. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider the introduction of travel vouchers for persons living in rural Ireland with no access to public transport and relying on private transport providers for essential weekly journeys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2752/17]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (24 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: 74. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if he will confirm the future of the free travel scheme operated under his department; the proposed changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2750/17]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Services for People with Disabilities (24 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: 495. To ask the Minister for Health if he will issue a final response to an issue (details supplied) that was forwarded to his office in October 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3148/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Departmental Staff (24 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: 559. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason two staffing positions within his Department were not filled from the central transfer list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3210/17]

Tillage Farming: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Tá áthas orm deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an tábhachtach seo. I welcome the opportunity to speak to this motion. I extend a warm welcome to members of the farming community in the Gallery from my constituency of Cork South-West, which stretches from the Minane Bridge, Kilbrittain, Timoleague and Barryroe area to Ballinascarty and Ballinacarriga and includes many other...

Tillage Farming: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: The upcoming election in the North is the result of this type of scheme. I accept this is a populist proposal but it is not very practical. As I said, I will not be supporting this motion. However, I would like to put on the record my concern for cereal farmers who are on their knees as a result of the dreadful harvest-----

Tillage Farming: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: Please allow me to finish. It is sometimes helpful to listen.

Tillage Farming: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2017)

Jim Daly: I would like to dispel the myth that grain farmers are large farmers with massive amounts of acres of cereal. They are not. Many of them are small farmers. I have had approximately eight meetings with farmers in my area affected by the crop failure last year. Many of them are owners of small holdings of only eight, nine or ten acres and their entire crop has been wiped out. There is no...