Results 1,661-1,680 of 7,581 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: It might be better to recommend it though rather than deprecate it at this point, to recommend it subject to resources and to those safeguards. One possible issue, which I am not sure if it is something being considered, would be that the academic year in that first year would begin in January. You literally spend the time in that first term facilitating the interview and the change-of-mind...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I am out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Very good. There is some evidence that industry is not happy with the non-academic skills, for example, teamwork, problem-solving, work ethic and communications. A survey done by Accenture in February 2020 found that these skills were really lacking. Undergraduate programmes expect these skills to be acquired at home or in school. In many cases, students from disadvantaged backgrounds...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I will not say that politicians engage in a certain amount of that activity.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Like William Shatner.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: First, it was refreshing to hear a sincere difference of opinion because, in many ways, it brings up the reality that these issues are not simple and that we have to be able to put forward ideas that may or may not recommend themselves to each other. When listening to it, I was struck by the thought of the fanfare about people getting 600 points in the leaving certificate every year, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (19 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I would like to hear what Professor Hegarty has to say.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: This will not do. The Minister of State and Senator Cummins sounded like they wanted to scream but they would not dare to do so. They are like two flight stewards who have discovered that the pilots are taking the flight to London and on to Paris and they want to shout and scream and tell us all they are crazy but they are afraid that they will panic the passengers. It is obvious that...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I know that, but the Minister of State's tones are measured. Does it not want to make you scream? This is a bizarre, crazy and irrational situation. We need to hear the Minister of State say that. The old phrases about selling ice to Eskimos, sand to Arabs or bringing coal to Newcastle spring to mind. Importing peat to store it next to a bog would be laughable were it not so serious an...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: You might as well throw in “grotesque” as well.

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I thought the Senator had said "national school" there.

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Senator McDowell will lead. With the agreement of the House, we will share time.

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Like the philosopher of old who heard the fine speech that went before, I think I should just tear up my notes. It is very hard to disagree with anything Senator McDowell has said. One of the things that makes me uncomfortable about hate crimes legislation, as is proposed, is that it in some way creates a hierarchy of victimhood, suggesting that some crimes are less serious than others and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I would like to follow up on and commend Senator Ned O'Sullivan on what he had to say about anti-Semitism and the decision by author Sally Rooney to refuse permission for her novel to be translated into Hebrew. Perhaps somebody needs to remind her that Israeli people are normal people as well. Perhaps this is an example of when virtue signalling can actually turn quite vicious, wittingly or...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: That is true. We can always call out foolishness or, at least, I hope we can in this House. There is a lot of it abroad in the culture at the moment.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Agreed.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: There is a big difference.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: I have just come from chairing an online event entitled, Countering Human Trafficking in Ireland, hosted by the all-party Oireachtas Life and Dignity Group. We heard from two experts, Ms Sunniva McDonagh, a member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, and Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab. Given Ireland's low, tier two or "watchlist" status in the Trafficking in Persons, TIP, report...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Since there is honey going around, we can draw the obvious conclusion.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2021)

Rónán Mullen: Would it be timely for us to have a debate on the ongoing progress of our vaccination programme against Covid-19, in particular, and of course with other vaccination programmes in mind as we enter the flu season? There are many important issues to discuss, such as the issue of the booster vaccine, the ethical question around the developing world and its need to access even first vaccines for...