Results 1-20 of 101 for likes to work speaker:Darren O'Rourke

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Aircraft Noise (Dublin Airport) Regulation (Transfer of Functions) Bill 2024: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and I thank Deputy Smith for bringing it forward. The usual approach from the Government is to delay these Bills by 12 months or let them go to Committee State to die. It is a particular point when the Government opposes a Bill. I would say it was a surprise but it is entirely consistent with my experience of how Fianna Fáil and Fine...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Pension Parity and Working Conditions for School Secretaries and Caretakers: Fórsa (10 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Time is very tight and I thank the witnesses for coming in at short notice and the committee for organising it. I will come back to Ms Carty and Mr. Hearne for specific examples of the egregious parts of this, like how it feels at retirement after 40 years of work compared with their public service colleagues, the bereavement leave and the critical illness piece. I will come back to them in...

All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (Resumed) (9 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the all-island strategic rail review. It is an important piece of work. Anyone who looks at the old maps of the railway lines compared to today knows there is a significant job of work to fill the gaps. There are lots of gaps, such as the west and the north-west, but I wish to focus on my area. It is important and I welcome that we have DART+ West at...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (8 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the establishment of the commission of investigation into historical sex abuse in schools and the appointment of the chair, announced today. I have questions about the methodology, particularly as it relates to sampling and other areas. However, I ask about redress and pursuit of financial accountability. The Minister says that further work is being to examine the matter of...

Healthcare (Transparent Payments) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (19 Jun 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank all the Deputies on both sides of the House for their contributions on this Second Stage debate. In particular, I thank Deputy Toole, my constituency colleague, with whom I previously discussed this legislation. She has a particular interest. This is an important intervention we are trying to make from a number of different perspectives. We have touched on a few of them. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Promotion (8 May 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister for the response. I acknowledge the changeover of portfolios between Departments. I say to the Minister and his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, that there is a real overlap between tourism product in Kells, for example, and arts, culture and sport. For example, the Hinterland Festival of Literature and Arts happens at the end of June and includes...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (19 Mar 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this important issue for discussion tonight and the Minister of State for being here. This is a familiar issue which is frustrating for residents and business owners in the area of Duleek, Donore and surrounding areas. The issue is creaking water infrastructure leading to water bursts all too frequently. They are unscheduled and in many cases are...

Policing and Community Safety: Statements (4 Mar 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: I want to return to the issue of Garda numbers, as I often do, in regard to County Meath. County Meath is the county with the lowest number of gardaí per head of population, something which has been the case for a long time. By way of comparison, in 2009 there were 315 gardaí in County Meath, with a population at that time of 172,000 people. At the end of 2024, there were 316...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Policy (27 Feb 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: ...na Cille. There is a thriving Irish-language community at primary level and yet while we repeatedly built secondary schools in that area, none of them have been Gaelcholáistí. There is a real job of work to ensure that avenue is there for students. Referring again to the area the Minister and I represent, and it is reflected in other areas, there is a challenge for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Service Performance Report 2023: Department of Transport (6 Nov 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a need for the Department to ensure the NTA has an appraisal of these projects. It has a real impact. This project had €6 million allocated and a 100% overrun in terms of time. I expect it is a 100% overrun in budget as well, and maybe more. It was to be one element of a network of developments. What does the Minister imagine the response will be if the local authority...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 31 - Transport (Supplementary) (5 Nov 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I have a question on the public transport subhead, the reallocation of funding and the additional capital. I think that the Minister of State said there was a shift of €29 million from capital to current expenditure. It certainly is the case that there are increased numbers on public transport. I think it is a shared policy...

South Coast Designated Maritime Area Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (10 Oct 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the south coast DMAP. This has been quite some time coming. After 15 months, we finally have a plan for offshore wind on the south coast of our island. It is Ireland's first spatial plan for offshore wind and identifies four maritime areas off the south coast for offshore wind development over the next decade. It is welcome. Offshore renewable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Schemes (10 Oct 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The funding is always welcome, but it does not go far enough. If you combine it with other improvement or involvement schemes like CIS, there is significant demand. There are long waiting lists. For those two schemes there is a ten-year waiting list in County Meath alone. In terms of the level of funding, is there a consideration of the...

Companies (Corporate Governance, Enforcement and Regulatory Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and the provisions in it that will be of benefit. As Deputy O'Reilly said, we will continue to engage over the course of the Bill's passage through the legislative process. The Bill contains several important measures such as the exemption relief, the opportunity for virtual meetings, the enhancement of regulatory bodies and powers, and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Waste Management (11 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue. Much has been said on waste management services, bin collections and the services that are provided. There are very significant issues with them, including complications, contradictions, inefficiencies, and side-by-side collection. A huge number of people do not have a bin service. We have a significant challenge and problem...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (11 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: This morning, the Climate Change Advisory Council published its built environment annual review 2024. It wants to see the ambition and rate of upgrades to social homes doubled. It highlights the need for special measures to support older people to achieve warmer, more comfortable, healthier homes. It highlights that many of the worst performing homes are likely to be owned by older people...

Affordable Electricity: Motion [Private Members] (25 Jun 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: ...expensive electricity prices in the European Union (EU), two-thirds higher than the average, with the typical Irish household paying nearly €700 more per year; regrets that: — the Government refused to apply a stronger, more effective windfall tax which tackled profits when they were at their peak post the Russian invasion of Ukraine; — decades of successive Fianna...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Energy Policy (22 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue and I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, for being here to take it. I raised the issue very briefly with him on Priority Questions last week but I am glad to have some extra time here to focus on it. I am concerned that people, who are isolated, have exorbitant bills related to heat pump use. I have spoken to members...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Challenges Facing the Bus and Coach Industry: Discussion (8 May 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: ...the 105X service with Mr. Kent before. It is very popular. There is a demand from the community for increased frequency. It largely runs at peak hours and is an express direct route from Ratoath into the city. I raise the 109A to DCU regularly with Bus Éireann and the NTA. I also raise direct routes from Ashbourne or Ratoath to the M3 parkway linking bus and rail. How do those...