Results 101-120 of 3,362 for speaker:James O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: Sorry to cut across you, Dr. McDonnell, but Mr. Nugent wants to come in very briefly and we have gone a minute over time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: It is okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: Thank you. Unfortunately we have to proceed. We now go to Senator Conor Murphy from Sinn Féin.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I thank Deputy Hayes and Mr. Nugent. I call Deputy John Clendennen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I am sorry, Mr. Gibbons would like to come too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I am sorry. We will have to move on because we are three and a half minutes over time. We now go to the very patient Deputy Conway-Walsh.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: Mr. Nugent has 30 seconds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I will ask a couple of questions. I have found the contributions and some of the questions that have been posed extremely interesting. I am a Government TD as well as being Cathaoirleach of the committee. I would probably be bracketed in the disgruntled group. I have a couple of questions. I am interested in getting the witnesses' views, and I will share it around. Something I often...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: An interesting point came up in discussions with the Department previously. I am interested in hearing the union standpoint on it. In terms of large-scale capital infrastructure projects in particular, we see international contractors in a number of countries around the world bringing in contract employment, although not so much within the European Union. Does Mr. Gibbons have a particular...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I have a question on that. I am very interested in this and am of the view that there is a lot to be learned from history. Mr. Gibbons has just given us a very interesting insight. At the time that it was built, Ardnacrusha took up one third of the State's entire resources. What this shows is that sometimes it is worth spending multiples of billions on infrastructure projects where there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I have an observation to add to Deputy Gogarty's point. He asked some good questions. The amount of expert documents that come before any Member of the Oireachtas is enormous. We see strategies being published and new proposals being brought forward but it is about enacting them. Is it the capacity of the Civil Service? Is there a need for a summit on establishing goals and outcomes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: Absolutely. It is only a minor observation but walking up the steps into the Dáil, you look up and the roof is collapsing. There are literally pieces of the ceiling collapsing onto the Gallery as the Taoiseach is going in. It is indicative of the whole infrastructure of the State. I want to feed this back to Mr. Gibbons. I would be really insincere to him if I did not say it. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: We will now proceed to the Labour Party's Deputy Lawlor who will be followed by Senator McCarthy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Competitiveness and the Cost of Doing Business in Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: I am sorry to cut across Dr. McDonnell but we have exceeded our time of 3 p.m. I regret that we will not have time for a second round of questions but it is indicative of the fact that we had such an interesting and broad-ranging discussion. It was useful for us to engage with the three witnesses. On behalf of the members and myself, I thank them most sincerely for that. I also thank them...

School Transport: Statements (23 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: This is my first contribution since the Dáil returned. I look forward to the next number of months. I thank the Minister of State for his ongoing engagement regarding school transport. I will address the pilot scheme for the Kilcredan school area. When this was brought forward, a lot of us were thrilled because we felt it would bring about a permanent solution. It has been very...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Disadvantaged Status (23 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: 327. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her Department's plans to update the DEIS plus plan before the end of 2025; the timeline for the publication of this document; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50317/25]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Inland Fisheries (18 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: 100. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the current investigation into the widespread fish kill in the River Blackwater in recent weeks; if his Department has found the source of the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49317/25]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Renewable Energy Generation (18 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: 147. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has been in communication with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the publishing of planning guidelines for solar farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49316/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (18 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: 181. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline his Department's plan on opening a new driving test centre in County Cork; the current test waiting times in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49351/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Arts Funding (18 Sep 2025)

James O'Connor: 252. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment his plans to extend the basic income for the arts scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49340/25]