Results 161-180 of 448 for at speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am conscious of time and would like to get in one more question. I would be grateful if the Minister could look at those mini anaerobic digesters for cooking purposes. It is small use but every little helps, as I said. My last question is on storage. This is as much a question on reduction of energy demand as one on emissions reduction, the climate action plan etc. This winter, a lot...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (21 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate this comments about my contribution being taken into account and that the Minister will look at this in the review and, I hope, come up with something that is fit for purpose. Earlier this year, I visited forestry in Tipperary with some private forestry owners. It was the first time I was shown the symptoms of ash dieback and what to look out for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (21 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am sure the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, will be very familiar with the issue of ash dieback. I appreciate the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, and the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, are not present but I know the Minister of State, Deputy Calleary, will convey to both of them the points I am about to make. It is important that I get the opportunity to bring this issue up on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Tourism Industry (21 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank and congratulate the Minister on her stance with regard to the retention of the 9% VAT rate. The hospitality sector in west Cork is very grateful for today's announcement that this rate is to be extended until at least the start of September. With regard to tourism strategy, and referring to something Deputy Dillon alluded to at the end of his contribution, we need a really well...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Gníomhú ar son na hAeráide (21 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I would like to back up Deputy Ó Cathasaigh with regard to the experience on Cléire, especially with regard to housing. It is a big issue on Cape Clear and on all of our islands. We need innovative bespoke solutions for housing on the islands. A very innovative approach was used on the western islands of Scotland. It is referred to as gateway housing. It is essentially a type...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategies (21 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: We have to prioritise a strategy on how we can recognise Ireland's potential to become a global powerhouse in movies and TV. Of course, it could be argued that we already are a powerhouse when we see record-breaking nominations for the upcoming Oscars and performances at the BAFTAs etc. However, in order for that to be fair and equitable right throughout Ireland, we need to fix the regional...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I appreciate the Minister of State's response. It seems that we are struggling, both in west Cork and at a national level, to recruit and retain. The issue has been well covered and we must acknowledge it is the case. If I think back 20 years to when I was 19 or 20, becoming a garda was still an attractive profession and line of work to go into. That does not seem to be the case now....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister for attending today and for his opening statement. We have seen press coverage recently around Ireland's increasing emissions. None of us is happy with that and none of us can be proud of it. There is always a tendency to lay everything at the Minister's feet as if he can single-handedly stop this trend or reverse the trend. I believe that is unfair. Obviously,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I also think there needs to be a direction to local authorities because at the moment they do not want to know about it. They do not want to put their resources into it, even though the grant will be more favourable. If you use the ESB charging app to look for those combo chargers, it shows that west Cork is a bit of a desert at the moment. This is not to be parochial because I think this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (16 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: .... Hospitality is big in the regional parts of Ireland. A scheme for industry, hotels and so on exists through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, to fund renewable forms of heating their premises. Hotels or restaurants where large amounts of gas are used for cooking do not have the option of applying for grants for a renewable form of gas. The best example is where food...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is absolutely the case. The point about the use of a content levy was well made. We must promote, expand and maintain the incredible wealth and variety of arts in this country. We are riding a large and positive wave in respect of movie productions at the moment. It is not only movie productions. Ms Glennane mentioned composers. Eímear Noone directed the Oscar orchestra recently.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Future of the Media Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I have one last point, if that is okay, for Dr. May on sports and the inclusion of women in sport, making it easier for and encouraging women to participate in sport. I have to bring an individual case to Dr. May and I know she will not mind me doing so. One of the best freestyle kayakers on the planet is named Anaïs O'Donovan and she is from west Cork. In the past three or four...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister and Minister of State for attending. My question is for the Minister. How aware is she of the campaign from the Irish Self-Catering Federation on a request for consultation and discussion on Fáilte Ireland's registration of short-term lets. Its representatives visited Dublin last week and I thought they put their case to us pretty well. The federation is...

Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 33 - Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Revised) (8 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister for the response. I appreciate that there will be a level of consultation. Could I make a formal request to the committee as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process? I know that the Irish Self Catering Federation has been invited to make a written submission. I would like to see the group come in and be physical witnesses at one of our sessions of pre-legislative...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Admissions (2 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 90. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that can be taken to increase the admissions at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4642/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Feb 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I want to bring awareness to the campaign by hairdressers throughout the length and breadth of Ireland to keep the VAT rate for their services at 9%. It is an issue nationally. If one looks at west Cork, one sees a perfect example of how a change in the VAT rate will negatively impact the industry. There is a healthy number of excellent hairdressers throughout west Cork and they play such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (31 Jan 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...the avoidance of system alerts so far this winter, and while I hope we are over peak demand, although I accept there is still a bit of winter left and potentially more cold snaps, it is good news that, despite all the concerns, we have managed to avoid risk alerts so far. What level of gratitude do we owe the public and customers who listened to the Reduce Your Use campaign and decided to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Engagement with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (31 Jan 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is important. We can celebrate the buy-in from the public and the fact there was a real response, but we must also be conscious that families may have struggled through this winter in terms of heating, which could also have led to a reduction in demand. That must be acknowledged. On a similar note and as briefly as possible, to what degree did the weather conditions contribute to...

Interim Report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (26 Jan 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...18-bed unit down to a 15-bed unit. Reducing to a 15-bed unit in the midst of huge pressure on the services, huge need for extra mental health services, is not good news by any stretch of the imagination. The HSE challenged the recommendation of the Mental Health Commission to reduce it to 11 beds so it could have been much worse. However, it certainly underlines the urgent need for a...

Forestry Strategy: Statements (26 Jan 2023)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Deputy Bruton is correct in that this represents 1% of the overall ambition. When one hears terms like this is a sell-out and a land-grab, perhaps some of that commentary is overplayed. He is also correct in his assertion that, at the moment, land use in general is an emitter as opposed to a sequester of carbon. For years we have been getting it wrong. I know the Minister of...