Results 6,681-6,700 of 10,435 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Tests (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: 692. To ask the Minister for Health the HSE’s current understanding of the reliability of PCR testing for Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34774/20]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses for attending the meeting today. Does Mr. Tattan believe that any students were treated unfairly by the calculated grades process and, if so, what cohort of students?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does Mr. Tattan not think students who received certain marks from their teachers and who were subsequently significantly downgraded were treated unfairly?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Does Mr. Tattan think that, perhaps, the schools were treated fairly, but individuals within each school may have been treated unfairly?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Mr. Tattan may have answered this question already, but is an independent review being conducted on it and, if so, when will it be complete?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Who is conducting the independent review?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: When does the Department envisage the process of review will be completed, or can Mr. Tattan say?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is why there is the independent review.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I do not want to speak about the circumstances of cases that have commenced before the High Court but if some of those students succeed what will be the impact of that decision on students who have not instituted proceedings?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I beg your pardon.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Obviously Mr. Tattan will agree that the circumstances of the leaving certificate 2020 class have been unfair in that they missed out on three months of scheduled schooling because the schools were closed due to Covid-19. Some of those students are now going to proceed to do the leaving certificate in November. Has anything been done to make the pathway to that leaving certificate easier...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: On that topic, the students who will sit the examinations in November will get their results in February. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Do they then have the opportunity or sufficient time to repeat the leaving certificate if they wish to do so in 2021?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: When does applying for the CAO kick in for them or will they need to apply again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Calculated Grades 2020 and Preparations for Leaving Certificate 2021: Department of Education (10 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the witnesses.

Finance Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I am sharing time with Deputies Carey, Christopher O'Sullivan and Richmond. I want to address four issues related to the Finance Bill and the budget. The first concerns youth unemployment. The biggest threat to this country's economy in the short and long terms is long-term youth unemployment. We are aware from other economies, our history and the history of other countries that it can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools: Discussion (5 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank all the witnesses for coming in today. I apologise that I have my back to the screen, I hope they do not mind. Will Dr. Mazzone or Dr. Keating give an overview of the research they have conducted into the impact of the lockdown on children? It appears to be the case they were able to assess that children's cyberbullying increased during lockdown. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools: Discussion (5 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: Was that increase in Ireland correspondingly so in the rest of Europe?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools: Discussion (5 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: The conclusion of the study was that 66% of all children between the ages of 14 and 16 experienced significantly more cyberbullying during the lockdown. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Bullying in Schools: Discussion (5 Nov 2020)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will move on to a separate issue about social media companies. Such companies have repeatedly told legislators that they are committed to resolving the problem of online bullying and harassment. Do our guests believe that social media companies are doing enough to meet this challenge?