Results 41-60 of 7,087 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In fairness to the committee, it would be helpful if we got an update between now and September on the progress that has been made.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In my head, it is a figure of approximately 260 and we can confirm that at some stage. Some 92% out of the more than 3,000 children have received an offer. Will all those children be in a school place on 1 September? How is the Minister tracking that for the 3,275 children? Will there be a school building? Will there be space in the school? Will teachers and SNAs be allocated?

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I do not disagree with any of that. With 1 September in mind, how many of the 3,275 does the Minister think will not have a physical school place? Is there anything she can do between now and September with planning and fast-tracking to try to improve on that number?

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I think we should track the 3,275 children who have notified the NCSE that they have a recommendation for a special class or special school place for September 2025. We should get an update in a reasonable timeframe, and continuing regularly thereafter, on categorised primary and secondary special schools and the children who have offers.

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for that. I have raised SNAs with her before. They do incredibly important work. There has been progress on recruiting them but we do not have enough of them. We discussed during priority questions my expectation that there would be 23,600 in schools this September but now the indication is there will be 23,179. Is that related to retirement of other attrition within...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Is there a new approach to reviews?

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Is there a new circular to be issued in the coming weeks?

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Avoidance (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 46. To ask the Minister for Finance the details of the new proposal of the e-liquid products tax and the way in which he intends to ensure that tax evasion particularly from pop-up vape shops does not occur as a company (details supplied) reported that an illicit market could rise to nearly 60% - €131 million in tax could be lost each year; and the measures he is taking to ensure that...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide guidance on when a school should provide an SNA for children with ADHD and diabetes, and whether age and severity is taken into account. [32930/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the procedures for the development and implementation of new policies and materials relating to primary and post-primary education. [32960/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of SNAs that have retired in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [33006/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 80. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new SNAs that started positions in each of the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [33007/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Data (18 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 183. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when he will make a decision in relation to a recommendation by the Placenames Committee (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32955/25]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 358. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide a detailed statement on the pre-launch testing and validation process for the new online work permit application system, specifically addressing whether the system was tested under real-world load conditions; and if a parallel run was considered to mitigate risks, given the widespread login and access failures...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 359. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the specific measures identified and implemented to resolve the root causes of the persistent login and access failures experienced by users of the new online work permit application system since its launch on 28 April 2025; and when a stable and fully functional system is expected to be operational for all users. [32201/25]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 360. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the number of individuals that have lost their legal status or experienced employment disruption as a direct result of the system failures with the new online work permit application system since its launch on 28 April 2025; and what immediate steps are being taken by the Department to support and provide remedies for those...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 361. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current average response time for technical support queries related to the new online work permit application system; and what steps the Department is taking to ensure accountability and improve the timeliness of responses to user complaints and technical issues. [32203/25]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 362. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will publish up-to-date statistics regarding the application backlogs, new applications lodged, and the number of complaints received and resolved concerning the new online work permit application system since its launch on 28 April 2025. [32204/25]

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 363. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the reason agents and users were not consulted prior to the roll out of the new online work permit application system; and the specific actions being taken to rebuild trust and improve stakeholder engagement in future digital transformations within the Department. [32205/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (17 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 396. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will stop all payslips being sent out to SNA’s and school staff as they can be received online and reassign the funds of sending them via post to school facilities and classrooms. [32003/25]