Results 121-140 of 7,097 for speaker:Darren O'Rourke

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will include school secretaries and caretakers in the public service pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27338/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I am firmly of the opinion that this project will never be delivered at the current rate and if the current approach is maintained. I do not say this with any degree of satisfaction. I accept the points made by the Minister in terms of the strategic importance of it and need for it and everything that goes with that but there have been incredible delays. I foresee this continuing because...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: We are talking past each other, which has been the difficulty. I am being straight with the Minister. It is my firm belief, as an elected Member who knows these communities, that this project is not going to proceed as currently planned. The only way I see it being delivered is underground. The 2021 review said that in the future, not only qualitative but more quantitative elements and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the North-South interconnector project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30279/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Energy Infrastructure (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Will the Minister provide an update on the North-South interconnector project?

Housing: Statements (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: In my two minutes, I want to focus on the issue of affordable housing in Meath East for working people to buy and rent. I looked at daft.ie before I came to the Chamber. Four-bedroom second-hand properties are €535,000 to buy, on average, with three-bedrooms €430,000 and two-bedrooms €240,000. There are no properties at all to rent. Not a single affordable unit has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the establishment of the committee. It is important. From a health sector point of view, I have a background in biomedical science. I have worked with large data sets, gene sequencing for targeted therapies, bioinformatics and the potential opportunity in diagnostics and patient management. Examining the potential of AI in health services, hopefully in an ethical way, is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Dr. Leavy mentioned that to some degree we might be a standard bearer in terms of regulation and it was a case of implementation. I have heard the counterargument that the Digital Services Act is light touch. The devil is in the detail as regards what companies are captured by it. For instance, it does not capture Roblox and YouTube. Specifically, on the issue of recommender algorithms,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: My understanding is that there were earlier drafts of the Irish legislation that included it and the final Act did not.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Okay. My next question has an eye to a conversation on leaving certificate reform. There is some indication that the third level sector is already dealing with additional assessment components, something leaving certificate reform is dealing with, which is essentially continuous assessment, some of which would not be classroom-based. The human involvement would be in the loop, which deals...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: A related question is relevant to the witnesses. How do we ensure the integrity of the research being produced by funded PhD scholars, for example, is their own work and not AI generated?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: The nature of assessments has changed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Are those assessment processes robust enough to tell the difference?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: There are a lot of examples - Dr. Seoighe gave a number of them himself - where those checks and balances-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Does Dr. Seoighe have concerns going into the future? How can we stay ahead of it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: My question is about CERN AI. Mariana Mazzucato talks about the innovative state and state investment in pharma, for example, so we end up with commercialised products. It is based on huge state investment initially. Perhaps we are in a different place in the tech sector. A lot of this is tech-led and the question is how we try to influence that. Where is the idea of CERN AI and is it a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Research Ireland (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: It is better than actual CERN.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 172. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has spoken with the new Canadian Prime Minister. [28973/25]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Mining Industry (10 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 230. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the licencing system for mining operations at a mine (details supplied); what licences are currently issued; the frequency with which they are renewed; the process for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29621/25]