Results 61-80 of 743 for speaker:Jim D'Arcy

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Mathematics Learning Support: Irish Mathematics Learning Support Network (7 Oct 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: The idea is that their students will disgrace them with their knowledge. Is there an end? Does the deputation envisage this as ongoing or can they see a levelling off or a plateau? How can the primary school system help? I am of the view that the primary school curriculum has been dumbed down. We used to teach long division in fourth class and now it is taught in fifth class. Pupils do...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I support the request made by Senator Mac Conghail for tributes to and statements about Brian Friel in this House. I recall attending the first production of "Dancing at Lughnasa" in the Abbey Theatre and I walked out stunned. It was something completely new and revolutionary. There was a statement there which is still ringing in my head all these years later. Mr. Friel was a prolific...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: The national Famine commemoration will be held in Newry this Saturday, 26 September. It is the first time the commemoration will be held in the North and I hope many Senators will attend this important event, if they have the time to do so. It commemorates a bleak time in our history when the potato crop failed. I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I would like the Minister to come to the House to outline how the potato will be marketed. To misquote an old saying, "A spud a day keeps the doctor away". Some 36% of the potato crop is grown in the counties of Louth and Meath and the marketing fund is great news for these growers. The spud is great food and the Cooley spud is the best in the country. The great potato growers of Cooley -...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I have heard about them.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I also extend every good wish to Senator Jimmy Harte in his retirement. He has been an amazing contributor to Irish public life, both on Donegal County Council and latterly in Seanad Éireann, following in the footsteps of his illustrious father, Paddy Harte. I am sure the Harte family will continue to be at the centre of Irish political life in the future. I welcome today's Private...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: He went on to remark on the anti-national attitude of the west Brits who still run Irish rugby. That is the equivalent of an American calling someone an Uncle Tom.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: This goes to the heart of who we are. In fact, the people who run Irish rugby could be termed national heroes as they have kept a united organisation throughout the Troubles in a deeply fractured space.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: It is with great pride that I will cheer a 32-county Irish team as they play on the world stage with a fair chance of winning the tournament. Let us remember that Amhrán na bhFiann is the national anthem of a 26-county Irish Republic and we are rightly proud of it.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: This rugby team-----

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: This rugby team is a much more ancient and deeply spiritual manifestation of an older Irish nation.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: Those who run the organisation should be applauded and not-----

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I wish to say one thing, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: He would not say that to our county men, the two Kearney brothers, Dave and Rob, if they were looking at him.

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues: Motion (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: The situation that has developed in Northern Ireland has the potential to cause political instability and we see this happening with a great sense of disappointment. This can only be to the benefit of those on both sides who do not want politics to work. It has the potential to see us go back to the bad old days of conflict, with the darkness that it entailed. I pay tribute to the Minister...

Seanad: Northern Ireland Issues: Motion (23 Sep 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I am not standing up for them. I am not blaming any one group and not going in that direction. All I am saying is I would like to see full support for the task force from all parties. It will come. That is all I am saying.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jul 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education and Skills to come into the House in the autumn to outline the progress made on junior cycle reform. I was very pleased yesterday when she announced that agreements on all aspects of that reform have been concluded with the TUI and the ASTI.She said that these agreed proposals will be put to a ballot of members in September. The reformed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Integrated Education in Northern Ireland: Discussion (16 Jul 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I was inspired listening to Mr. Proctor. I am deeply interested in education and I spoke on the subject of junior cycle reform in the Seanad this morning. Education is for everybody and every career path is equally valid. That is what we are moving towards here. There was an elitism in education but now, we value things like self-esteem and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Integrated Education in Northern Ireland: Discussion (16 Jul 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: Through the Chair, talk to your Minister about that. What is the socio-economic profile of Mr. Frith's school? I have a question for Mr. Proctor. Will he elaborate on how integrated education has helped in his development and how he regards it as helping others?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Integrated Education in Northern Ireland: Discussion (16 Jul 2015)

Jim D'Arcy: I was in Drumatee, a townland in south Armagh, not long ago and a family of high achievers told me that Mary got into grammar school but that Anne was not good enough for that school and she went to St. Paul's in Camlough. It was awful stuff. I spoke about music earlier. Two of my three children have degrees in music and play with the Cross Border Orchestra, which is an integrated...