Results 1-20 of 2,279 for speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I will start by saying we need non-EU workers. We need non-EU workers with permits. The economy needs that. That often gets lost in the immigration debate. However an issue has arisen in terms of how permitted workers are paid. At the moment, in a food processing plant, for example, there will be non-EU permitted workers working alongside EU workers and Irish workers. They are currently...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I acknowledge the increased expenditure of €19 million, the 200 additional healthcare professionals and the reductions in waiting lists of 5% and 13%, but there is a statistic that is concerning, namely that although there were 509 procedures in 2022, there were fewer in 2023. Therefore, something has gone awry. I appreciate that the Minister is not here and that the Minister of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: This matter relates to children with scoliosis, specifically in the context of the length of time they have to wait for surgery. I want to raise the issue of Anna Russell, who is 13 years old and is from Glengarriff in west Cork. She is truly a great kid. If the Minister of State ever has the pleasure of meeting her, he will see her charm. She is absolutely charming and I am sure the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State for his update on the circular economy. I welcome his statement on the banning of disposable vapes. They are a scourge on our environment and far too easy to buy. There is the added issue of HHC vapes, which are causing problems for people with mental health issues. That is a matter for the Department of Health, though. I welcome the deposit return scheme....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I apologise, but I am afraid I will run out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: No, I am happy to hear that the volume going through the machines is increasing exponentially. It is a teething issue. I urge people to have patience. It has been brought to my attention that people still need domestic recycling services for paper and other waste. A big volume of what went into the recycling bins was made up of plastic bottles. People will not now be filling their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Some still have a fixed fee, and this is probably where the issue arises. I heard an interesting debate on the radio yesterday about paper bags. My mind flipped a couple of times thinking about the process. An individual was complaining that a certain shop had charged them for a paper bag. As the debate went on, I realised that a habit we should all get into is to bring our own bags in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: There is the energy that goes into making them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Let us take the temperature first.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Neurological Alliance of Ireland gave a presentation in the audiovisual room in Leinster House yesterday describing the fact that Ireland is near the bottom of the European table in terms of the availability of neurologists. In fairness, the Minister created extra neurology nursing posts, but most of those have not been filled. We need to examine this matter. The issue is particularly...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (25 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: 68. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he would consider opening up the fodder transport support scheme to include farmers who purchased fodder from longer distances from 31 January to 31 March; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18422/24]

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Gabhaim buíochas leis na witnesses who attended today. I wish I were able mo cheisteanna a chur as Gaeilge but I do not have the same bravery as Deputy O'Rourke. That said, if Carmel Nic Airt was on the scene back in 1987 - I missed her by a few years - when I went to national school in Clonakilty, it may have all been so different. I can attest to the fact that many of my nieces and...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I am sure the students would too. It might even be a higher percentage among students.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is important. I apologise that I am directing my questions to Traolach Ó Donnabháin and Carmel Nic Airt but Clonakilty and west Cork form the area with which I am most familiar. They have backed this up with statistics of the increase in those enrolling. Regarding the Gaelscoil in Clonakilty, this is only anecdotal but it appears to me that the increase in enrolment numbers...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: We have certainly established the attraction of Gaelscoileanna and the multidenominational piece. The evidence is there regarding the enrolments. Coming back to the Irish-medium secondary school piece, Carmel Nic Airt mentioned joined-up thinking in one of her answers to Deputy O'Rourke. That is the big piece here for me. For example, let us bring it local again. Practical examples are...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Yes.

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: With the demographics and the increase in enrolments in the Gaelscoil, that problem is only going to get worse, but the possible introduction of an Irish-medium secondary school removes that headache. Unfortunately, after listening to Cormac McCashin, and obviously this is not a committee I attend regularly, it seems the starting point is at a very low base and Department policy so far means...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Culture and Governance Issues at RTÉ: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the staff and their representatives and trade unions for attending. It is almost a year since the payments to Mr. Tubridy came into the limelight and we had our first sessions on those payments and the situation that followed. It is not good enough that it has taken us almost a full year to get staff and their representatives into committee to hear from them. I am sorry it has...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Culture and Governance Issues at RTÉ: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: Ms O'Kelly has made that point loud and clear and we have to take that on board.