Results 61-80 of 2,499 for at speaker:Dara Calleary

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Inland Fisheries (13 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Deputy Ring. Unfortunately, I will have to read him a prepared script. I know he has followed this issue hard and has stood up on this matter over a number of years. This is the second occasion a Minister of the Department has not been present, so I will bring it to the attention of the Minister on his behalf. The matter of protected disclosures has been received in both the...

Reform of the Television Licence Fee Model: Motion [Private Members] (13 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: ...sa díospóireacht seo. Ní aontaím leis an rún ach gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin as ucht na díospóireachta agus leis an Aire, an Teachta Martin, as rún an Rialtais a mholadh. It is clear that there is general agreement across the House on the value and importance of public service broadcasting, which is not exclusive to RTÉ. There...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this matter and acknowledge her long-time work in this space. I stress at the outset that enabling students with additional needs to receive an education appropriate to those needs is an ongoing priority for this Government. The SET allocations provide additional teaching support for students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (13 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senator Wall for raising this issue. A priority for this Government is to ensure all children have an appropriate school placement and that all the necessary supports are provided to our schools to cater for the needs of children with special educational needs. It is important to remember that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Senator. I oppose amendment No. 8, which is grouped with amendments Nos. 9 to 12, inclusive, 21, 43, 52 and 53. All those amendments relate to proposals to make certain actions obligatory for Coimisiún na Meán or the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission, CCPC. The Digital Services Bill provides that during an investigation into a suspected contravention,...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I am happy to respond at the end.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I will speak on the amendments. Amendments Nos. 27 to 34, inclusive, are grouped together because they all relate to trusted flaggers. Amendment No. 27, as proposed by Senator Keogan, requires an additional provision in the Bill stating that Coimisiún na Meán will "ensure the status as a trusted flagger is not awarded to an entity which is partisan and seeks the status as a...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: They are very technical issues but I will absolutely engage with them as part of their work post enactment of the Bill to build confidence in that space.To come back to Senator Keogan's overall points, this Bill does not define hate speech. It is a very technical Bill that also relates to content moderation. With regard to content moderation, the DSA seeks to define the rules on content...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I assure the Senator, and this was previously raised by Senator Ruane, that whole space is an area of concern. It is something I will raise with Coimisiún na Meán in view of its work on this at a European level. It concerns all of us, especially in view of what we have heard today.

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: Amendments Nos. 37 to 40, inclusive, are grouped as they are all amendments relating to co-operation between Coimisiún na Meán and the CCPC. Section 45(1)(b) provides that Coimisiún na Meán and the CCPC may enter into a co-operation agreement. This includes for the purposes of ensuring, as far as is practicable, consistency between decisions made or other steps taken by...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I suppose it comes back to the very defined roles that I have laid out for both organisations. Either organisation can trigger a review if there are concerns on the part of either organisation. I would hope, at the very outset of this process before we even begin, that that will never have to happen and that there will be sufficient co-operation and engagement between the organisations to...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I want to acknowledge and thank the House for its co-operation in this regard. This is not my normal way of doing business, but we have to have this up and running by 17 February, in line with the EU approach on it. It was a very complex Bill and it took quite a lot of work by my Department officials, particularly the four who are with me, and also staff of the Bills Office. I will give...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I will speak to the amendment but the Data Protection Commission is in a different Department, obviously. I have had engagement with it in my Ministry. It has developed significant robustness in recent years, with a record fine of €1.2 billion imposed on Meta. I wish Ms Helen Dixon well in her new role.In addition to preparing the Bill, however, we have ensured that Coimisiún...

Seanad: Digital Services Bill 2023: Motion for Earlier Signature (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senator Ahearn for moving the earlier signature motion. The Government's decision to seek this motion was not taken lightly but is judged necessary due to the extremely tight timetable for enactment and commencement of the Bill in advance of the EU deadline of 17 February. The Bill is necessary for the full implementation in Ireland of the EU regulation known as the Digital Services...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Industrial Development (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme is aimed at supporting economic development and job creation across the country by providing property solutions to its own as well as Enterprise Ireland and LEO clients. In this regard, the provision of property solutions is a key element of IDA’s marketing of the Midlands Region, including Longford and the IDA has committed to build an...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Company Closures (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: With low levels of economic growth internationally, and even forecasts of recession in some economies, it can be expected that Ireland will experience increasing levels of company restructuring. While company closures and even business failures are a normal feature of a functioning economy and of an entrepreneurial culture, there has been some suggestion that particular stresses are emerging...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Creation (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: Since taking office, this Government has made regional development a priority. My Department and its agencies have contributed to this effort through funding and job creation measures all across the country, including in Donegal and Killybegs. This approach is guided by the White Paper on Enterprise, which sets out the Government’s approach to enterprise policy for the period to...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: ...and is reflected in the White Paper on Enterprise. My Department aims to contribute to this goal through the work of its Enterprise Agencies, Local Enterprise Offices and the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs). Each REP is implemented by a Steering Committee comprising regional stakeholders. Evelyn O'Toole is Chair of the West REP...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Expenditure (8 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: Under the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, published early in 2022, Government has committed to driving a step change in the digitalisation of enterprise in Ireland. Growing the use of digital technologies by businesses will help to build the resilience of our enterprise base as we look to future-proof our economy. For businesses,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Co-operative Sector (7 Feb 2024)

Dara Calleary: The Co-operative Societies Bill provides for the most far-reaching reform of the legislation regarding co-operative societies in over 130 years. The Bill provides for a specific legislative framework for co-operative societies for the first time, with societies registering under the legislation being required to adhere to the co-operative ethos. It consolidates and modernises existing...